{"id":"https://openalex.org/W135270352","doi":null,"title":"Is your core competence a mirage","display_name":"Is your core competence a mirage","publication_year":1997,"publication_date":"1997-01-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W135270352","mag":"135270352"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"mag:135270352","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-20389919/is-your-core-competence-a-mirage","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306532559","display_name":"The McKinsey Quarterly","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"The McKinsey Quarterly","raw_type":null},"volume":null,"type":"article","indexed_in":[],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5112676526","display_name":"Kevin P. Coyne","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Kevin P. Coyne","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5037350283","display_name":"Stephen J.D. Hall","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Stephen J.D. Hall","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5063061210","display_name":"Patricia Gorman Clifford","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Patricia Gorman Clifford","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":12.6895,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":92,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.9800707,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":90,"max":99},"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":"1","first_page":"40","last_page":"55"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10003","display_name":"Innovation and Knowledge Management","score":0.9398999810218811,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1408","display_name":"Strategy and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10003","display_name":"Innovation and Knowledge Management","score":0.9398999810218811,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1408","display_name":"Strategy and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12802","display_name":"Competency Development and Evaluation","score":0.02500000037252903,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12815","display_name":"Management and Organizational Practices","score":0.011099999770522118,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1408","display_name":"Strategy and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/core-competencies","display_name":"core competencies","score":0.9549999833106995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/competitive-advantage","display_name":"competitive advantage","score":0.671999990940094},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/competence-development","display_name":"competence development","score":0.4390000104904175},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/competence-identification","display_name":"competence identification","score":0.367000013589859},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/firm-performance","display_name":"firm performance","score":0.4560000002384186},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/strategic-management","display_name":"strategic management","score":0.34700000286102295},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-capabilities","display_name":"organizational capabilities","score":0.3959999978542328},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/knowledge-areas","display_name":"knowledge areas","score":0.38100001215934753},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-learning","display_name":"organizational learning","score":0.3179999887943268},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-culture","display_name":"organizational culture","score":0.34200000762939453},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-structure","display_name":"organizational structure","score":0.41600000858306885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-communication","display_name":"organizational communication","score":0.3019999861717224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-leadership","display_name":"organizational leadership","score":0.3889999985694885}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C164065428","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1201929","display_name":"Core competency","level":2,"score":0.6503592729568481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100521375","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2015382","display_name":"Competence (human resources)","level":2,"score":0.6475037336349487},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127576917","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q624630","display_name":"Competitor