Competence Resource Specialization, Causal Ambiguity, and the Creation and Decay of Competitiveness: The Role of Marketing Strategy in New Product Performance and Shareholder Value

Abstract Marketing strategists should create, maintain, and<br>arrest the decay of causally ambiguous resource competences<br>that lead to competitiveness and thus performance.<br>However, competence causal ambiguity, which helps create<br>competitiveness, is also implicated in competitiveness<br>decay. In this study we test a model of specializationcompetitiveness-<br>performance using primary and secondary<br>data from 169 public respondents/firms, to examine the<br>effects of negative internal barriers to replication and adaptation.<br>These barriers develop due to resource lock-in arising<br>from the same specialization processes that lead to the<br>positive barriers to imitation that deter competitors. Results<br>suggest that commitment to learning can mitigate resource<br>lock-in problems with internal competence causal ambiguity,<br>competence causal ambiguity among competitors appears<br>more essential to competitiveness in more competitive<br>markets, competitiveness positive