公司的核心竞争力【外文翻译】.doc

1、THECORECOMPETENCEOFTHECORPORATIONCKPRAHALADANDGARYHAMELTHEMOSTPOWERFULWAYTOPREVAILINGLOBALCOMPETITIONISSTILLINVISIBLETOMANYCOMPANIESDURINGTHE1980S,TOPEXECUTIVESWEREJUDGEDONTHEIRABILITYTORESTRUCTURE,DECLUTTER,ANDDELAYERTHEIRCORPORATIONSINTHE1990S,THEYLLBEJUDGEDONTHEIRABILITYTOIDENTIFY,CULTIVATE,ANDEX

2、PLOITTHECORECOMPETENCIESTHATMAKEGROWTHPOSSIBLEINDEED,THEYLLHAVETORETHINKTHECONCEPTOFTHECORPORATIONITSELFCONSIDERTHELASTTENYEARSOFGTEANDNECINTHEEARLY1980S,GTEWASWELLPOSITIONEDTOBECOMEAMAJORPLAYERINTHEEVOLVINGINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYINDUSTRYITWASACTIVEINTELECOMMUNICATIONSITSOPERATIONSSPANNEDAVARIETYOFBUS

3、INESSESINCLUDINGTELEPHONES,SWITCHINGANDTRANSMISSIONSYSTEMS,DIGITALPABX,SEMICONDUCTORS,PACKETSWITCHING,SATELLITES,DEFENSESYSTEMS,ANDLIGHTINGPRODUCTSANDGTESENTERTAINMENTPRODUCTSGROUP,WHICHPRODUCEDSYLVANIACOLORTVS,HADAPOSITIONINRELATEDDISPLAYTECHNOLOGIESIN1980,GTESSALESWERE998BILLION,ANDNETCASHFLOWWAS1

4、73BILLIONNEC,INCONTRAST,WASMUCHSMALLER,AT38BILLIONINSALESITHADACOMPARABLETECHNOLOGICALBASEANDCOMPUTERBUSINESSES,BUTITHADNOEXPERIENCEASANOPERATINGTELECOMMUNICATIONSCOMPANYYETLOOKATTHEPOSITIONSOFGTEANDNECIN1988GTES1988SALESWERE1646BILLION,ANDNECSSALESWERECONSIDERABLYHIGHERAT2189BILLIONGTEHAS,INEFFECT,

5、BECOMEATELEPHONEOPERATINGCOMPANYWITHAPOSITIONINDEFENSEANDLIGHTINGPRODUCTSGTESOTHERBUSINESSESARESMALLINGLOBALTERMSGTEHASDIVESTEDSYLVANIATVANDTELENET,PUTSWITCHING,TRANSMISSION,ANDDIGITALPABXINTOJOINTVENTURES,ANDCLOSEDDOWNSEMICONDUCTORSASARESULT,THEINTERNATIONALPOSITIONOFGTEHASERODEDNONUSREVENUEASAPERC

6、ENTOFTOTALREVENUEDROPPEDFROM20TO15BETWEEN1980AND1988NECHASEMERGEDASTHEWORLDLEADERINSEMICONDUCTORSANDASAFIRSTTIERPLAYERINTELECOMMUNICATIONSPRODUCTSANDCOMPUTERSITHASCONSOLIDATEDITSPOSITIONINMAINFRAMECOMPUTERSITHASMOVEDBEYONDPUBLICSWITCHINGANDTRANSMISSIONTOINCLUDESUCHLIFESTYLEPRODUCTSASMOBILETELEPHONES

7、,FACSIMILEMACHINES,ANDLAPTOPCOMPUTERSBRIDGINGTHEGAPBETWEENTELECOMMUNICATIONSANDOFFICEAUTOMATIONNECISTHEONLYCOMPANYINTHEWORLDTOBEINTHETOPFIVEINREVENUEINTELECOMMUNICATIONS,SEMICONDUCTORS,ANDMAINFRAMESWHYDIDTHESETWOCOMPANIES,STARTINGWITHCOMPARABLEBUSINESSPORTFOLIOS,PERFORMSODIFFERENTLYLARGELYBECAUSENEC

