Analyse the resources and capabilities of the company and how they might contribute to a position of sustainable competitive advantage.

Resources and Capabilities of Whitbread Plc
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Resources and Capabilities of Whitbread Plc
Resources and capabilities are among the key determinants of corporate success. Resources refer to the productive assets owned and controlled by a firm, including tangibles (cash, equipment, and land) and intangibles (for example, skills). Capabilities refer to a firm’s capacity to deploy its resources. Whitbread Plc. Limited is a form that operates in the UK’s hotel industry. Considering the industry’s competitive outlook, the company’s success determines how its resources and capabilities help build a competitive edge. This paper aims to examine Whitbread’s resources and capabilities and outline how they contribute to a position of sustainable competitive advantage. A VRIO framework is used in this regard.
The Company’s Resource and Capabilities Analysis
Whitbread is a British multinational company operating in the hospitality and leisure industry. Whitbread owns Premier Inn, the UK's biggest hotel brand with a growing presence in Germany. It has over 840 hotels in the UK and over 83500 rooms in great locations. Additionally, the company employs over 39000 people in over 1700 Premier Inn hotels and restaurants across the UK. As such, the firm serves over five million customers monthly (Whitbread, n.d.). Therefore, it is evident that Whitbread is a large company with massive resources.
Tangible organizational resources can be categorized into two: financial and physical resources. Financial resources comprise the firm’s capital or liquid assets, including cash, financial investments, and bank deposits. Whitbread’s financial resources are extensive, as explained by its growing investments in hotels across the UK and Germany. However, it is the physical resources that stand out. As indicated above, the company has over 840 hotels in the UK and over 83500 rooms in great locations. These are income-generating resources that the company relies upon daily. Vehicles and other hotel-related equipment are part of the company’s asset portfolio, but these do not stand out as much as the buildings or premises. Additionally, many of these are not at the core of the firm’s income generation. However, various equipment, including computers, servers, and other IT infrastructure components, can be considered critical.
Personnel can also be considered a vital resource because employees are part of the company’s capital. By employing over 39000 people, the company can serve over five million customers monthly. Considering that hotels and accommodations require interacting with clients, having adequate personnel ensures effective service delivery.
Intangible resources owned and controlled by Whitbread include skilled and experienced personnel, innovative products and services, and a strong brand. The company's brand is among the most well-known in the UK hotel industry. Besides owning Premier Inn, Whitbread owns other household brand names, including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, and Costa Coffee. These brand names co...