Table A2.
Analysis of competitive advantages of fertilizer industry using VRIO framework
| Competitive | Is it valuable? | Is it rare? | Is it hard to imitate? | Are the companies organized to use? | Competitive consequences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages | |||||
| Vertically integrated business model | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Access to all types of mineral resources | + | + | + | + | Sustainable competitive advantage |
| Access to unique mineral resources | + | + | + | + | Sustainable competitive advantage |
| Own logistic system | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Own distribution system | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Flexible business model (quick change of the manufactured products) | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Flexible sales model (quick change of delivery regions) | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Significant market share | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Wide standardized product range | + | – | – | + | Competitive parity |
| Modified (innovative) products | + | + | – | + | Temporary competitive advantage |
| Digital solutions | + | + | + | + | Sustainable competitive advantage |
| After-sales services | + | + | + | + | Sustainable competitive advantage |
Source: authors' compilation based on data from the websites of EuroChem, Uralkali, Nutrient Company, Phosagro, Yara International and The Mosaic Company.