Creating "Difficult to Imitate" Competitive Advantages in Knowledge-intensive Services

The role of knowledge-intensive (business) services (KIS, KIBS), or the fourth sector of economy, in modern global economy grows permanently. Companies, which provide high-tech intellectual products or services, and countries, which invest in the human capital, are the true leaders. However, the share of KIS in Russian GDP has been decreasing for several years. Taking into account the competition for resources in KIS and general socio-economical Russian difficulties, companies try to find such “difficult to imitate” competitive advantages, which can be based on internal resources. Literature review provides some relevant information about the possible sources of “difficult to imitate” competitive advantages in different sectors of KIS and the methods of practical research for Changellenge >> - the key player of Russian HiPo Graduate Recruitment and Employer Marketing markets. The paper focuses on the creating “difficult to imitate” competitive advantages in Changellenge >> based on some special aspects of its staff motivation. To achieve this goal some practical tasks should be solved. Our questionnaire helped to prioritize aspects of motivation to continue working in this company and develop it. Then we provided differentiated strategies of staff retention through implementation of their professional and personal ambitions into the business areas, where Changellenge >> has leadership competencies and provides added value for its clients.