CORE COMPETENCIES

It was a fine Saturday, probably our last meeting on Organizational Behavior subject. On that that day all the topics are all discussed and we end up at 1:00 pm in the afternoon.

On the discussion of the topic Core Competencies of Organization it was not properly discussed by the assigned group that was from my own observation. They were just talking too far the assigned topic.

So much for that, the help of Thomas J. McIntire, Core competencies are what make your organization unique.  They are the skills your organization possesses that set it apart from its peers.  They are the sources of competitive advantage.  They are the building blocks to future opportunities. 

Development of core competencies takes time and continuous development.  A competence is a bundle of skills rather than a discrete skill.  It is this integration of skills that that define a core competence.  Because a core competency is the sum of learning across individual skill sets and organizational units it is unlikely to reside in a single individual or small team.  Understanding and developing core competencies is necessary to enable the organization to exploit the opportunities they provide. 

Core competencies require continuous improvement and development.  Demands on organizations continue to escalate and today’s core competencies may be tomorrow’s table stakes.  Because they are long term and resource intensive not all organizations possess core competencies.  Very small organizations and organizations that provide standard services that are in high demand will usually not possess or need core competencies.  Organizations that do not operate in a highly competitive environment such as government funded organizations or monopolies do not need to develop and exploit core competencies.

Determine the organizational competencies that are core

The competency is not core if it cannot be associated with a customer benefit or a significant contribution to the financial health of the organization.· Identify the benefit from each competency.·         Separate the competency from the product or service·         Combine the benefits and competency into a single statement

Developing core competencies

Developing core competencies requires time and resources.  They do not happen accidentally.  They must be planned and cultivated.  This requires a strong management commitment to their planning and development.  Core competency development must address the following issues. ·         Determining the core competencies desired.  Most organizations do not have the resources to develop core competencies in a multitude of areas.  They must select the competencies needed to pursue the organization’s competitive strategy and growth goals.·      Acquire people with the needed skills.  The least expensive way to do this is to develop and train existing personnel.  The alternative is to recruit people that have the needed skills.  This could be a more expensive option but may be needed when the core competency must be developed quickly.·         The integration of these skills is usually a function of management to create the environment needed.  The organization’s management must recognize this need and plan how it will be accomplished.          The core competency must be institutionalized through the organization’s processes and procedures to become the natural way the organization acts.

Core competencies become one of the hallmarks of the organization.  They are the driving forces of its competitive strategy and competitive advantage.

Here in SDSSU – TC, due to a critical observation, the core competency of this organization is on Agri- Business technology. As a flagship course in this institution, most of the graduates has the great opportunities working on the company with Agri-business department.  And also mentors are mastered in the field of Agri – Business.