Strategic Agility and Competitive Advantage of Hospitality Firms in South East Nigeria

This study examines the relationship between strategic agility and competitive advantage in hospitality firms in South East Nigeria, focusing on the dimensions of adaptive capability and strategic flexibility. Anchored in Competitive Advantage Theory, the research explores how these strategic agility components influence key competitive advantage indicators, including customer retention and product branding. A descriptive survey design was employed, with data collected from 279 respondents across 20 hospitality firms in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. The analysis revealed significant positive relationships between adaptive capability and customer retention (r = 0.769, p < 0.001), while strategic flexibility and product branding (r = 0.802, p < 0.001). These findings underscore the critical role of strategic agility in enhancing competitive advantage within the hospitality sector. The study concludes that hospitality firms with strong adaptive capabilities and strategic flexibility, are better positioned to respond to market changes, maintain service quality, and achieve operational efficiency. Recommendations include investing in staff training, adopting flexible strategic planning, implementing sustainable practices, optimizing resource allocation, and prioritizing technology integration. This research contributes to the strategic management literature by providing empirical evidence of the relationships between strategic agility dimensions and competitive advantage in the context of South East Nigerian hospitality firms, offering practical insights for industry practitioners and theoretical foundations for future research.