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Exploring business process outsourcing services and activities for sustainable competitive advantage in the emerging markets a case of mobile telecom operators

Author

Listed:
  • Samson Mbanje

    (Vaal University of Technology)

  • Joseph Mutangadura

    (Tshwane University of Technology)

  • Blessing Takawira

    (University of Johannesburg)

  • Joseph Mithi

    (Faculty of Management Sciences ,The Independent Institute of Education, South Africa)

Abstract

As globalization continues to reshape the business landscape, the use of Business process outsourcing services and activities is gaining significant popularity among businesses. The exact services and activities that benefits and create a sustainable competitive advantage to organizations remain underexplored and few studies have been conducted in the Southern Africa developing countries including South African mobile operators. The main purpose of this study was to redress the existing knowledge gap by ascertaining the actual services and activities that the mobile telecom operators are outsourcing for sustainable competitive advantage. A structured closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect raw data from 210 employees. Overall, the results indicate that some of the key services and activities outsourced for sustainable competitive advantage included building and managing network infrastructure, network roll-out and management, manufacturing of mobile network equipment, monitoring the mobile network on capacity overload and breakdowns and assembly operations, maintenance of the base stations of mobile network, manufacturing of hard software components and resolving software problems and fleet management. The practical implications of the findings, assist organizational management in making informed and structured decisions through the identification of critical activities and services that contribute to the attainment of a sustainable competitive advantage and performance improvement of the mobile telecom operators. Key Words:business performance, Business Strategy, Sustainable procurememt, Net Zero Emissions, Bibliometric, Systematic literature review, R studio software, Business Models

Suggested Citation

  • Samson Mbanje & Joseph Mutangadura & Blessing Takawira & Joseph Mithi, 2025. "Exploring business process outsourcing services and activities for sustainable competitive advantage in the emerging markets a case of mobile telecom operators," International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 7(3), pages 41-57, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:41-57
    DOI: 10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.827
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kasimu Sendawula & Vincent Bagire & Cathy Ikiror Mbidde & Peter Turyakira, 2020. "Environmental commitment and environmental sustainability practices of manufacturing small and medium enterprises in Uganda," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(4), pages 588-607, December.
    2. Peter D. Ørberg Jensen & Torben Pedersen, 2011. "The Economic Geography of Offshoring: The Fit between Activities and Local Context," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 352-372, March.
    3. Mert Gürlek & Muharrem Tuna, 2018. "Reinforcing competitive advantage through green organizational culture and green innovation," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(7-8), pages 467-491, June.
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