THE EFFECT OF COSTLY–TO-IMITATE CAPABILITIES ON SUSTAINED COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN NIGERIA
The study examined the effect of costly–to-imitate capabilities on sustained competitive advantage in manufacturing firms in Nigeria. A sample size of 248 was determined from a population of 700 respondents using Taro Yamene’s sampling technique. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and 248 copies of questionnaire were distributed out of which 232 copies were found useful for data analysis. The data were analyzed using Regression Analysis which was facilitated through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS Version 23.0). The findings showed a significant effect of costly–to-imitate capabilities on sustained competitive advantage in manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study concludes that costly–to-imitate capabilities significantly affect sustained competitive advantage in manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Hence, the study recommended that management should cultivate a distinctive unique organizational culture that other businesses will find it challenging to emulate. They should establish and pursue ambiguous cause that other firms find it hard to embark on and social complexity that focus on the relationship between managers and employees; managers and directors; the firm and the society (supplier, customers, government and union and associations) in order to gain sustained competitive advantage.