Keywords:
Strategic Vigilance
Competitive Advantage
Crisis Management

  • Abstract

    Purpose – This study investigates the role of strategic vigilance in enhancing competitive advantage, while examining the mediating effect of crisis management within higher education institutions (HEIs). Grounded in the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and Organizational Resilience, the study develops and tests a model that links foresight capabilities to sustainable competitiveness in turbulent environments. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1,232 academic and administrative leaders across HEIs. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4. Measurement validity and reliability were assessed, and hypotheses were tested through bootstrapping procedures. Findings – The results demonstrate that strategic vigilance has a strong positive effect on both competitive advantage and crisis management. Crisis management was also found to significantly enhance competitive advantage and to mediate the relationship between vigilance and competitiveness. These findings suggest that foresight capabilities, when operationalized through structured crisis responses, are critical for sustaining institutional resilience and long-term competitiveness. Practical implications – For HEI leaders, the findings underscore the importance of institutionalizing vigilance practices—such as systematic environmental scanning and technology monitoring—while simultaneously strengthening crisis management frameworks, including preparedness plans, adaptive governance, and recovery strategies. Together, these capabilities enable universities to navigate turbulence, safeguard reputation, and maintain stakeholder trust. Originality/value – This study extends the literature by integrating vigilance, crisis management, and competitive advantage into a single framework and empirically validating their interrelationships in the underexplored higher education context. The findings advance theoretical understanding of how intangible resources and dynamic capabilities interact, while offering actionable insights for enhancing resilience and competitiveness in academic institutions facing persistent disruption.

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Hajeb, F., & Al-Hariry, K. (2025). Linking strategic vigilance to competitive advantage through crisis management: Evidence from higher education institutions. Multidisciplinary Reviews, (| Accepted Articles). Retrieved from https://malque.pub/ojs/index.php/mr/article/view/12966
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