This document outlines a 5-phase approach to analyzing a company's core competencies. Phase 1 involves identifying end products. Phase 2 groups end products into businesses. Phase 3 identifies core products that link competencies to end products. Phase 4 uses a strengths-weaknesses matrix to identify core capabilities. Phase 5 determines strategic implications of the identified core competencies. The overall goal is to accurately identify a company's unique skills and technologies to help guide business strategy.
3. Core competencies are generalized capabilities based on the company’s
specific, unique set of skills and technologies
Overview – Executive Summary (2 of 2)
• Core competencies are the unique skills and technologies of a firm
• A company derives these core competencies from its proprietary assets, people, and processes
• By its definition, no two companies can have the same exact set of core competencies
• The unique nature of core competencies enables companies to develop competitive advantages
in the market
• Core competencies are generalized capabilities based on the company’s specific skills and
technologies
• These generalized capabilities help the business produce, market, and sell its products or
services
• One core competency can support several end products—i.e., one end product can be the result
of several core competencies
• The competencies that are “core” to the success of the firm are those generalized capabilities that
span across several end products
• The relationship between core competencies and end products is best illustrated using the Core
Competencies Tree Diagram
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4. Three key terms need to be defined first, which provide the context for this
framework
Key Definitions
The definitions required to understand use Core Competencies Analysis are
tabulated below:
KEY DEFINITIONS
Core Product The tangible link between identified core competencies and end products
A set of differentiating, hard-to-duplicate business processes that allow the
Core Capability company to deploy core competencies—that drive its competitive
advantages
A distinctive set of expertise that provides access to a wide variety of
Core Competency markets and contributes to the perceived customer benefits of the end
product
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6. Phase 1. Identify the company’s end products
1 2 3 4 5
Core Competencies Analysis – Phase 1 Identify the
company’s end
Group the end
products into
Identify the
company’s core
Identify the
company’s core
Determine the
implications of the
identified core
products businesses products competencies
competencies
DESCRIPTION CORE COMPETENCIES TREE
• We identify the products and services delivered to the end End End End End End End
consumer of the company through facilitated sessions (with Product Product Product Product Product Product
key management personnel, key stakeholders, and subject 1 2 3 4 5 6
matter specialists)
• Note the end consumer is not necessarily the end
consumer of the entire supply chain Business 1 Business 2 Business 3 Business 4
• Use discretion to ensure that only truly unique SKUs or
product variations are listed as separate products—this
will help decrease the effort in analysis, as well
Core Product 1 Core Product 2 Core Product 3
Competency Competency Competency Competency
1 2 3 4
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7. Phase 3. Identify core products
1 2 3 4 5
Core Competencies Analysis – Phase 3 Identify the
company’s end
Group the end
products into
Identify the
company’s core
Identify the
company’s core
Determine the
implications of the
identified core
products businesses products competencies
competencies
DESCRIPTION CORE COMPETENCIES TREE
• To identify your core products, find links among common End End End End End End
products or services that is part of each end product Product Product Product Product Product Product
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Examples can be microprocessor chips, creative design,
motors, lenses, etc.
• You can also form a core product by grouping end products
Business 1 Business 2 Business 3 Business 4
directly—in other words, skip the “business” entirely
Core Product 1 Core Product 2 Core Product 3
Competency Competency Competency Competency
1 2 3 4
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8. A Strengths-Weaknesses Matrix helps identify core capabilities
1 2 3 4 5
Core Competencies Analysis – Phase 4 Identify the
company’s end
Group the end
products into
Identify the
company’s core
Identify the
company’s core
Determine the
implications of the
identified core
(Strengths-Weaknesses Matrix) products businesses products competencies
competencies
Rating Details
• The Strengths-Weaknesses Matrix helps
identify those capabilities where the Capability A +
company has a strength or weakness Your capabilities Capability B –
relative to competitors (i.e. critical
success factors) Capability C 0
• The matrix ranks company performance
are listed along Capability D
versus primary competitors on each +
the vertical
critical success factor in the market access of the Capability E +
matrix
Capability F 0
…
The rating assesses the company’s strength relative to
that of competitors—the rating scheme used should be
“+” (better than competitors), “-” (worse than
competitors), or “0” (same as competitors)
The level of analytical detail pursues when completing this matrix is dependent
on the time and resources available.
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9. Phase 5. Determine the implications of the identified core competences
1 2 3 4 5
Core Competencies Analysis – Phase 5 Identify the
company’s end
Group the end
products into
Identify the
company’s core
Identify the
company’s core
Determine the
implications of the
identified core
products businesses products competencies
competencies
• The final step is to determine what the strategic implications of these core competencies are—i.e. what does knowing
our core competencies mean to our company?
• The result should drive strategic hypotheses based on the desired positioning of the company’s core capabilities in
relation to the potential business impact of those core capabilities
• Strategies can be developed to achieve any of the following goals:
• Maintain leadership in current core competencies
• Improve critical deficiencies
• Decide on whether to invest or divest in struggling capabilities
Identification of core competencies drives business strategy directly—therefore, it is
critical that we accurately identify true core competencies.
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