Core Competencies (Business Toolkit)

CORE COMPETENCIES TOOLKIT

The term "Core Competence" was coined by Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad in their 1990 article "The Core Competence of the Corporation," which was published in the Harvard Business Review. In the article, Hamel and Prahalad argued that organizations should focus on developing and leveraging their Core Competencies in order to create value for customers and achieve a sustainable Competitive Advantage. The concept of Core Competencies has since become an important part of Strategic Management theory and practice.

A Core Competence, also called a Distinctive Capability, is a unique skill or capability that is central to an organization's operations and provides a Competitive Advantage. It is something that the organization does particularly well and that sets it apart from its competitors.

As mentioned, Core Competencies are important, because they enable an organization to create value for its customers and differentiate itself from its competitors. They can also provide a foundation for the development of new products or services and help an organization to adapt to changing market conditions.

In order to identify and develop its Core Competencies, an organization must first understand its unique strengths and capabilities, as well as the needs and preferences of its customers. This information can then be used to identify the areas where the organization can create the most value for its customers and build a Competitive Advantage.

There are many different types of Core Competencies, and the specific competencies that are considered "core" for a particular organization will depend on its industry, business model, and unique strengths & capabilities. Some examples of Core Competencies might include:

Inventing new technologies or products
Providing excellent Customer Service
Developing and managing complex Supply Chain networks
Leveraging data and analytics to make better business decisions
Building and maintaining strong brand recognition
Developing innovative marketing campaigns
Designing and building efficient and effective manufacturing processes
Providing specialized expertise or consulting services

For more information, have a look at these management topics:

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

"I like your product. I'm frequently designing PowerPoint presentations for my company and your product has given me so many great ideas on the use of charts, layouts, tools, and frameworks. I really think the templates are a valuable asset to the job."

– Roberto Fuentes Martinez, Senior Executive Director at Technology Transformation Advisory

"As a niche strategic consulting firm, Flevy and FlevyPro frameworks and documents are an on-going reference to help us structure our findings and recommendations to our clients as well as improve their clarity, strength, and visual power. For us, it is an invaluable resource to increase our impact and value."

– David Coloma, Consulting Area Manager at Cynertia Consulting

"Flevy is our 'go to' resource for management material, at an affordable cost. The Flevy library is comprehensive and the content deep, and typically provides a great foundation for us to further develop and tailor our own service offer."

– Chris McCann, Founder at Resilient.World

"FlevyPro provides business frameworks from many of the global giants in management consulting that allow you to provide best in class solutions for your clients."

– David Harris, Managing Director at Futures Strategy

"I have used FlevyPro for several business applications. It is a great complement to working with expensive consultants. The quality and effectiveness of the tools are of the highest standards."

– Moritz Bernhoerster, Global Sourcing Director at Fortune 500

"The wide selection of frameworks is very useful to me as an independent consultant. In fact, it rivals what I had at my disposal at Big 4 Consulting firms in terms of efficacy and organization."

– Julia T., Consulting Firm Owner (Former Manager at Deloitte and Capgemini)

"As a consulting firm, we had been creating subject matter training materials for our people and found the excellent materials on Flevy, which saved us 100's of hours of re-creating what already exists on the Flevy materials we purchased."

– Michael Evans, Managing Director at Newport LLC

"As an Independent Management Consultant, I find Flevy to add great value as a source of best practices, templates and information on new trends. Flevy has matured and the quality and quantity of the library is excellent. Lastly the price charged is reasonable, creating a win-win value for the customer, Flevy and the various authors. This is truly a service that benefits the consulting industry and associated clients. Thanks for providing this service. "

– Jim Schoen, Principal at FRC Group

SELECT CUSTOMERS

Since 2012, we have provided best practices to over 10,000 businesses and organizations of all sizes across the world—in over 130 countries. Below is just a very small sample of our customer base.

Did you know?

The average daily rate of a McKinsey consultant is $6,625 (not including expenses). The average price of a Flevy document is $65.