Developing sustainable competitive advantages from the lens of resource-based view: evidence from IT sector of an emerging economy

The present study examines the IT industry’s sustainable competitive advantages (CAs) from a resource-based view (RBV). Therefore, a list of CAs in three areas of the triple bottom line (TBL), including economic, social, and environmental, are extracted by thoroughly studying the relevant literature. These attributes are then evaluated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) managers in the IT sector by implementing a Multi-level hybrid Decision-Making approach. This step employs a modified Delphi technique combined with linguistic z-numbers. Further, by reviewing the literature, the list of intangible resources is counted, and the importance of these resources is measured via the linguistic z-number BWM (Best Worst Method). Finally, the degree of the controllability of critical CAs is prioritised by z-number TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and then classified found on the resources. Consequently, different classes are discussed, and appropriate strategies for dealing with each are presented.