The resource-based theory of organizational performance emphasizes the sustained competitive advantages gained from production capabilities that are rare and hard to imitate. Under certain conditions, such capabilities become core competencies and tend to involve the firm's human resources. There is not yet a standard research protocol for how to research core competencies. Based on a review of existing studies on core competencies from a variety of fields, a framework for studying core competencies is proposed here based on four questions: Does the firm have a competitive advantage? If so, is it based on capabilities? What is the nature of the specific core competencies involved? Does the competition have core competencies, and if yes, what are they? The implications of this model for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
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