8、CONCEIVEDOFITSELFINTERMSOF“CORECOMPETENCIES,“ANDGTEDIDNOTRETHINKINGTHECORPORATIONONCE,THEDIVERSIFIEDCORPORATIONCOULDSIMPLYPOINTITSBUSINESSUNITSATPARTICULARENDPRODUCTMARKETSANDADMONISHTHEMTOBECOMEWORLDLEADERSBUTWITHMARKETBOUNDARIESCHANGINGEVERMOREQUICKLY,TARGETSAREELUSIVEANDCAPTUREISATBESTTEMPORARYAF

9、EWCOMPANIESHAVEPROVENTHEMSELVESADEPTATINVENTINGNEWMARKETS,QUICKLYENTERINGEMERGINGMARKETS,ANDDRAMATICALLYSHIFTINGPATTERNSOFCUSTOMERCHOICEINESTABLISHEDMARKETSTHESEARETHEONESTOEMULATETHECRITICALTASKFORMANAGEMENTISTOCREATEANORGANIZATIONCAPABLEOFINFUSINGPRODUCTSWITHIRRESISTIBLEFUNCTIONALITYOR,BETTERYET,C

10、REATINGPRODUCTSTHATCUSTOMERSNEEDBUTHAVENOTYETEVENIMAGINEDTHISISADECEPTIVELYDIFFICULTTASKULTIMATELY,ITREQUIRESRADICALCHANGEINTHEMANAGEMENTOFMAJORCOMPANIESITMEANS,FIRSTOFALL,THATTOPMANAGEMENTSOFWESTERNCOMPANIESMUSTASSUMERESPONSIBILITYFORCOMPETITIVEDECLINEEVERYONEKNOWSABOUTHIGHINTERESTRATES,JAPANESEPRO

11、TECTIONISM,OUTDATEDANTITRUSTLAWS,OBSTREPEROUSUNIONS,ANDIMPATIENTINVESTORSWHATISHARDERTOSEE,ORHARDERTOACKNOWLEDGE,ISHOWLITTLEADDEDMOMENTUMCOMPANIESACTUALLYGETFROMPOLITICALORMACROECONOMIC“RELIEF“BOTHTHETHEORYANDPRACTICEOFWESTERNMANAGEMENTHAVECREATEDADRAGONOURFORWARDMOTIONITISTHEPRINCIPLESOFMANAGEMENTT

12、HATAREINNEEDOFREFORMNECVERSUSGTE,AGAIN,ISINSTRUCTIVEANDONLYONEOFMANYSUCHCOMPARATIVECASESWEANALYZEDTOUNDERSTANDTHECHANGINGBASISFORGLOBALLEADERSHIPEARLYINTHE1970S,NECARTICULATEDASTRATEGICINTENTTOEXPLOITTHECONVERGENCEOFCOMPUTINGANDCOMMUNICATIONS,WHATITCALLED“CWHELMEDBYTHEPACEATWHICHJAPANESERIVALSAREINV

13、ENTINGNEWMARKETS,CREATINGNEWPRODUCTS,ANDENHANCINGTHEMCANONHASGIVENUSPERSONALCOPIERSHONDAHASMOVEDFROMMOTORCYCLESTOFOURWHEELOFFROADBUGGIESSONYDEVELOPEDTHE8MMCAMCORDER,YAMAHA,THEDIGITALPIANOKOMATSUDEVELOPEDANUNDERWATERREMOTECONTROLLEDBULLDOZER,WHILECASIOSLATESTGAMBITISASMALLSCREENCOLORLCDTELEVISIONWHOW

14、OULDHAVEANTICIPATEDTHEEVOLUTIONOFTHESEVANGUARDMARKETSINMOREESTABLISHEDMARKETS,THEJAPANESECHALLENGEHASBEENJUSTASDISQUIETINGJAPANESECOMPANIESAREGENERATINGABLIZZARDOFFEATURESANDFUNCTIONALENHANCEMENTSTHATBRINGTECHNOLOGICALSOPHISTICATIONTOEVERYDAYPRODUCTSJAPANESECARPRODUCERSHAVEBEENPIONEERINGFOURWHEELSTE

