Title: Specialised capabilities in integrated solutions: the role of fit

Authors: Federica Ceci; Andrea Masini

Addresses: Dipartimento di Economia Aziendale, Università G. d'Annunzio, Viale Pindaro 42, Pescara, Italy ' HEC Paris, 1 Rue de la Libération, 78351, Jouy-en-Josas, France

Abstract: Contingency theory suggests that the selection of coherent combinations of organisational capabilities and operational environments has important performance implications. This paper builds upon this perspective to analyse the emergence of a new business model that is modifying the structure of many industries: the provision of integrated solutions. The aim of the paper is to examine the strategic decisions behind the adoption of a business model based on integrated solutions and to understand how internal firm capabilities must be modified to match the external environment. Relying on primary data from 102 European IT firms, we discuss the value of specialised capabilities, and we analyse their degree of fit with the operational environment in which they are applied. Results show that solution providers that possess specialised capabilities obtain greater benefits when they operate in homogeneous environments.

Keywords: contingency theory; integrated solutions; IT sector; information technology; organisational capabilities; business models; degree of fit; operational environment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2013.056705

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2013 Vol.7 No.4, pp.395 - 411

Received: 27 Feb 2012
Accepted: 04 Sep 2012
Published online: 28 Nov 2013 *

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