Identifying Valuable Resources

Abstract

One of the reasons why the resource-based view is difficult to operationalize derives from a lack of clarity about what 'valuable' means. In this paper we explore the impediments to arriving at a monetary valuation of a resource, and we suggest how resources could be identified within a firm, given our clarification of 'valuable' and propose an approach to firm resource identification focusing on the impact of resources on unit margin. We also address the issue of competitive disadvantages that may counteract the positive benefits of resources. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.