This study examines the impact of innovation at the strategy level on innovation at the process and system levels, which are considered to be forms of function-level innovation, based on the strategy implantation approach. The study also reveals the effect of process and system innovation on the sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) of young firms in Vietnam. The research used primary data from a survey of 289 young firms’ leaders in Vietnam. PLS-SEM using SmartPLS software was employed to assess the ability of the measurement model and structural model to test hypotheses. The findings indicated that the four hypotheses about the effects of strategy innovation on process and system innovation and the effects of process and system innovation on the SCA of young firms in Vietnam were all confirmed. These crucial results fill the research gap of innovation in young firms, especially the gap in the context of developing countries. The current study addresses an important implication for the use of innovation practices in young firms to sustain the firm’s SCA. Accordingly, young firms are able to significantly strengthen their sustainable competitive advantage through innovation practices at both strategy and function levels.

This study aims to explore the impact of absorption capability, innovation capability, and branding capability on the performance of retailers. Using the resource-based view (RBV), this study proposes a research model on the direct impact of absorption capability, innovation capability, and branding capability on firm performance as well as the indirect impact of absorption capability on firm performance which is mediated by both innovation capability and branding capability. By surveying 201 middle and senior managers representing 201 Vietnamese retailers, PLS-SEM was used to test the hypotheses. The research results show the important role of developing innovation capability and branding capability in improving retailer performance. The findings also reveal the significant impact of absorption capability on retailers by an indirect mechanism through innovation capability and branding capability. Based on the findings, practical implications for Vietnamese retailer managers are suggested to improve their performance by strengthening and developing absorption capability, innovation capability, and branding capability.

Export processing firms from emerging markets often need to adjust their export strategies towards environmentally friendly directions to address strict regulatory requirements and increasingly environmental concerns among the public and consumers in advanced countries. This study aims to explore and evaluate different proactivity levels and drivers of environmental strategies (ESs) adopted by Vietnamese seafood export processing firms. Data was obtained from two sources: Public archival data of 32 listed firms, and semi-structured interviews with 44 managers from seafood export processing firms. Content analysis revealed that reactive ESs were adopted the most by Vietnamese seafood export processing firms, followed by opportunistic ESs, focused ESs and proactive ES, respectively. The findings also demonstrated that both internal factors and external factors in home and host countries motivate the firms to pursue different ESs. This study sheds light on unexplored characteristics and drivers of ESs in Vietnam and it assists key stakeholders including export processing firms and policymakers in the adoption, development and promotion of ESs.