B2B digital platform capability and sustainable positioning : Do knowledge depth, knowledge breadth, and agility matter?

Abstract

Given the growing importance of B2B digital platform capabilities for competitive advantage, research on its antecedents and outcomes in the business-to-business context remains scarce. To address this gap, we built on dynamic capability theory to examine how B2B organizations’ digital platform capabilities contribute to sustainable positioning. Specifically, we examined the direct and indirect associations (via organizational knowledge depth, breadth, and agility) between digital platform capabilities and sustainable positioning. Additionally, we explored the moderating role of leader boundary-spanning behaviors in the relationship between digital platform capabilities and organizational knowledge depth and breadth. Our study based on two-source survey data from top management in Chinese manufacturing firms. The findings fully support all our proposed hypotheses. Digital platform capabilities significantly enhance sustainable positioning, both directly and through improved organizational knowledge depth, breadth, and agility. Furthermore, leader boundary-spanning behaviors strengthen the impact of digital platform capabilities on both knowledge depth and breadth. These insights offer practical implications for B2B firms seeking to leverage digital platform capabilities to enhance knowledge depth, breadth, agility, and sustainable market positioning.