Durability is the rate at which a firm’s underlying resources, capabilities, or core competencies depreciate or become obsolete.
New technology can make a company’s core competency obsolete or irrelevant.
For example, Intel’s skills in using basic technology developed by others to manufacture and market quality microprocessors was a crucial capability until management realized that the firm had taken current technology as far as possible with the Pentium chip. Without basic R&D of its own, it would slowly lose its competitive advantage to others. It thus formed a strategic alliance with HP to gain access to a needed technology.