A specialized team or department that provides leadership, best practices, research, support, and training for a specific focus area across an organization. It serves as the authoritative source of expertise and drives innovation in its domain.
Combines 'center' from Latin 'centrum' (central point) with 'excellence' from Latin 'excellere' (to surpass). The concept originated in 1980s manufacturing, where companies needed focal points for specialized knowledge, then expanded to all business functions as organizations became more complex and knowledge-intensive.
Centers of Excellence are like having a master craftsman's workshop in every medieval guild - they're not just about doing the work, but about perfecting the craft and teaching others. The best ones become internal consultancies that other departments actually fight to work with, rather than bureaucratic overlords imposing standards!
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