Introduction
Although Etisalat operates in an environment where it represents the dominant force, the company still needs to ensure that its competitive advantage remains strong to avoid being ousted from the market by emergent organizations with a greater competitive edge. Specifically, the organization is known for two major benefits that define its tremendous potential. Specifically, Etisalat has a massive outreach, embracing all of its potential customers globally, while also ensuring that the delivered products and services meet the latest quality standards and reflect the latest market innovations. (Zhang et al., 2021).
The described ability is achieved primarily by Etisalat’s focus on R&D and extensive market research coupled with an outstandingly functioning supply chain, specifically, the logistics department (AlHammadi and Ahmad, 2021). Thus, the organization has been keeping its leadership position in the global market.
Resources and Capabilities
Overall, the range of resources that Etisalat can utilize in its supply chain and the delivery of its services constitute the major component of the company’s competitive advantage in the global market. Specifically, Etisalat has the necessary resources that have facilitated its digital transformation and secured its place in the global economy, particularly, the financial assets, the human capital, and a major market presence (Abdelwahab et al., 2016). As a result, Etisalat has managed to utilize the cloudfare theologies to its advantage in order to improve its infrastructure and create a pipeline for its digital transformation (Abdelwahab et al., 2016).
Specifically, the transformation toward the acceptance of the NFV/SDN functions as the basis for the management of the network traffic and, therefore, a much more rapid and effective processing of key information, including the Big Data (Abdelwahab et al., 2016). As a result, the rapid foray into the digital market has made a plethora of digital resources readily available to Etisalat, making the company an unparalleled service in the target market.
Etisalat’s strategic capabilities are connected inseparably to its strategic resources since the organization prides itself on its ability to meet customers’ expectations for the digital experience that they will have when interacting with the company’s services. Namely, unlike its competitors, who have been forced to compromise between their outreach and product quality, Etisalat with its impeccable supply chain and quality management has been able to deliver the latest telecommunication options to clients, including high-speed connection, opportunities for broadcast-like services, and other unique options (Omar, 2020). The focus on R&D and customer communication by utilizing the latest telecom technologies, which Etisalat has at its disposal, have made a tremendous difference in the organization’s ability to meet its customers’ needs immediately.
Competencies
In addition to the range of resources and capacities that Etisalat currently possesses, the company should also be recognized for the range of competencies that it demonstrates. The decision to abandon the role of a telecom operator, the role that is broadly represented in the UAE community, and accept the responsibilities of an ICT solutions provider has made Etisalat a particularly prominent organization (AlHammadi and Ahmad, 2021). Thus, Etisalat presently demonstrates a large extent of competencies, ranging from traditional telecom services to more complex and nuanced options.
Additionally, the active focus on communication and the promotion of customer loyalty by creating trust-based customer relations remains one of the main assets and competencies of Etisalat. The organization has been known for its promotion of customer loyalty by enhancing service quality and seeking to introduce the latest technological solutions into the target market (AlHammadi and Ahmad, 2021). Apart from having a 24/87 helpline, the organization has also been organizing multiple events at which it demonstrates the extent of its capabilities and the innovations developed to improve customer experience (AlHammadi and Ahmad, 2021). Therefore, Etisalat should also be credited for the vast array of competencies that it presently has.
Reference List
Abdelwahab, S., Hamdaoui, B., Guizani, M. and Znati, T. (2016). Network function virtualization in 5G. IEEE Communications Magazine, 54(4), pp. 84-91.
AlHammadi, A. and Ahmad, S. Z. (2021) Etisalat of UAE: from the legacy to the latency. SAGE Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Business Cases Originals.
Omar, A. (2020). The Impact of Big Data Analytics Capabilities on Competitive Advantage Applied on “Etisalat Egypt”. المجلة العربية للإدارة, 40(4), pp. 337-356.
Zhang, H., Shi, Y., Liu, J. and Wu, X. (2021) ‘How do technology strategies affect the catch-up progress of high-tech latecomers? Evidence from two Chinese research-institute-transformed telecommunications firms’, Journal of Business Research, 122, pp. 805-821.