Unpacking Social Complexity and Causal Ambiguity: Lessons from Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography
Douglas W. Lyon
Fort Lewis College, USA
Susan L. Kirby and Eric G. Kirby
Texas State University, USA
Volume 18: 2023, pp. 229-242; ABSTRACT
A resource-based view of the firm posits that a key to organizational success rests in the inimitability of its resources.
This analysis explores this proposition based around an informative, evidence-based non-fiction film exploring the nature of
the competitive advantage enjoyed by Dutch semiconductor equipment maker Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography (ASML).
Utilizing a 19-minute documentary made by CNBC as its foundation, this analysis illustrates the resource-based view of the firm.
Reaction is generally positive to the documentary because it is inherently interesting and illustrates concepts and real-world
situations related to the inimitably component of the resource-based view. A handout with discussion prompts that can use while
watching the film to guide viewer attention to the key components of the RBV theory is provided. Additionally, a plan, which
includes an overview of the ASML documentary with a scene-by-scene breakdown and answers to handout discussion prompts, including
where the answers are found in the documentary, is also attached. By investigating ASML, this purpose of this analysis is to
better understand the impact of social complexity and causal ambiguity on organizational success.
Keywords: resource-based view, documentary, inimitability, causal ambiguity.
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