15、ERING,FOURVALVEPERCYLINDERENGINES,INCARNAVIGATIONSYSTEMS,ANDSOPHISTICATEDELECTRONICENGINEMANAGEMENTSYSTEMSONTHESTRENGTHOFITSPRODUCTFEATURES,CANONISNOWAPLAYERINFACSIMILETRANSMISSIONMACHINES,DESKTOPLASERPRINTERS,EVENSEMICONDUCTORMANUFACTURINGEQUIPMENTINTHESHORTRUN,ACOMPANYSCOMPETITIVENESSDERIVESFROMTH

16、EPRICE/PERFORMANCEATTRIBUTESOFCURRENTPRODUCTSBUTTHESURVIVORSOFTHEFIRSTWAVEOFGLOBALCOMPETITION,WESTERNANDJAPANESEALIKE,AREALLCONVERGINGONSIMILARANDFORMIDABLESTANDARDSFORPRODUCTCOSTANDQUALITYMINIMUMHURDLESFORCONTINUEDCOMPETITION,BUTLESSANDLESSIMPORTANTASSOURCESOFDIFFERENTIALADVANTAGEINTHELONGRUN,COMPE

17、TITIVENESSDERIVESFROMANABILITYTOBUILD,ATLOWERCOSTANDMORESPEEDILYTHANCOMPETITORS,THECORECOMPETENCIESTHATSPAWNUNANTICIPATEDPRODUCTSTHEREALSOURCESOFADVANTAGEARETOBEFOUNDINMANAGEMENTSABILITYTOCONSOLIDATECORPORATEWIDETECHNOLOGIESANDPRODUCTIONSKILLSINTOCOMPETENCIESTHATEMPOWERINDIVIDUALBUSINESSESTOADAPTQUI

18、CKLYTOCHANGINGOPPORTUNITIESSENIOREXECUTIVESWHOCLAIMTHATTHEYCANNOTBUILDCORECOMPETENCIESEITHERBECAUSETHEYFEELTHEAUTONOMYOFBUSINESSUNITSISSACROSANCTORBECAUSETHEIRFEETAREHELDTOTHEQUARTERLYBUDGETFIRESHOULDTHINKAGAINTHEPROBLEMINMANYWESTERNCOMPANIESISNOTTHATTHEIRSENIOREXECUTIVESAREANYLESSCAPABLETHANTHOSEIN

19、JAPANNORTHATJAPANESECOMPANIESPOSSESSGREATERTECHNICALCAPABILITIESINSTEAD,ITISTHEIRADHERENCETOACONCEPTOFTHECORPORATIONTHATUNNECESSARILYLIMITSTHEABILITYOFINDIVIDUALBUSINESSESTOFULLYEXPLOITTHEDEEPRESERVOIROFTECHNOLOGICALCAPABILITYTHATMANYAMERICANANDEUROPEANCOMPANIESPOSSESSTHEDIVERSIFIEDCORPORATIONISALAR

20、GETREETHETRUNKANDMAJORLIMBSARECOREPRODUCTS,THESMALLERBRANCHESAREBUSINESSUNITSTHELEAVES,FLOWERS,ANDFRUITAREENDPRODUCTSTHEROOTSYSTEMTHATPROVIDESNOURISHMENT,SUSTENANCE,ANDSTABILITYISTHECORECOMPETENCEYOUCANMISSTHESTRENGTHOFCOMPETITORSBYLOOKINGONLYATTHEIRENDPRODUCTS,INTHESAMEWAYYOUMISSTHESTRENGTHOFATREEI

