MEASURING THE COMPETITIVE
FITNESS OF GLOBAL FIRMS 2001
This 2001 Report on the
Competitive Fitness of Global Firms updates and extends the first three reports published
since 1998.
It presents the results of a
survey among the members of the International Executive Network , based on a methodology
designed to monitor the fundamental capabilities which influence the effectiveness of a
firm in its markets. This methodology builds upon management inputs and 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 2001 report is based on
information collected on 309 of the largest American and European global firms. It
contains a number of significant additions to the previous editions, including:
the E-Business capability, a
new measure of Corporate Competitive Fitness
trends over the last 4
years, for a better understanding of changes in the fundamental capabilities of firms.
In a world of intense
competition, the modern firm wins or loses its main battles in the market place. Usual
business indicators such as financial ratios, market share, innovation indices," or
employee turnover depend on information gathered after the battles are over. Because of
the time lag between these external measures and the present capabilities of the firm,
these indicators are not optimal measures of a firm's present or future competitive
position.
The MECA (Market
Effectiveness Capabilities Assessment) methodology has been designed to evaluate the
fundamental business capabilities driving the success of modern firms. It is based on
management inputs and 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 MECA methodology offers a
comprehensive framework composed of twelve fundamental business capabilities and an
associated measurement tool to assess the situation of the firm at a given point in time.
Its two key contributions are: an integrative monitoring instrument, the Corporate
Competitive Fitness Dashboard, allowing top management to monitor the evolution of the
firm on key capabilities detailed analyses to help business unit managers, functional
managers, and strategic planners to better understand how these capabilities vary across
the firm.
Two Types of Corporate
Transformation
One can distinguish two
different types of corporate transformation.
The first deals with a rapid
change in the assets of the firm and includes rationalization, focusing of resources, or
acquisitions. In such situations, changes in market share or financial results can occur
so fast that one may appear to be driving the business 'on sight'.
The second type of corporate
transformation consists of shaping the firm to deliver sustainable long-term growth in
shareholder value. This is a very different situation and requires building fundamental
capabilities, most of which are intangible and difficult to measure. For many dimensions
of leadership, it is more like 'driving in fog' than 'driving by sight'.
Our personal experience in
advising leaders of multinational corporations is coherent with a more general observation
of the evolution of corporations around the world in the last decade. The first type of
transformation is painful, risky, and requires strong leadership talents, but the second
type of transformation is an even stronger and broader test of the leadership talents of
the executive. It requires a broader understanding of the capabilities of the firm
relative to its environment and its competitors and demands a greater alignment of the
vision of top management, and shareholders. It takes patience... and is never finished.
Executive Summary
Part I: Competitive Fitness
of Global Firms
Part II: The New E-Business
Capability
Part III: Sector View of
Corporate Competitive Fitness
Part IV: Capability View of
Corporate Competitive Fitness
Part V: Key Drivers of
Corporate Competitive Fitness
Appendix 1: Indicators of
Competitive Fitness
Appendix 2: Methodology
Index of World Class Firms
309 pages