Developing focal capabilities for e-commerce adoption: A resource orchestration perspective

•We utilize the notion of resource orchestration as a theoretical lens to investigate the nature of the adoption process.•To adopt e-commerce, manufacturers must develop corresponding capabilities according to the environment by orchestrating resources.•Resource orchestration plays a critical role in capability development.•Resource orchestration bridges resources and dynamic capabilities.

Although an increasing number of manufacturing enterprises have engaged in e-commerce activities in recent years, there are few successful examples. We utilize the notion of resource orchestration as a theoretical lens through which to investigate the nature of the e-commerce adoption process. The findings generate a process model that can be used to explain how resources are orchestrated in the successful adoption of e-commerce by manufacturers: the predominant competitive environment of each phase gives rise to a specific focal capability that is developed through resource-focused actions. This research benefits both academics and practitioners by contributing to cumulative theoretical developments and by offering practical insights.