MNEs will need to cultivate and accentuate their strategic assets in response to the four forces.
Most promising in the international context are symbol assets (such as brands, trademarks, etc.), downstream assets pertaining to the market (such as an idiosyncratic distribution system, global presence, footprint, etc.), relational assets (such as long term partnerships), and innovation assets (such as patents).
These assets are especially critical in the international context where generic resources are widely available and provide elusive advantages.
In contrast, strategic assets render the firm with idiosyncratic competitive leverage and create value in different ways.