The resource-based approach (also known as the resource-based view or RBV) is a strategic framework that emphasizes the importance of a firm’s internal resources and capabilities as the key source of sustainable competitive advantage.

It argues that resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and Organization effectiveness (VRIO) can help firms achieve and maintain superior performance over time.

Rather than focusing on external market conditions, the RBV directs attention to what the firm already possesses—such as human capital, intellectual property, brand equity, and operational efficiencies—as the foundation of strategy.