5.2. Sample and data collection
To obtain first-hand information on firm capabilities and strategic actions in a context where archival data are scarce, we conducted a self-reported survey of top managers in 2012. This approach enabled us to capture the relative strengths and weaknesses of firm capabilities and actions by asking the respondents to assess their company against the major rival (i.e., a pair-wise comparison). The survey data are supplemented with archival data from the Oriana and Osiris databases, which comprise respectively non-listed and listed companies in China.