Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to determine which internal factors of competitiveness are applied by the most successful companies while implementing their competitive strategies. The complexity and dynamism of the current managerial environment calls for a thorough knowledge of organizations and of all the success factors they consider in order to compete in a market. To this end, an empirical, study was carried out with a sample of 1170 Spanish industrial small and medium enterprise (SMEs). The statistical methodology used was the estimation of an Adaboost multivariate classification model to determine the specific importance of each internal competitive factor and competitive strategy in order to be more successful. Results show that for so-called “exploring” companies, the most important internal factor is the appropriate use of management control systems, whereas, for “analyzing” firms, that factor is human resources. For companies applying a defensive strategy, the key is innovation in processes. These results are relevant for business managers and administrators, as well as for the authorities, as an aid to take decisions on public policies related to company support.

Key words: Small business, strategy, competitiveness, internal firms factors, organizational performance, Adaboost.