The Bases of Competence explains what skills and competenciesstudents need to succeed in today's workplace and details howcolleges and universities can strengthen the curriculum tocultivate these skills in their undergraduate students. The bookaddresses the continuing disparity between the skills developed incollege and the essential skills needed in the dynamic workplaceenvironment. By providing a common language from which to work, TheBases of Competence enables both educators and employers to createeducational experiences of practical and enduring value. Drawing on more than a decade of research on companies, graduates,and students, the authors identify four distinct skill combinationsmost desired by employers--Managing Self, Communicating, ManagingPeople and Tasks, and Mobilizing Innovation and Change. Using casestudies and best practices from a wide variety of institutionalsettings and workplace environments, the authors show howdeveloping competencies narrows the gap between the classroom andwork--providing students with a portfolio of basic skills thattranslate into lifelong employability.