In the shipping business, this can be speed, customs expediting, or specialized handling, or price. The firm should analyze its internal competencies to identify which ones are strongest before seeking opportunities in the marketplace. Most firms will not be the best at all of these, so the firm should be realistic about its competencies when conducting a self-assessment. Often, core competencies are well-supported so that they can be sustained over the long-run.

There are two main mechanisms for supporting internal competencies. The first is organizational culture. When the culture is oriented towards specific types of achievement, then the culture can become a powerful form of internal control mechanism. If a firm has decided to pursue a specific niche, the organizational culture should therefore be built around the execution of that strategy. This will drive success and innovation towards that strategy above all others and provide internal control.

The other main...
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