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Agro-industrial cooperatives face increasing challenges in competitiveness and organizational sustainability in highly demanding commercial environments. Limited empirical evidence persists regarding the application of the Resource-Based Management (RBM) approach in agricultural cooperatives in emerging economies. The objective of this study was to analyze the configuration and articulation of tangible and intangible resources and organizational capabilities that determine the competitive performance of a cassava-producing cooperative in Panama, through the application of the Resource-Based Management (RBM) model under VRIO criteria. A case study with a mixed-methods approach, non-experimental design, and cross-sectional focus was developed, using semi-structured interviews with the president and structured questionnaires administered to 21 active members. The results show that, although the cooperative possesses valuable productive infrastructure, territorial reputation, and accumulated experience, it exhibits weaknesses in managerial professionalization, financial capital, and strategic formalization, limiting the consolidation of a sustainable competitive advantage. It is concluded that the organizational dimension constitutes the main restrictive factor in converting potential resources into sustained competitive performance, confirming the usefulness of the strategic approach for diagnosing structural gaps.
