PEARSON EDUCATION The Competitive Fitness of Global Firms 2000

How fit is your company to compete in tomorrow's marketplace? Sustaining long term growth in today's volatile environment can be a challenging task. In a world of intense competition, the modern firm wins or loses its main battles in the market place. To survive and prosper your company must understand its strengths and weaknesses. But how can you tell how good you are? Usual business indicators such as financial ratios, market share, innovation indices, or employee turnover depend on information gathered after the battles are over. They arrive late and provide no information on the fundamental forces influencing these results. What you need to understand are the underlying capabilities that drive the market effectiveness of your company and its competitors. Jean-Claude Larréché's Competitive Fitness Project at INSEAD has resulted in the creation of the MECA (Market Effectiveness Capabilities Assessment) methodology which has been designed to meet this challenge. It monitors the fundamental capabilities that influence the effectiveness of a firm in its markets. It is based on information gathered from managers within the company and it has been developed specifically to address some of the key leadership challenges encountered in the creation of sustainable long-term growth in shareholder value. The strategic management report The Competitive Fitness of Global Firms 2000 documents the results of the largest application yet of this methodology to living breathing businesses. Your company, or your company's competitors. Based on information collected on 290 of the largest American and European global firms the report gives you benchmarking standards and insights on the competitive fitness of global firms. The report also provides: a presentation of trends over the last 3 years, for a better understanding of changes in the fundamental capabilities of firms separate analyses by sector and by capability, for easier benchmarking references "radar" representation of the competitive fitness of 65 highest rated individual firms, sector top 5 firms average and sector average, to enable you to see the "capability gap" that the separates the best from the rest recapitulative index of the 107 firms included in the "Best of Global Firms" rankings in the last three years, for easier access to company references. Market Effectiveness Capabilities Assessment Each firm participating in Jean-Claude Larréché's Competitive Fitness Project at INSEAD is assessed on twelve underlying capabilities that affect its market effectiveness. These are then merged to produce an overall market effectiveness capability (or OMEC) rating. These capabilities are assessed in a detailed survey of executives from many functions and many levels within the firm. The results are then are analysed and the firms are scored on a scale of 1 to 100 on each capability. An OMEC score of 65 has emerged as being the mark of a "World Class" firm. Mission & Vision Does the firm have broad lines and targets which effectively guide employees in shaping the firm of the future? Customer Orientation Is satisfaction of customers' needs an important concern broadly shared within the firm? Corporate Culture Are there fundamental beliefs and values broadly shared by members of the firm? Organization & Systems Are the structure and systems of the firm effective in helping management to steer the firm in the desired direction? Planning & IntelligenceIs external and internal information effectively gathered and processed to help management steer the firm in the desired direction? Human Resources How effective are the recruitment, development, deployment, and mobilization of human resources? Technical Resources How effective are the acquisition, development, deployment and administration of tangible resources? InnovationHow effective are the acquisition, development and implementation of new ideas in all facets of the firm's operations? Market StrategyHow effective is the se