21、FYOULOOKONLYATITSLEAVESSEETHECHART“COMPETENCIESTHEROOTSOFCOMPETITIVENESS”CORECOMPETENCIESARETHECOLLECTIVELEARNINGINTHEORGANIZATION,ESPECIALLYHOWTOCOORDINATEDIVERSEPRODUCTIONSKILLSANDINTEGRATEMULTIPLESTREAMSOFTECHNOLOGIESCONSIDERSONYSCAPACITYTOMINIATURIZEORPHILIPSSOPTICALMEDIAEXPERTISETHETHEORETICALK

22、NOWLEDGETOPUTARADIOONACHIPDOESNOTINITSELFASSUREACOMPANYTHESKILLTOPRODUCEAMINIATURERADIONOBIGGERTHANABUSINESSCARDTOBRINGOFFTHISFEAT,CASIOMUSTHARMONIZEKNOWHOWINMINIATURIZATION,MICROPROCESSORDESIGN,MATERIALSCIENCE,ANDULTRATHINPRECISIONCASINGTHESAMESKILLSITAPPLIESINITSMINIATURECARDCALCULATORS,POCKETTVS,

23、ANDDIGITALWATCHESIFCORECOMPETENCEISABOUTHARMONIZINGSTREAMSOFTECHNOLOGY,ITISALSOABOUTTHEORGANIZATIONOFWORKANDTHEDELIVERYOFVALUEAMONGSONYSCOMPETENCIESISMINIATURIZATIONTOBRINGMINIATURIZATIONTOITSPRODUCTS,SONYMUSTENSURETHATTECHNOLOGISTS,ENGINEERS,ANDMARKETERSHAVEASHAREDUNDERSTANDINGOFCUSTOMERNEEDSANDOFT

24、ECHNOLOGICALPOSSIBILITIESTHEFORCEOFCORECOMPETENCEISFELTASDECISIVELYINSERVICESASINMANUFACTURINGCITICORPWASAHEADOFOTHERSINVESTINGINANOPERATINGSYSTEMTHATALLOWEDITTOPARTICIPATEINWORLDMARKETS24HOURSADAYITSCOMPETENCEINPROVIDEDTHECOMPANYTHEMEANSTODIFFERENTIATEITSELFFROMMANYFINANCIALSERVICEINSTITUTIONSCOREC

25、OMPETENCEISCOMMUNICATION,INVOLVEMENT,ANDADEEPCOMMITMENTTOWORKINGACROSSORGANIZATIONALBOUNDARIESITINVOLVESMANYLEVELSOFPEOPLEANDALLFUNCTIONSWORLDCLASSRESEARCHIN,FOREXAMPLE,LASERSORCERAMICSCANTAKEPLACEINCORPORATELABORATORIESWITHOUTHAVINGANIMPACTONANYOFTHEBUSINESSESOFTHECOMPANYTHESKILLSTHATTOGETHERCONSTI

26、TUTECORECOMPETENCEMUSTCOALESCEAROUNDINDIVIDUALSWHOSEEFFORTSARENOTSONARROWLYFOCUSEDTHATTHEYCANNOTRECOGNIZETHEOPPORTUNITIESFORBLENDINGTHEIRFUNCTIONALEXPERTISEWITHTHOSEOFOTHERSINNEWANDINTERESTINGWAYSCORECOMPETENCEDOESNOTDIMINISHWITHUSEUNLIKEPHYSICALASSETS,WHICHDODETERIORATEOVERTIME,COMPETENCIESAREENHAN

27、CEDASTHEYAREAPPLIEDANDSHAREDBUTCOMPETENCIESSTILLNEEDTOBENURTUREDANDPROTECTEDKNOWLEDGEFADESIFITISNOTUSEDCOMPETENCIESARETHEGLUETHATBINDSEXISTINGBUSINESSESTHEYAREALSOTHEENGINEFORNEWBUSINESSDEVELOPMENTPATTERNSOFDIVERSIFICATIONANDMARKETENTRYMAYBEGUIDEDBYTHEM,NOTJUSTBYTHEATTRACTIVENESSOFMARKETSCONSIDER3MS

