Creative Commons

The Resource-Based View (RBV) is a fundamental theoretical underpinning explaining the dynamic relationship between firms’ competitive advantage and organizational capabilities established by their tangible and intangible resources. Different types of organizational capabilities combined lead to superior performance and enhanced competitiveness, supporting the idea that when firms focus on their most valuable abilities by developing respective strategies, are able to perform better than their rivals. In this light, the aim of this thesis is to examine the relationship between firms’ organizational capabilities and performance in the Greek financial crisis’ context. In particular, it examines the impact of entrepreneurial, managerial, technical, and financial capabilities on Greek Small and Medium Enterprises’ (SMEs’) performance during the recent financial crisis, including a sample of 65 SMEs operating in the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry, while also presenting and analyzing a relevant case study of a firm in the sector, in order to further validate the results extracted, thus combining quantitative and qualitative research. According to the study’s findings, it was found that Greek F&B SMEs performed relatively well during the crisis, by developing strategies built upon their organizational capabilities. It was particularly documented that entrepreneurial, managerial, technical, and financial capabilities have a positive and statistically significant impact on firms’ performance. These findings have important managerial implications for Greek firms struggling to survive in the current turbulent economic environment, suggesting that companies’ managers should place great emphasis on their most valuable resources and capabilities, while pursuing the best possible fits between them and their strategic choices. Overall, this study supports prior research highlighting the importance of different types of organizational capabilities for achieving superior performance, even in times of crises.