What Is Distinctive Capabilities?

A Distinctive Capability, also referred to as a Core Competence, is a unique ability or resource that an organization possesses that allows it to excel in a particular area or to perform a specific task better than its competitors. It is something that differentiates the organization from others in the market and gives it a unique Competitive Advantage.

Distinctive Capabilities can include a wide range of resources and abilities, such as specialized knowledge, expertise, technology, processes, or organizational structures. They are often developed over time through a combination of investments in research and development, training and development of employees, and other efforts to build and maintain a competitive edge.

In Corporate Strategy, an organization's Distinctive Capabilities are often considered key drivers of sustainable growth and success—and are used to inform its competitive market positioning. This is the foundation to Capabilities-driven Strategy (CDS).

Through extensive research into the origin of corporate and industrial success, John Kay posited there are types of Distinctive Capabilities:

• Architecture, which refers to the structure of relational contacts within or around the organization with customers, suppliers, and employees. Architecture can add value with organizational knowledge and routines, flexible response to change, and an easy and open exchange of information.

• Reputation, which is the most powerful method of conveying information to consumers in a business relationship and includes customers' own experience, quality signals (e.g. price, promotion), guarantees, warranties, word of mouth, association with partner brands, etc. When customers search for and experience goods and services, the seller wants to signal quality and to start a sequence of transactions on which to build a relationship.

• Innovation is an obvious source of Distinctive Capability. In fact, it is often the most innovative companies who are proven to be the most successful in the long run. However, innovation is less often a sustainable or appropriable source, because successful innovation quickly attracts imitation.