Core competency

A fundamental strength or capability that gives an organization or individual a competitive advantage; the essential skills or knowledge that define what someone or something does best.

This term was popularized by business strategists C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel in their 1990 Harvard Business Review article 'The Core Competence of the Corporation.' They combined 'core' (central, essential) with 'competency' (ability, skill) to describe the unique capabilities that companies should focus on and protect. The concept quickly became central to business strategy and later expanded to personal development contexts.