The Bullshit Series: Core Competency

Let's begin the series with two very commonly used bullshit terms... core competency and core values:

core competency (n./jargon) Gurus of management theory maintain that it is a science. It has no moral content; it's just a matter of moving the components around into the best configuration.

According to this thinking there is often some basic skill -- or competency -- at which the company excels (selling copyrights, making steel...) Everything else is peripheral, and thus can be given less attention or contracted out to third parties.

This notion has led to the fragmentation of once well-integrated business. -- p. 6 The D of B

This concept is also closely related to...

core values (n./jargon) This is flattering, for it presupposes that the corporation has values. -- p. 6 The D of B

About the only thing we can fine that's core in these two terms as used in corporate America is the lack of respect for the people in the infrastructure of an organization that knits it together and keeps it from spinning into oblivion while marketeers, executives and other corporate "spin doctors" rationalize how to off shore jobs and fatten their paychecks.

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Have an example of these two words used at work? Let's hear it... (use caution !)

Tags: humor, sarcasm, satire, bullshit, zz