28、COMPETENCEWITHSTICKYTAPEINDREAMINGUPBUSINESSESASDIVERSEAS“POSTIT“NOTES,MAGNETICTAPE,PHOTOGRAPHICFILM,PRESSURESENSITIVETAPES,ANDCOATEDABRASIVES,THECOMPANYHASBROUGHTTOBEARWIDELYSHAREDCOMPETENCIESINSUBSTRATES,COATINGS,ANDADHESIVESANDDEVISEDVARIOUSWAYSTOCOMBINETHEMINDEED,3MHASINVESTEDCONSISTENTLYINTHEMW

29、HATSEEMSTOBEANEXTREMELYDIVERSIFIEDPORTFOLIOOFBUSINESSESBELIESAFEWSHAREDCORECOMPETENCIESINCONTRAST,THEREAREMAJORCOMPANIESTHATHAVEHADTHEPOTENTIALTOBUILDCORECOMPETENCIESBUTFAILEDTODOSOBECAUSETOPMANAGEMENTWASUNABLETOCONCEIVEOFTHECOMPANYASANYTHINGOTHERTHANACOLLECTIONOFDISCRETEBUSINESSESGESOLDMUCHOFITSCON

30、SUMERELECTRONICSBUSINESSTOTHOMSONOFFRANCE,ARGUINGTHATITWASBECOMINGINCREASINGLYDIFFICULTTOMAINTAINITSCOMPETITIVENESSINTHISSECTORTHATWASUNDOUBTEDLYSO,BUTITISIRONICTHATITSOLDSEVERALKEYBUSINESSESTOCOMPETITORSWHOWEREALREADYCOMPETENCELEADERSBLACKITHASPARLAYEDTHESEINTOACORPORATEWIDECOMPETENCYFROMWHICHITDEV

31、ELOPSWORLDBEATINGPRODUCTS,DESPITERTHESBU“OWNS”ALLRESOURCESOTHERTHANCASHSBUISAPOTENTIALRESERVOIROFCORECOMPETENCIESRESOURCEALLOCATIONDISCRETEBUSINESSESARETHEUNITOFANALYSIS,CAPITALISALLOCATEDBUSINESSBYBUSINESSBUSINESSESANDCOMPETENCIESARETHEUNITOFANALYSISTOPMANAGEMENTALLOCATESCAPITALANDTALENTVALUEADDEDO

32、FTOPMANAGEMENTOPTIMIZINGCORPORATERETURNSTHROUGHCAPITALALLOCATIONTRADEOFFSAMONGBUSINESSESENUNCIATINGSTRATEGICARCHITECTUREANDBUILDINGCOMPETENCIESTOSECURETHEFUTURETHETYRANNYOFTHESBUTHENEWTERMSOFCOMPETITIVEENGAGEMENTCANNOTBEUNDERSTOODUSINGANALYTICALTOOLSDEVISEDTOMANAGETHEDIVERSIFIEDCORPORATIONOF20YEARSA

33、GO,WHENCOMPETITIONWASPRIMARILYDOMESTICGEVERSUSWESTINGHOUSE,GENERALMOTORSVERSUSFORDANDALLTHEKEYPLAYERSWERESPEAKINGTHELANGUAGEOFTHESAMEBUSINESSSCHOOLSANDCONSULTANCIESOLDPRESCRIPTIONSHAVEPOTENTIALLYTOXICSIDEEFFECTSTHENEEDFORNEWPRINCIPLESISMOSTOBVIOUSINCOMPANIESTHECORPORATIONARESUMMARIZEDIN“TWOCONCEPTSO

34、FTHECORPORATIONSBUORCORECOMPETENCE”OBVIOUSLY,DIVERSIFIEDCORPORATIONSHAVEAPORTFOLIOOFPRODUCTSANDAPORTFOLIOOFBUSINESSESBUTWEBELIEVEINAVIEWOFTHECOMPANYASAPORTFOLIOOFCOMPETENCIESASWELLUSCOMPANIESDONOTLACKTHETECHNICALRESOURCESTOBUILDCOMPETENCIES,BUTTHEIRTOPMANAGEMENTOFTENLACKSTHEVISIONTOBUILDTHEMANDTHEAD

