Impact of Strategic Management Element in Enhancing Firm's Sustainable Competitive Advantage. An Empirical Study of Nigeria's Manufacturing Sector

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of strategy implementation and control as independent variable in enhancing firm’s sustainable competitive advantage through innovation as the dependent variable in the Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. Data were collected through personal questionnaire from 166 manufacturing firms in Nigeria who are members of manufacturing association of Nigeria within North West and North central zones with 70% response rate. The results indicate that there is positive and significant relationship between strategic management elements; implementation and control with sustainable competitive advantage; innovation. According to the result manufacturers in Nigeria fully agree that strategy control is essential when a unique strategy has been implemented so as to successfully enhance sustainable competitive advantage. This study adds Knowledge to the theory and practice of sustainable competitive advantage particularly in Nigeria’s manufacturing firms. Its theoretical and empirical significance adds more insight on the previous empirical studies in the field that is to say it gives guidelines to manufacturers in Nigeria on the impact of strategic management approaches on sustainable competitive advantage. For government and firms, the study provides avenue of enhancing sustainable competitive advantage in Nigeria and Africa as a whole since the phenomena is general.