Capabilities-Driven Strategy

Capabilities-Driven Strategy
Capabilities-Driven Strategy
The Concept
The Concept
Growth
Growth
Cost Cutting
Cost Cutting
Mergers & Acquisitions
Mergers & Acquisitions
The New Functional Agenda
The New Functional Agenda
Sector & Functional Perspectives
Sector & Functional Perspectives
Toolkit
Toolkit

A company's right to win in any market depends not just on external market positioning and not just on internal capabilities, but on a coherent strategy that aligns these factors at every level.

Three interlocking elements make up a capabilities-driven strategy.

Way to Play: How you choose to face the market and create value for your customers.
Capabilities System: What causes you to choose your way to play and what allows you to deliver on it. This system is made up of three to six distinctive capabilities, the key strengths that set your company apart from its rivals. Each capability is ensured through the right combination of processes, tools, knowledge, skills, and organization, all focused on meeting the desired result.
Product and Service Fit: Based on your chosen way to play and capabilities system, which elements in your portfolio will grow ... and which should go?

Only a coherent company—one that pursues a clear strategic direction (way to play), builds a system of differentiating capabilities consistent with that direction, and sells products and services that thrive within that system—can reliably and sustainably outpace competitors.

The Concept
External market positioning or internal capabilities are not enough to create a company's right to win. A coherent strategy that aligns them at every level is essential.read more >

Industry Perspectives
Booz & Company has developed thought leadership on the application of Capabilities-Driven Strategy across an array of industries and functions.read more >

Growth
Companies that want to grow in a way that fits their capabilities system and way to play can pursue one of four avenues.read more >

Cost Cutting
Companies that need to reduce costs should treat the challenge as an opportunity to reinforce their key capabilities, while cutting in those activities that do not reflect the business’s strengths or long-term goals.read more >

Key Publications

The Essential Advantage: How to Win with a Capabilities-Driven Strategy
by Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi
Harvard Business Review Press recently published our flagship publication on Capabilities-Driven Strategy, The Essential Advantage: How to Win with a Capabilities-Driven Strategy. Based on extensive research and providing a wealth of exercises, tools, and company examples, The Essential Advantage helps you construct a strategically coherent company in which the pieces reinforce one another instead of working at cross-purposes.

download "A Conversation with the Authors of The Essential Advantage" (211kb, PDF) >

The Coherence Premium: Is your company disciplined enough to focus intensely on what it does best?
by Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi
Published in the June 2010 issue of the Harvard Business Review, “The Coherence Premium” lays out the importance of coherence for sustainable business success and presents evidence that sustainable, superior returns accrue to companies that coherently link capabilities, marketplace opportunities, and the right set of offerings. read more >

Cut Costs and Grow Stronger: Treat cost reduction as an opportunity to identify and reinforce your key capabilities
by Shumeet Banerji, Paul Leinwand, and Cesare Mainardi
For most companies, cost cutting in a down economy means across-the-board slashing that "spreads the pain" of budget reductions across many departments. While that may sound like the best approach for getting critical results fast and for limiting political infighting, it is a mistake — one that will leave your company weaker, not just smaller. read more >