Firm Level Competitive Advantage in the Agricultural Sector A Research Agenda

Abstract

Improvements in technology and information systems as well as changes in climate and economies have resulted in an increasingly competitive environment for the agribusiness sector. A better understanding of firm level competitiveness of this sector hence provides the necessary framework for agribusiness firms to compete at domestic and global markets. Although prior studies have proposed many frameworks to illustrate competitive advantage at the firm level, their practicability remains a concern. This study provides a critical review of the available frameworks and constructs a new one for the agricultural sector. A research model along with its theoretical and managerial implications is presented. Besides proposing a methodology for future studies, this study also serves to guide practitioners to decide on the key factors to consider when assessing the competitive advantage of agribusiness firms.