Emerging determinants of firm performance: a case study research examining the strategy pillars from a resource-based view

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study advance four factors – strategy pillars – that help explain firms’ success: leader and top management team; strategic focus; trust in the future; and resources support. Design/methodology/approach – These factors were identified in five case studies of well-known multinational corporations often referred to in the strategy literature and research. Findings – The paper proposes the four pillars from a resource-based view (RBV) as a departure point for the identification of strategic resources. Research limitations/implications – Limitations derive from case study methodology, such as difficulty of generalization. The paper helps clarify how to look at the resources and how the strategy pillars may embody the four characteristics VRIN. Practical implications – The role of the chief executive officer entrepreneur as a core strategic pillar. Social implications – To deepen understanding of strategic leadership succession, namely to avoid firms’ decline once the founding father retires. Originality/value – The paper not only uses the RBV to help identify strategic resources and understand the major strategic pillars of competitive advantage, but it also contributes to the debate on where lies the source of competitive advantage.