35、MINISTRATIVEMEANSFORASSEMBLINGRESOURCESSPREADACROSSMULTIPLEBUSINESSESASHIFTINCOMMITMENTWILLINEVITABLYINFLUENCEPATTERNSOFDIVERSIFICATION,SKILLDEPLOYMENT,RESOURCEALLOCATIONPRIORITIES,ANDAPPROACHESTOALLIANCESANDOUTSOURCINGWEHAVEDESCRIBEDTHETHREEDIFFERENTPLANESONWHICHBATTLESFORGLOBALLEADERSHIPAREWAGEDCO

36、RECOMPETENCE,COREPRODUCTS,ANDENDPRODUCTSACORPORATIONHASTOKNOWWHETHERITISWINNINGORLOSINGONEACHPLANEBYSHEERWEIGHTOFINVESTMENT,ACOMPANYMIGHTBEABLETOBEATITSRIVALSTOBLUESKYTECHNOLOGIESYETSTILLLOSETHERACETOBUILDCORECOMPETENCELEADERSHIPIFACOMPANYISWINNINGTHERACETOBUILDCORECOMPETENCIESASOPPOSEDTOBUILDINGLEA

37、DERSHIPINAFEWTECHNOLOGIES,ITWILLALMOSTCERTAINLYOUTPACERIVALSINNEWBUSINESSDEVELOPMENTIFACOMPANYISWINNINGTHERACETOCAPTUREWORLDMANUFACTURINGSHAREINCOREPRODUCTS,ITWILLPROBABLYOUTPACERIVALSINIMPROVINGPRODUCTFEATURESANDTHEPRICE/PERFORMANCERATIODETERMININGWHETHERONEISWINNINGORLOSINGENDPRODUCTBATTLESISMORED

38、IFFICULTBECAUSEMEASURESOFPRODUCTMARKETSHAREDONOTNECESSARILYREFLECTVARIOUSCOMPANIESUNDERLYINGCOMPETITIVENESSINDEED,COMPANIESTHATATTEMPTTOBUILDMARKETSHAREBYRELYINGONTHECOMPETITIVENESSOFOTHERS,RATHERTHANINVESTINGINCORECOMPETENCIESANDWORLDCOREPRODUCTLEADERSHIP,MAYBETREADINGONQUICKSANDINTHERACEFORGLOBALB

39、RANDDOMINANCE,COMPANIESLIKE3M,BLACKBILITIES，那么它列出的很可能就不是核心竞争力。当然，列出这样一个清单并且把这些技能视为构建核心竞争力的基础不失为一种好的做法。接下来，你可以通过签订许可协议和建立联盟来获得核心竞争力中缺少的组成部分，这会使你的成本大大降低。大多数西方企业几乎从未从这些方面考虑竞争力，现在该是这些公司认真研究这样做有何风险的时候了。倘若主要根据最终产品的性价比来判断自己或者对手的竞争力，实质上会破坏自己的核心竞争力，或者说对于增强自己的核心竞争力几乎没有帮助。要知道，能够催生出下一代有竞争力产品的基本技能，不能通过外包和贴牌生产OEM

40、“租进来”。照我们看，很多公司舍弃“成本中心”，转向外部供应商以便削减内部投资的举动非常不明智，它们这样做实际上是把自己的核心竞争力拱手送给了别人。以克莱斯勒为例，与本田不同，它把发动机和动力传动系统仅仅视为普通元件。这家公司现在变得日益依靠三菱MITSUBISHI与现代HYUNDAI。1985年1987年，它外包的发动机从252，000台增加到了382,000台。想像一下，换了本田，它会轻易把如此关键的汽车部件拱手让给他人去生产吗更不必说设计工作了。这就是为什么本田对一级方程式赛车如此投入的原因。虽然本田的研发预算少于通用汽车GM以及丰田TOYOTA，但是它能够把各种与发动机相关的技术整合到

