TABLE OF CONTENTS Core competencies are the collective learning in the hospitality firm, especially how to coordinate diverse production skills and integrate multiple streams of technology throughout the hotel or restaurant. In addition, it is about the organization of work and the delivery of value, communication, involvement, and a deep commitment to working across organizational boundaries (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990). Most often, core competencies are process or skills rather than physical assets or technologies. They are the central skill sets used by the firm to produce its products. For example, for the 3M Company it is the ability to work with adhesives. For the Sony Corporation it is the ability to miniaturize so as to lower design and production costs. For Pepsi it is the production of soft drink beverages. For Holiday Inn it is the ability to work with massive customer databases. For numerous organizations in the service industry core competencies include functional aspect of service (how) rather than technical (what) (Gronroos, 2000). Competencies are built over time through the complex integration of organizational activities and are difficult to imitate.
Gronroos, C. (2000) Service Management and Marketing. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Prahalad, C.K. and Hamel, G. (1990) The Core Competence of the Corporation, Harvard Business Review, 68 (3), 79 91.
Chris Roberts
University Of Massachusetts, USA
Competencies in a hospitality organization may refer to desired personal attributes and behaviors (e.g. the ability to organize, listen, and react to the needs of others)...
