Leveraging strategic capabilities and institutional pressure for enhanced hotel resilience and performance

Purpose Although organizational resilience is widely acknowledged as a critical determinant of firm performance, limited research has examined its antecedents in hotels operating under institutional pressures and adopting advanced technological capabilities. Grounded in institutional theory and the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), this study proposes an integrated framework that explores how AI capabilities, cognitive analytic capabilities, and dynamic capabilities enhance organizational resilience and subsequent performance and how institutional pressures moderate these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data from 400 hotel managers in the United Arab Emirates, analyzed through partial least squares structural equation modeling, the findings reveal that these capabilities significantly strengthen hotel resilience and performance, with institutional pressures amplifying these effect. Findings The study contributes to hospitality scholarship by empirically demonstrating how technological and strategic capabilities interact under institutional pressure. Originality/value This study underscores the managerial importance of aligning digital transformation with cognitive readiness to foster strategic agility and long-term competitiveness.