| The resource-based view of the firm (RBV) and sustained competitive advantage model developed by Barney (1991) offer an approach to examining available resources and how those resources affect an organization's success and or effectiveness. Previous studies in sport management literature examined secondary data in an attempt to better understand sustained competitive advantage. This study takes the next step through interviews with program stakeholders as well as using secondary data to better understand how and why sustained competitive advantage exists in high school football. The study helps explore not only what resources influence success, but also to what extent the different resources shape program success according to the stakeholders. Eight emerging concepts were developed as resources potentially influencing program success. The resources are examined in relation to Barney's (1991) four tenets of sustained competitive advantage (value, rareness, imperfect imitability, and non-substitutability). Furthermore, the study compares three different winning programs and their use of the eight resources. While none of the identified resources satisfy all four of Barney's (1991) requirements, an argument can be made that the resources bundled together as one resource, organizational culture, lead to the programs' continued success. The results encourage further investigation of competitive sport using the RBV and sustained competitive advantage frameworks. |
