Drawing on the concepts of embeddedness, this study suggests that the forms and contents of network ties are external antecedents of the decision on competitive repertoires made by firms. The forms of network include institutional embeddedness, network centrality, social capital. Information simplicity is the content which has three measures---concentration, dominance, and range. The effects of internal antecedents, namely slack resources, experience and cognitive sunk cost of board of directors, are also examined. Results show that, in general, heterogeneity in competitive repertoire of a firm is positively associated with its forms of network ties. In the case of the content of network, the simpler is the information in concentration and dominance, the greater the heterogeneity. Interestingly, diversity in competitive repertoire of a firm is negatively associated with its institutionally embeddedness and information simplicity in range. / In the competitive dynamics line of research, the investigation of the antecedents of competitive repertoires is less developed. The findings on impacts of competitive actions on performance are not conclusive as well. This study aims to uncover both the internal and external antecedents that affect the firm's decisions on competitive repertoires. Drawing from previous studies in micro-competitive behaviours, a typology of four modes of competitive differentiation---specific action, deviation, diversity, and heterogeneity---is introduced. Then, this study investigates the effectiveness of these four different modes of differentiation in sustaining competitive advantage. The sample analysed in this study consists of firms from both banking and hotel industries. The causes and consequences of firm-level rivalry are examined over a period of six years. / Overall, this study provides new theoretical insight and empirical evidence regarding the relationship between the forms and contents of firm's external embeddedness and its competitive repertoires. In addition, the use of semi-annual time frame adds richness to existing methods of observing and measuring competitive actions in the study of micro-competitive behaviors. The results of this study also suggest that competitive repertoires, rather then single moves, play a key role in firm's ability to sustain competitive advantage. Finally, this study provides valuable guidelines in the appointment of board directors, particularly with respect to links between competitive repertoires and the directors' institutional and network embeddedness, social capital, and information possessed. / The examination of the effects of different modes of competitive differentiation on firm performance reveals that only diversity and heterogeneity in competitive repertoire are essential for superior performance and to outperform competitors. These findings have two implications. First, for superior performance, firm must differentiate itself from its competitors rather than being a follower. Second, such differentiation must have the competitive actions structured in a portfolio mode rather than separate and independent moves. / Yeung Ping Kwong. / "April 2002." / Adviser: Chung-Ming Lau. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-05, Section: A, page: 1911. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 171-187). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_343132 |
| Date | January 2002 |
| Contributors | Yeung, Ping Kwong., Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Business Administration. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English, Chinese |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, theses |
| Format | electronic resource, microform, microfiche |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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