LINKING THE ANTECEDENTS OF A KEY PLAYER IN NATIONAL’S PALM OIL SECTOR IN ACHIEVING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: MODERATING EFFECTS OF ORGANISATION’S AGE

Abstract

The concept of strategic positioning as a fundamental element in strategic management used to understand one of the government agencies, the key player in the plantation industry, determines its external environment, internal strategic capabilities factors and understanding its stakeholders' influences-expectations towards achieving competitive advantage. This study aims to examine all the competencies level and the correlation between the external environment, internal strategic capabilities, and understanding its stakeholders' influences-expectations and achieving competitive advantage. This study tries to examine the moderating variable that could affect the relationship between determinants of strategic positioning and achieving competitive advantage, namely the organisation’s age. This study employed quantitative and qualitative approaches by using triangulation techniques. Through cross-sectional design, there were 162 completed survey questionnaires returned, but only 150 were useable. The data collections conducted through interviews with the Agency's Board members and surveys. The survey questionnaires distributed to managers who are involved and engaged in the planning and the implementation of strategies/policies relating to the Agency. Findings indicate that the internal strategic capabilities which had created an important correlation in organisations for realising competitive advantage. Besides, the findings demonstrate the indirect effect of age of organisation in the relationship between all the determinants and their position to achieve competitive advantage. Finally, the research outcomes of this study will hopefully provide the reference to other public sector organisations to emulate the model of the Agency in positioning its organisation. It also hoped to set a direction and roadmap for the Agency to go forward as well as enable them to compete domestically and internationally on the scale of competitions.