How can we define and understand competencies and their development?

This paper is concerned with the formulation of a framework for competence development as a research area and an area of management attention in firms. it will be argued that there is, indeed, a need for research and management practice of competence development. Based on this need a model for competence development is proposed. The model is followed by some considerations as to how competence development can be practised in management - this being the main contribution of the paper. In conclusion. a number of questions yet to answered by research in competence-based strategy are raised. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.