analysis","level":2,"score":0.635122537612915},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780586970","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1357284","display_name":"Popularity","level":2,"score":0.5368438363075256},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39549134","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133080","display_name":"Public relations","level":1,"score":0.49872684478759766},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C58546491","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1150207","display_name":"Competitive advantage","level":2,"score":0.46695929765701294},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.4037197530269623},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.35981348156929016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162853370","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q39809","display_name":"Marketing","level":1,"score":0.35152584314346313},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56739046","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192060","display_name":"Knowledge management","level":1,"score":0.3296051621437073},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.29326945543289185},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.2252851128578186},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.12715992331504822}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"mag:135270352","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-20389919/is-your-core-competence-a-mirage","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306532559","display_name":"The McKinsey Quarterly","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"The McKinsey Quarterly","raw_type":null}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"sustainable_development_goals_aurora":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W2348471106","https://openalex.org/W2000580972","https://openalex.org/W3118337028","https://openalex.org/W7100875042","https://openalex.org/W90657433","https://openalex.org/W1575543548","https://openalex.org/W4231152036","https://openalex.org/W2388482819","https://openalex.org/W4206578049","https://openalex.org/W2734752054"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Managers":[0],"now":[1],"consider":[2],"just":[3,246,465],"about":[4],"everything":[5,527],"a":[6,23,34,39,48,54,146,217,236,267,282,297,304,330,335,342,385,410,437,450,461,529,562,569,593,629],"potential":[7,530],"competence":[420],"Are":[9],"your":[10,174,179],"measurably":[11],"better,":[12],"can":[13,36,433],"you":[14,170,172,549],"sustain":[15],"the":[16,31,45,64,72,78,83,98,119,274,382,391,473,483,500,553],"difference,":[17],"and":[18,91,100,107,162,181,189,233,276,313,396,457,459,487,511,521,622],"does":[19],"it":[20,322,327,573,600,609],"matter?":[21],"Building":[22],"core":[419],"competence:":[25],"three":[26,445],"options":[27],"CORE":[28],"COMPETENCE":[29],"-":[30,58],"idea":[32,501,519],"that":[33,70,150,333,346,362,402,542,548,555,599],"company":[35,591],"succeed":[37],"without":[38],"structural":[40],"competitive":[41],"advantage":[42],"by":[43,176],"becoming":[44],"best":[46],"at":[47,134,614,619],"few":[49,55,546],"key":[50,112],"skills":[51,510],"or":[52,243,406,494,586],"in":[53,82,273,341,472,485,603,628],"knowledge":[56,491],"areas":[57],"has":[59,74,123,131,142,623],"enjoyed":[60],"enormous":[61],"popularity":[62],"over":[63],"past":[65],"six":[66],"years.":[67],"The":[535],"article":[69,489],"introduced":[71],"concept(1)":[73],"been":[75,132],"one":[76,152,471,493],"of":[77,114,375,400,429,482,492,502,509,606,631],"most":[79,288,481],"requested":[80],"reprints":[81],"Harvard":[84],"Business":[85],"Review's":[86],"history.":[87],"Executive":[88],"management":[89],"programs":[90],"MBA":[92],"curricula":[93],"routinely":[94],"devote":[95],"hours":[96],"to":[97,104,159,185,192,231,240,261,264,270,279,292,317,320,338,348,408,448,505,577],"subject,":[99],"executives":[101,497],"often":[102,144,164],"refer":[103],"their":[105],"own":[106,250,455],"competitors'":[108],"competences":[110,156,175,354,540],"as":[111,136,169,229,238,291,296,466,469,528],"drivers":[113],"strategy.":[115],"But":[116,199,324],"despite":[117],"all":[118,604],"attention":[120],"this":[121],"concept":[122],"received,":[124],"its":[125,454],"tangible":[126],"impact":[127],"on":[128,219,579],"corporate":[129,523],"performance":[130],"mixed":[133],"best,":[135],"these":[137,254],"statements":[138],"attest:":[139],"Core":[306],"too":[143],"become":[145],"'feel":[147],"good'":[148],"exercise":[149],"no":[151,365],"fails.