The discussion on the creation and development of skills has preferably followed a focus that is internal to the company, with great influence of the resource-based vision. Meanwhile, studies influenced by the Industrial Economy indicate the external environment as the key aspect for the development of skills and the search for new Technologies. This article proposes to discuss how operational competencies are developed, based on the approach of coevolution, which combines internal and external aspects as driving forces for the development of skills in companies. The comparison of four levels of the coevolutive stages with the competitive stages in operations shows that at more advanced levels, there is a broad process of learning and interaction among the actors involved.