Can two firms benefit from the same competitive advantage?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is In theory, a competitive advantage exists if the firm that possesses it persistently earns a significant higher return than the rest of the industry.
That implies that if two firms have the same competitive advantage, it does not strictly meet the definition of a competitive advantage.
But read less strictly, firms may benefit from the same combination of assets (resources and competencies) that allows them to create more value for the customer.
Two firms may dominate an industry in the face of small players (Coke and Pepsi); they may enjoy the same competitive advantage provided by different sets of assets but leading to the same advantage; or they may enjoy the same competitive advantage to a different extent, but at a significant level.
This question turns out to be difficult because it tests the robustness and the clarity of the definitions related to the concepts of resource, competence, and competitive advantage, as well as their relationships. The conclusion is that both definitions and relationships still need improvement.

Can Two Firms Benefit from the Same Competitive Advantage