41、一起，并且将它们充分地转化为整个公司的核心竞争力，从而开发出世界上首屈一指的产品。当然，完全有可能的是，一家在核心竞争力开发方面不及别人的公司也会暂时拥有竞争力强的产品线。比如，如果一家公司现在欲进入复印机市场，它会发现将有十几家日本公司等在那里，迫不及待地要为它从事贴牌生产。然而，一旦基础技术发生变化，或者它的供应商也决定直接进军该市场并成为它的强劲对手，那么这家公司的产品线，及其在市场和分销渠道上所做的投资就将变得岌岌可危。虽然外包能迅速使你获得竞争力强的产品，但是它对于打造有助于保持产品领先地位的内在技能却贡献甚微。同样，如果一家公司尚未决定在哪个方面打造核心竞争力，它就不可能制定出明智

42、的联盟或者采购战略。显然，日本公司已经从联盟中获益。它们通过联盟的方式从西方合作伙伴那里学到了很多，这些西方公司显然没有尽心尽力去保护自己的核心竞争力。正如我们以前曾经谈到过的，在联盟中学习需要公司积极地投入一系列资源，包括差旅、一群敬业的员工、试验性设备、消化和验证所学内容需要的时间。如果一家公司没有建设核心竞争力的明确目标，它也许不会做出这样的投入。此外，如果公司在现有业务中估计达到了40，但是其最终产品的品牌份额，不管是空调还是冰箱，都非常小。由于全球竞争在不同的层面上遵循的规则不同，争夺的利益也不同，所以分清核心竞争力、核心产品以及最终产品非常重要。为了长期建立或者巩固领先地位，公司很

43、可能要在各个层面都成为胜利者。在核心竞争力层面，公司的目标是在某个具体类别的产品功能的设计和开发方面谋取世界领先地位，比如在光盘数据的存储和检索比如飞利浦的光介质技术能力，或者体积的紧凑性和使用的方便性比如索尼的微型发动机和微处理器控制装置方面领先全球。为了保住核心竞争力的领先地位，这些公司都力图使核心产品在世界上的制造份额达到最大。核心产品往往拥有各种各样的内部和外部客户，从事核心产品制造带来的销售收入和市场反馈至少部分地决定了核心竞争力改进和扩展的速度。正是出于这种考虑，20世纪70年代中期，JVC决定与欧美领先的电子消费品公司建立录像机的供货关系。在为法国的汤姆森公司、英国的索恩公司，德

44、国的德律风根公司TELEFUNKEN，以及美国的合作伙伴供货的过程中，JVC获得了现金并积累了多方面的市场经验，这使得JVC最终超过了竞争对手飞利浦与索尼。虽然飞利浦与JVC同时开发了录像带技术，但由于它没有建立世界性的OEM网络，所以无法通过销售核心产品来加快录像带技术能力的改进和完善JVC的成功之道为韩国公司所效仿，像金星GOLDSTAR、三星SAMSUNG、起亚KIA以及大宇DAEWOO等韩国制造商也是通过与欧美公司签订OEM合同来建立自己在显示器、半导体以及汽车发动机等各种核心产品领域的领先地位。它们对外公开宣称自己的目标是把投资项目从潜在竞争对手，多半是美国公司手中夺过来。这种做法使

45、它们能够在掏空对手的同时，加快核心竞争力的建设。亚洲公司通过专注于核心竞争力的建设并且把它们注入到核心产品中，在元件市场上已经积累了优势。接着，它们又利用优越的核心产品向下游进军，以谋得自己的品牌份额。它们不大可能永远只停留在做低成本供应商上。随着品牌声誉的提升，它们的价格也可能会提升。本田的豪华车ACURA就已经证明了这一点，其他的日本汽车制造商也在打同样的牌。控制核心产品如此关键还有其他的原因。如果一家公司在核心产品市场占据了主导地位，它就有能力影响相关应用领域与最终产品的发展。诸如数据驱动器、激光器之类与CD相关的核心产品，就使得索尼和飞利浦能够影响计算机光存储外设的发展。随着核心产品向

