In Search of Core Competence

Step 1: Address the Business Objective Box on the Big Picture



Fundemental Entity: The Martha Cook Building. Check.

Goal: Raise $X million for preservation, renovation, and an endowment. Check.

Core Competence: Hmmm...well it's....uh....hmm...not it's.....uh....hmmmm

And so the internal monologue went as I tried to work out MCB's core competence. Certainly the organization has many competences: providing housing, meal service, an academic environment, etc. But what is the CORE competence -- that thing we do better than anyone else. I pondered, I made lists, I scratched my head, I walked away from the computer, I took a walk, I did all the things I do to get the ideas flowing. Finally, I gave in...I consulted the Big Picture textbook. As my grandfather likes to say "when all else fails, read the instructions."

Although I was searching for Core Competence, I found my answer in the Fundemental Entity section as I re-read the topics on branding strategy. Specifically, the paragraph on heart loyalty unlocked my mental freeze. The section prompted me to re-cast my lens: instead of trying to name a core competence, I thought about how the residents and alumnae of Martha Cook -- the customers -- think about the building -- the product. We think of it not as a building or a place to live but as an integral part of our college experience. In fact, we often refer to it as our "home" or "college home." It's where we spent some of our best times at Michigan and made some for ou best friends. Unlike other residence halls as Michigan, Martha Cook has a very active alumnae group -- imagine that: a dorm that is special enough that people want to stay connected to it AFTER graduation. Heck, people don't even want to return to some of the dorms for second semester but Martha Cook Alums have Almnae Organizations and events; raise money for the buliding; flock to campus for reunions when the building celebrates major milestones. As I thought about the "heart loyalty" the MCB engenders, I realized the core competence is not in providing shelter and food but rather in some secret sauce that engenders lasting ties between people. Now the challenge is to distill that in to words!


So how can this help others? Although I'm sure you enjoyed my walk down memory lane, you're probably thinking: "what is this post going to do for me?" I think the take away is to approach each problem in the Big Picture from several points of view: The Marketer's POV, The CEO's POV; the Shareholder's POV; and yes indeed -- the Customer's!

Proect Background

Disclaimer: The views represented on this blog are mine alone and do not represent official statements by the Martha Cook Building, the Martha Cook Building Board of Governors, or the University of Michigan. This blog is being written as part of a class -- Marketing 614 -- and is an educational exercise. The content is therefore a work in progress rather than fully edited representation of fact or idea.

Project Background:
The Martha Cook Building is a women's residence at the University of Michigan. The building, a gift to the University from William Cook, opened its doors in 1915 and has been in continuous operation as residence hall for nearly 100 years.

Financial Management
Cook's deed of gift stipulated that the "occupants shall have sole and exclusive charge of its income, expenses, and management (subject to the approval of a woman or board of women apppointed by the Regents.)" In other words, the building's residents and board of governors have responsibility for the management and finances of the building -- it is not run by University Housing.

The Building's Needs
Although the residents of MCB have been great stewards of the building, over the past 100 years, time has caught up with us and the building is in need of updates to its infrastructure and furnishings.