On Fri, 15 Dec 1995 13:26:43 -0500 MrsTravel@aol.com wrote:
> One of the roles I have here on AOL is that of manager one of the forums.
> My forum, the Academic Assistance Center, help students from K - Grad
> levels. It's wonderfully fulfilling, and sometimes quite a challenge.
>
> Today, I received a question I can't answer. I was hoping one of you
> might be able to assist me in helping the student who wrote the question.
>
> Here it is:
>
> > I am intersted in learning more about Gary Hammell's (London School of
> Business) approach to organizational Core Competencies and organizational
> renewal theories. Can you direct me to on-line or downloadable resources?
> I know he's published with a professor from the University of Michigan in
> the HBR and has published a book of his own - I do not know when or how to
> get access to that material. Is there an interenet connection? I am trying
> to builld a model for organizational renewal and wnat to explore his and
> Peter Senge's approaches to learning organizations.....
>
> So that it doesn't take up the list's time, and undue bandwith, I'd
> appreciate it if you could email me directly if you can help.
>
> Stacy
Stacy, try looking for the HArvard Business Review article 'Competing for
the Future' (1994), vol. 72, No. 4, pp122-128. This gives a good
introduction to the ideas of Core Competencies; that it is no longer
possible for a company to simply use specialisms in specific
products/markets because the nature of the environment, they need instead
to focus upon 'expertise' (for wont of a better word) in broader fields
(the authors use the contrast between two electronics companies which is
better than me trying to explain them here).
The ideas at least go someway towards the ideas of the LO theorists, that
it is no longer just possible to maintain existing rigid organizational
forms/processes. Whether it is going as far as the LO concept is perhaps
debateable. The interesting thing for me is that the professor running
the course that I help teach is a dyed-in-the-wool old-style business
strategy chap, who decided to use ths article although it clearly
contradicted the Porterian influenced course!!!!
-- Andrew Rowe ( to be found on <adrowe@essex.ac.uk>)