46、更多的应用领域挺进，公司在新产品开发上能够不断减少成本、缩短时间和降低风险。简而言之，定位准确的核心产品可以带来规模经济和范围经济ECONOMIESOFSCOPE。战略事业部的专制如果我们拘泥于20年前设计的用来管理多元化公司的分析工具，是无法理解新竞争态势下出现的新概念和新术语的。当时的竞争基本上是在国内展开比如，通用电气对西屋，通用汽车对福特等，所有的主要竞争对手说的都是来自同一批商学院和咨询公司的语言。但是，老药方会有潜在的毒副作用。那些把战略事业部作为惟一组织形式的公司尤其需要新的思维方式。副栏“两种公司概念战略事业部或者核心竞争力”总结了两种公司概念的含义。显然，多元化企业拥有一系列

47、的产品组合和业务组合。但是，我们认为企业也应被视为能力的组合。美国企业并不缺少用来打造核心竞争力的技术资源，但是美国企业的管理层常常缺乏打造核心竞争力的远见，并且缺少有效的管理手段来整合分散在多个业务部门的资源。一旦管理层转变了工作重心，那么多元化的模式、技能的准备和调用、资源的分配以及联盟和外包的方式都不可避免地会受到影响。我们谈到过全球竞争的三个层面核心竞争力、核心产品以及最终产品。企业必须了解自己在每个层面上的输赢状况。仅仅通过加大投资力度，一家企业也许会在某些基础科学技术上领先对手。尽管如此，它或许仍然会输掉争夺核心竞争力领导地位的竞赛。相反，如果一家企业能够在打造核心竞争力方面赢得竞

48、赛，而不是在少数几项技术上领先，它几乎必定会在新业务开发上胜过对手。如果企业的核心产品在世界上的制造份额能够领先对手，那么它很有可能在提高产品的功能和性价比上胜过对手。由于产品的市场份额未必能反映公司内在的多种竞争力，所以我们很难通过这类指标来确定公司在最终产品的竞争中到底是赢还是输。事实上，如果企业试图依靠别人的竞争力来获得市场份额，而不愿意把力气花在核心竞争力和核心产品的开发上，那么就好比踩在危险的流沙上。在全球品牌大战中，3M、百得、佳能、本田、NEC以及花旗集团等通过从核心竞争力中派生出来的各种产品，为自己撑起了全球性的品牌伞BRANDUMBRELLA。这使它们下辖的各个事业部能够树立

49、产品形象、赢得客户忠诚并顺利进入分销渠道。当你重新思考公司的概念时，目前一统天下的战略事业部这个曾经影响了一代人的组织结构教条，显然已不合时宜。在战略事业部已成信条的地方，任何人对分权稍有异议都会被斥为异端。在很多公司，狭隘的战略事业部观点意味着高层管理人员只能看到全球竞争的一个层面，那就是争取把具有竞争力的产品今天就放到货架上。这种扭曲的认识会造成怎样的后果核心竞争力和核心产品的开发投入严重不足。当组织被视为战略事业部的集合时，其中任何一个事业部都不会独自承担起做强做大核心产品的职责，也无法提出充足的理由获得必要的投资来打造某种世界领先的核心竞争力。由于总部管理层不能把更为全面的视角传达到战略事业部，事业部的经理倾向于少投资。最近，柯达和飞利浦等公司已经意识到这个问题，并开始寻找新的组织形式，以使它们能够为内外客户开发和生产核心产品。在欧美企业中，战略事业部的经理们看竞争对手的方式与看自己的方式是一样的。总的来讲，他们没有意识到亚洲企业对谋取核心产品领先地位的重视，或者不知道在制造业中保持世界领先地位与维持核心竞争力的开发速度之间存在着重要联系。他们既没有把握代工生产的机会，也没有在自己的各产品分部之间寻找协调整合的机会。资源受到禁锢。随着战略事业部的发展，它会逐渐积累起自己独特的能力。一般而言，蕴涵这些能力的员工会被看做该事业部独有的资产。其他事