Strategies for attaining competitive advantages emphasize developing and configuring existing resource strengths into a valuable and unique resource base. But what if you do not yet have a legacy of resource strengths? Entrepreneurs in emerging organizations must first assemble resources, then combine them to build a resource platform that will yield distinctive capabilities. The case studies included in this article illustrate the challenges entrepreneurs confront in identifying, attracting, combining, and transforming personal resources into organizational resources. We offer two analytical tools for assessing initial resource needs and developing a resource strategy that can enhance possibilities for wealth creation. Our pathway approach provides guidance for entrepreneurs constructing a resource base.
Strategy; resource base; competitive advantage; emerging organizations; entrepreneurship