Core business is the primary area that a company focuses on in business operations. All companies try to maintain a strong position in these areas of business so that they remain market leaders. Most businesses may have multiple functions but concentrate on the focal point so that they are able to keep the resources and employees focused.
Understanding the core functions can help the business run optimally by giving them a competitive edge. Before you start focusing on them, you may have first to define them. Each unit of the business has to be analyzed for its strengths and weakness. It is also important to find a synergy between the business units so that they are able to complement each other.
Businesses need to examine the various products/services to determine the ones that complement each other in capital needs, structure, customer base, revenue streams, and manufacturing. The business activities are then paired down to the ones that are strategically viable so that they become the core.
Core Business Processes
All organizations (big and small) need core business processes to exist so that they may be able to function properly. Defining and maintaining the core processes is critical for organizations to survive in this competitive market.
Customer strategy
Employee development
Quality and change management
Financial analysis and reporting
Capital management
Management responsibility
Product development
Customer acquisition
Accounting and technology management
The nature and quality of the core choices define positioning in the market and businesses need to get it right to stay competitive. Organizations need to review the processes so that they may be able to improve their operating efficiencies. The processes need to be linked in a seamless manner so that they end in the delivery of a product/service to a customer.
The processes need to have clearly defined inputs that contribute either directly or indirectly to the value of a service or product. It is important to know that a process that may fall into operations in a particular industry may be classified as a different process in some other industry.
The core business activity helps companies distinguish themselves from their competitors. Using a core development strategy, you can build on external and internal value. When the internal functions are developed by managers of an organization, they can help the business function in an optimal manner. The functions or processes must relate directly to the basics of the business so that they form the core of any activity. It is normal for organizations that have defined their core business to revise and streamline it to match the changing needs of the market.
Economies and markets change with time, and a mature organization needs to expand their core functions so that they are able to achieve a new level of growth. It is important to understand that a business core is not static but keeps changing with time. When these functions are constantly monitored, organizations may be able to spot opportunities and threats.
