Textile and Apparel Industries

Mapping Success: A Study on Firm Capabilities in Chinese Cross-Border E-Commerce

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Abstract

This study explores the factors influencing the success of Chinese cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) firms, focusing on their ordinary capability (OC) and dynamic capabilities (DC). Guided by resource-based theory and the dynamic capabilities framework, the research examines how firms leverage valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (VRIN) resources. Using qualitative interviews with 14 CBEC practitioners, the study identifies critical capabilities, such as leaders' vision, data-driven processes, social networks, and financial flexibility. It highlights the importance of evolving ordinary capabilities like digital marketing and routine operations, alongside strategic VRIN resources like entrepreneurial networks and intellectual property. Findings suggest CBEC firms thrive by balancing operational efficiency with the ability to adapt to rapid market changes. This study provides a strategic management framework for CBEC firms.

Keywords: resource based theory, dynamic capability, VRIN resources, cross border e-commerce, china

How to Cite:

Liu, Y. J. & Ha-Brookshire, J. E., (2025) “Mapping Success: A Study on Firm Capabilities in Chinese Cross-Border E-Commerce”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18539