Instructions*** You will reply to 2 classmates’ threads. At least 1 paragraph in length. They must be on the same page but LABLED WHO’s is WHOSE. The first paragraph should be labeled (Emma Olson )and the other one should be labeled (Omar Thomas )**** In responses, discuss whether you agree or disagree with their organizations’ listed core competencies and explain why. Discuss whether you feel more justification is needed to demonstrate the organization’s expansion into the selected global market.
Omar Thomas
The NBA defines their core competencies under their “Career Opportunities” tab on their website.
They list the following:
At the NBA we compete with intensity, lead with integrity and inspire play. We do so by focusing on four key elements of our game.
Integrity: We conduct ourselves in accordance with the highest standards of honesty, ethics and fair dealing.
Teamwork: We work hard, communicate clearly and collaborate without regard to departmental lines or individual goals, and we have fun while doing it.
Respect: We value individuality and diversity and are courteous to each other, to our fans and our business partners. We will do our utmost to ensure that everyone feels welcome at our games, our events and our workplace.
Innovation: We encourage creative thinking. We are progressive and embrace the opportunity to try new things – and we are not afraid to fail (nba.com, 2019).
In my opinion, the NBA is always operating at a high level when considering their core values and competencies. Integrity is always at the forefront of the operations of this massive organization. While there are times that the integrity of the NBA has been questioned, it has always tried to compensate and make sure that the reputation stays at the highest level. In transitioning into a global market, this type of reputation of showing integrity in every aspect, should and will follow. It should be the #1 focus given that the Latin American reputation is one of possibly unsafe circumstances.
Teamwork is definitely #2 on the list. It needs to be one of the most focused core competencies of the NBA expanding into a global market. It is the notion of working together towards one goal regardless of personal gains. In transitioning to a global market, it is apparent that not only will teamwork be at the forefront, but the absolute goal in attaining success in Latin America.
Respect is also something that will be crucial in the operations of the NBA into a region like Latin America. The NBA has athletes from all over the world and they seem to pride themselves in the diversity of the overall program. When the NBA lands in Latin America, one of the most important aspects would be the portrayal of respect for all cultures, races, and diverse situations. This is not just within the game itself, but with the staff, fans, and all stakeholders within the organization.
Finally, innovation- and this is key in putting all the above factors together in transitioning to Latin America. The above definition says it all. The NBA “encourage(s) creative thinking. We are progressive and embrace the opportunity to try new things – and we are not afraid to fail (nba.com, 2019). The idea of transitioning to another country is vast and scary, but the opportunities that can come from it are not limited. The NBA is not afraid to do something intense and at the same time are not limited by the possibility of failure.
Emma Olson
Core competencies are a significant business concept created by C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel in the 1990s. The authors define core competencies as a “unique set of skills and resources that a company is able to utilize more effectively and efficiently than its market competitors” (Duszyński, 2021). Prahalad and Hamel cited three tests that make something a core competency. They are:
– A core competence should give the company access to many markets, not just one.
– A core competence should add value to the company’s end product or service.
– A core competence must not be easy for competition to replicate.
(Duszyński, 2021)
In analyzing Christopher Newport University, they have no core competencies listed but they do have 6 core values as describing who they are and what they stand for:
– We will always put students first
– We will always offer outstanding teaching
– We will remain committed to liberal learning
– We will provide access and opportunity
– We will be actively engaged in shaping the economic, civic and cultural life of this community;
– Additionally, we hold the ideal of honor as an important element of the Christopher Newport experience.
(Christopher Newport University, 2021)
Taking this list of information, it can be inferred that CNU’s core competencies would be:
– Prioritization of the student
– Communication
– Accessibility
– Opportunity to grow
– Engagement on campus and within their surrounding community
– Fostering teamwork
These characteristics will not only allow but support CNU’s endeavor to elevate to the Division I realm as well as expand internationally to a satellite school in London, UK. Bringing the core competency of “prioritizing the student” to the Division I level will make them a unique commodity in that realm. Division I universities, specifically within their varsity sports programs, often focus on what the athlete does in the gym or on the court, rather than how they are learning and growing over the course of their four years as a student-athlete. CNU would market themselves essentially as a unicorn in the Division I realm. Taking this value overseas would also allow for students in the United Kingdom to have a more balanced student-athlete option to select from, as the UK collegiate sports realm is extremely similar to that of the United States’ Division I sports realm. CNU has always communicated well and been extremely accessible to their students in terms of resources and opportunities. These skills will also allow for CNU to be unique among their competitors in the new realms they expand into as they will have a much smaller student body than their competitors, allowing for them to advertise their more intimate community experience as a unique opportunity, both at the Division I level and internationally.
CNU’s engagement within their current community, both on campus and the surrounding town of Newport News, along with their constant fostering of teamwork within their community, make them a much more unified institution than their competition, both at the Division I level and internationally. There are not many Division I schools that are actively working to improve living conditions in their surrounding town through heavy volunteer work like CNU has done since it’s inception as a community college. This mentality and core competencies will make Christopher Newport stand out among their competitors, both domestically in the Division I school realm as well as internationally in London, UK.
