ABSTRACT
Organizations in today's competitive environment need defined strategic management plans to ensure their missions and visions are materialized. Strategic management depends on identification of core competencies, and gaining competitive advantage over competitors. Not only this, but it requires consistent evaluation of the external and internal environment for exploiting opportunities and eliminating threats. The following research endeavours to investigate the nature of strategic management by focussing on core competencies and sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, the researcher endeavours to investigate how the theories related to core competencies and competitive advantage are applicable in real life by using a case study on Task Systems, a London based office furniture firm. The purpose is to identify the challenges that hinder or promote the development of core competencies required for sustainable competitive advantage at Task Systems. The research first sets out by introducing the concept of strategic management, and the elements that constitute it followed by a literature review to investigate models and theories that are commonly used by managers to develop strategic plans and implementation. The aim is to analyze which model is the best fit for Task Systems' to generate and sustain competitive advantage.
