Final answer:
Functional area strategies are designed to detail the specific actions and practices that different departments within a company will employ to support the overall business strategy, ensuring alignment with the company's core competencies and objectives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary role of functional area strategies is essentially to provide the granular, tactical details that support the execution of a company's overall business strategy. By answering the 'how' at a functional level, these strategies ensure that the various departments within a company such as R&D, production, sales, marketing, Human Resources, and customer service are all working towards common objectives in alignment with the broader business goals.
This focused approach on core competencies enables a firm to perform efficiently and effectively, targeting excellence in the specific areas that contribute most directly to its success.