Unraveling the Linkages: Network Business Skills, Marketing Flexibility, and Competitive Advantage of SMEs
Author (s)
Lizhong Lu
Abstract
This study examines the impact of network business skills on the competitive advantage of Chinese small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) through the lens of marketing flexibility. Drawing on dynamic capability theory and organizational learning theory, this study constructs a conceptual model integrating network business skills, marketing flexibility, and competitive advantage. Additionally, this study introduces market learning and market competition as moderating variables to analyze their influence on the relationship between network business skills and marketing flexibility. Employing a questionnaire survey among 519 SMEs, this study conducts descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis using SPSS 27.0. Our findings reveal that network business skills positively impact marketing flexibility and competitive advantage. Marketing flexibility fully mediates the relationship between network business skills and competitive advantage. Market learning positively moderates this relationship, while market competition negatively moderates it. These findings contribute to our understanding of how SMEs can leverage network business skills to enhance their competitive advantage in the digital era.
Keywords: Network Business Skills, Marketing Flexibility, Competitive Advantage, Market Learning, Market Competition, SMEs.
| Title: | Unraveling the Linkages: Network Business Skills, Marketing Flexibility, and Competitive Advantage of SMEs |
|---|---|
| Author: | Lizhong Lu |
| Journal Name: | International Journal of Science and Business |
| Website: | ijsab.com |
| ISSN: | ISSN 2520-4750 (Online), ISSN 2521-3040 (Print) |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.58970/IJSB.2520 |
| Media: | Online |
| Volume: | 43 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Issue publication (Year): | 2025 |
| Acceptance Date: | 4/12/2024 |
| Date of Publication: | 5/12/2024 |
| PDF URL: | https://ijsab.com/wp-content/uploads/2520.pdf |
| Free download: | Available |
| Page: | 105-115 |
| First Page: | 105 |
| Last Page: | 115 |
| Paper Type: | Research paper |
| Current Status: | Published |
Cite This Article:
Lu, L. (2025). Unraveling the Linkages: Network Business Skills, Marketing Flexibility, and Competitive Advantage of SMEs, International Journal of Science and Business, 43(1), 105-115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58970/IJSB.2520
Retrieved from https://ijsab.com/wp-content/uploads/2520.pdf
About Author (s)
Lizhong Lu , Centre of Postgraduate Studies, Asia Metropolitan University (AMU), Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58970/IJSB.2520