(2)":[153],"True":[154],"are":[157,163,301,444,477,544],"hard":[158],"define":[160,173,225],"precisely":[161],"discovered":[165],"retrospectively.":[166],"That":[167],"is,":[168],"experiment,":[171],"simply":[177],"describing":[178],"successes":[180],"failures.(3)":[182],"We":[222,300],"talked":[184,260],"[core":[186],"experts]":[188],"asked":[190],"them":[191,202,209],"help":[193,434],"us":[194],"identify":[195],"our":[196,205,220],"competences.":[198],"after":[200],"having":[201],"work":[203],"with":[204,303,453,552,592],"senior":[206],"management,":[207,621],"leading":[208],"through":[210],"some":[211,241,314,625],"group":[212],"exercises,":[213],"we":[214,245,258,389,560],"really":[215],"had":[216,403],"mess":[218],"hands.":[221],"could":[223,262],"not":[224,575,611],"what":[226,234,294],"was":[227,235,601],"opposed":[230,239],"noncore,":[232],"process":[242,514],"offering":[244],"did":[247],"well.(4)":[248],"Our":[249],"observations":[251],"bear":[252],"out":[253],"views.":[255],"Few":[256],"managers":[257],"have":[259,265,280,498],"claim":[263],"utilized":[266],"achieve":[271],"success":[272],"marketplace,":[275],"even":[277,522],"fewer":[278],"built":[281],"from":[285,334],"scratch.":[286],"Indeed,":[287],"were":[289],"uncertain":[290],"exactly":[293],"qualifies":[295],"competence.":[299,412,531],"left":[302],"conundrum.":[305],"is":[308,328,364,421,541,565,574,610,616],"clearly":[309],"an":[310,422],"important":[311,417],"concept,":[312],"companies":[315,401],"seem":[316,355],"be":[318,361,441],"able":[319],"make":[321],"work.":[323],"for":[325,368,384,595],"most,":[326],"like":[329,582],"mirage:":[331],"something":[332],"distance":[336],"appears":[337],"offer":[339],"hope":[340],"hostile":[343],"environment,":[344],"but":[345],"turns":[347],"sand":[349],"when":[350],"approached.":[351],"Why":[352],"do":[353,550],"so":[356],"elusive?":[357],"One":[358,532,588],"reason":[359],"may":[360],"there":[363,443],"clear":[366],"basis":[367],"identifying":[369],"them,":[370],"nor":[371],"any":[372],"established":[373],"way":[374,536],"gauging":[376],"progress":[377],"toward":[378],"them.":[379],"To":[380,567],"address":[381],"need":[383],"more":[386,495],"rigorous":[387],"approach,":[388],"reviewed":[390],"literature,":[392],"assessed":[393],"individuals'":[394],"experience,":[395],"conducted":[397],"case":[398],"studies":[399],"attempted":[404],"(successfully":[405],"unsuccessfully)":[407],"develop":[409],"This":[413],"research":[414],"produced":[415],"four":[416],"findings:":[418],"umbrella":[423],"phrase":[424],"covering":[425],"two":[426],"distinct":[427,446],"bases":[428],"advantage;":[430],"certain'":[431],"tests":[432],"predict":[435],"whether":[436],"competence-led":[438],"strategy":[439],"will":[440],"successful;":[442],"paths":[447],"developing":[449,470],"competence,":[451],"each":[452],"benefits":[456],"drawbacks;":[458],"sustaining":[460],"requires":[464],"much":[467],"rigor":[468],"first":[474],"place.":[475],"What":[476],"competences?":[479],"While":[480],"examples":[484],"Hamel":[486],"Prahalad's":[488],"concerned":[490],"technologies,":[496],"extended":[499],"cover":[506],"many":[507],"types":[508],"functions,":[512],"including":[513],"engineering,":[515],"production,":[516],"new":[517,632],"product":[584],"generation,":[520],"identity.":[524],"They":[525],"treat":[526],"executive":[533],"asserted,":[534],"I":[537],"determine":[538],"they":[543],"those":[545],"things":[547],"together":[551],"customer":[554],"create":[556],"value.":[557],"In":[558],"contrast,":[559],"believe":[561],"precise":[563],"definition":[564],"essential.":[566],"mount":[568],"winning":[570],"competence-based":[571],"strategy,":[572],"enough":[576],"rely":[578],"broad":[580],"generalizations":[581],"marketing,":[583],"development,":[585],"service.":[587],"consumer":[589],"goods":[590],"reputation":[594],"marketing":[596],"excellence":[597],"assumed":[598],"superior":[602],"aspects":[605],"marketing.":[607],"Yet":[608],"particularly":[612],"skilled":[613],"pricing,":[615],"only":[617],"average":[618],"channel":[620],"made":[624],"costly":[626],"errors":[627],"string":[630],"failures.":[634],"\u2026":[635]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2021,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2020,"cited_by_count":4},{"year":2019,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2018,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2017,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2016,"cited_by_count":5},{"year":2014,"cited_by_count":4},{"year":2013,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2012,"cited_by_count":9}],"updated_date":"2026-10-16T09:59:22.235173","created_date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00"}