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Reframing the Compositional Capability: A Resource-Based View on ‘A Composition-Based View of Firm Growth’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2015

Henk W. Volberda  and
Emre Karali
Henk W. Volberda
Affiliation:
Erasmus University, The Netherlands
Emre Karali
Affiliation:
Erasmus University, The Netherlands
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Extract

This commentary targets the core ideas of the composition-based view (CBV). First, we argue that the deployment of compositional capabilities (CCs) to combine ordinary resources fits the resource-based view (RBV) and that there is therefore no need for a CBV. Second, we argue that the CCs should be presented as a specific type of dynamic capability (DC). We show that even where ordinary resources are being combined, superior combinatory capabilities are needed as competitive advantage cannot otherwise be achieved. Third, we argue that Luo and Child (2015) focused too much on the emerging economy enterprises (EEEs) as the conceptual setting. We conclude with a future research agenda to prepare the ground for research on compositional capabilities within the composition-based view of the firm.

Keywords

competitive advantagecomposition-based viewcompositional capabilitiesdynamic capabilitiesresource-based viewresourcesroutines
Type
Commentaries
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 11 , Issue 3: Special Issue Building Sustainable Organizations in China , September 2015 , pp. 419 - 426
Copyright
Copyright © The International Association for Chinese Management Research 2015 

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