Strategic Analysis This is a term often used with an assumption that the people hearing it understand its meaning.Strategic Analysis is said to be: ‘… the process of conducting research on the business environment within which an organisation operates and on the organisation itself, in order to formulate strategy.’ BNET Business Dictionary What is meant by the term "strategic analysis" differs from academic to academic and business o business, however there are some common factors. These … [Read more...] about Strategic Analysis
Organizational Diagnostics and Strategy Maps
The world of organizational development is s strange one. ask 10 practitioners in the field what it is and you will get 11 different answers!For those of us involved in the cloak and dagger world of Organizational Development we use a wide range of organizational diagnostic tools however when it comes to planning and monitoring progress we often do things a little freestyle. While this may feel creative and valuable it may well be one of the contributing factors to change programmes not … [Read more...] about Organizational Diagnostics and Strategy Maps
5 common mistakes in doing a SWOT analysis
The SWOT analysis is one of the most common diagnostic tools used in business. It's four simple perspectives provide a framework which is easy to follow and yet the tool is so often misunderstood. Why do so many people make these common 5 mistakes in SWOT analysis implementations?Lets remind ourselves what this is - SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.The Strengths and Weaknesses are internal factors. The opportunities and threats are external factors.Some … [Read more...] about 5 common mistakes in doing a SWOT analysis
Strategic Organizational Development
Organisational Development professionals are the CEOs allies in creating a top performance culture for the organization.Organizational Development professionals are specialists in Change Management and Culture Development. However many find themselves in positions that make it difficult to get a straight line of communication to the CEO. Mainly because of the Organizational structure and the fact that OD-Organization Development is located under HR. Ideally the OD Head would have a position … [Read more...] about Strategic Organizational Development
ICAEW Directors Briefings #Updated
Directors briefings are for senior managers and strategic decision makers. Directors Briefings, Resources for busy professionals:Every now and again as a consultant, manager or business adviser we need to put our hands on short, accurate and trusted materials covering a wide range of topics.In a previous blog entry, I highlighted some of the fact-sheets available from the CIPD most of which are open to any web site visitor. In the same way that the CIPD fact-sheets provide HR based … [Read more...] about ICAEW Directors Briefings #Updated
Organizational Development a true path to strategic development?
Is Organizational Development a true path to strategic development? In the past it has been behaviourally focused. Now it is time for change. Time to get more holistic. More business like. More balanced.Traditionally Organizational Development (OD) was mainly concerned with the three S’s of an organisation:Structures Staff and SkillsSpecialists and consultants practising in Organizational Development would look at an organization and identify its stage of growth or maturity. … [Read more...] about Organizational Development a true path to strategic development?
6 Steps to Successfully Setting Up a Marketing Automation Campaign
We all know that writing and processing content for your content marketing strategy is thirsty work. The entire process is time-consuming, and you never know whether or not your hard work is going to pay off until you’ve published it unless you’re prepared.One of the best ways to save yourself some time so you can focus on promoting your content and writing content to the highest possible quality for the highest possible engagement rates is to automate some of your processes.If … [Read more...] about 6 Steps to Successfully Setting Up a Marketing Automation Campaign
What is a business blog? A marketing tool?
What is a Blog?Lets look at the background behind this technology, so we can understand where it is coming from.Research into the history behind blogs suggests that it was Pyra Labs is the company that adopted the word Blogger, and made the service a big success (now known as Google blogger/ blogspot).The people that were the co-founders of Pyra Labs were Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan. "Pyra" was also the name of the company's first product. It was a web based application … [Read more...] about What is a business blog? A marketing tool?
PRIMO-F Model for Business Development
PRIMO-F the Business Growth Model Often in organizations we use a SWOT analysis as a way of identifying priorities and areas for improvement. While theSWOT is a wonderfully flexible tool, it is too easy to miss out key elements. We tend to use a SWOT based on our experiences, rather than the actual situational needs.As SWOT analysis is made up of two internal elements (SW) and two external elements (OT) it is helpful to use a structure to give us a guide for what should be … [Read more...] about PRIMO-F Model for Business Development
Twitter as a marketing tool for training courses & events
Using Twitter to market your training event As the training market changes, increasingly more and more trainers are looking to promote their on-line and open courses events, But how do you get people to attend and how do you keep costs down?If you are a member of TrainerBase or Training journal (TJonline), both have the ability to promote your events, however it is doubtful if either can fill a course. Some use paid for services, where a high percentage of the revenue goes to attracting … [Read more...] about Twitter as a marketing tool for training courses & events
SWOT Analysis for Education, Schools, Colleges and Universities
SWOT analysis for schools, teachers and education, colleges and universities - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats in an educational environment.A SWOT analysis for schools is a tool that can provide prompts to the governors, management teachers and staff involved in the study of what is practical and less effective in the schools' systems and procedures — often used in preparation for a plan of some form (that could be an audit, assessments, quality checks etc.).A SWOT can … [Read more...] about SWOT Analysis for Education, Schools, Colleges and Universities
DEEPLIST Analysis – marketing acronym
DEEPLIST analysis – an alternative to the PESTLE analysis Is DEEPLIST better than PEST or PESTLE? or more of the same?DEEPLIST - Demographic, Economic, Ecologic/ Environmental, Political, Legal, Informational, Social and TechnologyIn 2000 Paul N Finlay had a book published called “Strategic management: an introduction to business and corporate strategy”. In this book Finlay used the Acronym DEEPLIST as a way of prompting readers of the key areas that needed to be explored when looking at … [Read more...] about DEEPLIST Analysis – marketing acronym
Fad surfing – the worst form of change management
Chasing the shiny new things Last week in a tweet I mentioned fad-surfing and some of my followers were not aware of this and requested an article - so here it is! Fad surfers are the management or leadership equivalent of the magpie, they love collecting shiny new things from other people. A management or leadership style where there is a lot of sizzle but little substanceWhat is "fad surfing"?In simple terms Adopting one fashionable management style or strategy after another. The … [Read more...] about Fad surfing – the worst form of change management
Strategic development: Are we missing the point?
Strategic development: Are we missing the point?As developers, consultants and change agents, we often talk about strategic programmes and actions, but are we taking the appropriate first steps?This article looks at the steps we take and explores if we can be more strategic and add more value. IntroductionOften we know where we want to get to, or at least have a good idea, but often as the old saying goes: “If I was going there, I would not start from here.”That is a very logical … [Read more...] about Strategic development: Are we missing the point?
SWOT or SOAR? – Strategy and tools in business
Strategy and tools in business - To SWOT or SOAR? Over the years a lot of good and bad things have been said by many HR and consulting practitioners about the SWOT analysis. Certainly it is not the most robust of tools in its basic form. But when used in the way it was originally developed, it is a powerful methodology and framework. Some people have argued that it is time to move on from the SWOT analysis to other tools and techniques. In this piece we explore SOAR an Appreciative Inquiry … [Read more...] about SWOT or SOAR? – Strategy and tools in business
5 common mistakes in doing a PESTLE analysis
The PEST or PESTLE analysis is one of the most common diagnostic tools used in marketing and business planning. Its six basic perspectives provide a framework for understanding external factors which may impact the organization, which is easy to follow and yet the tool is so often misunderstood.PESTLE - Political, Economic, Sociological, Ecological, Legal, Environmental.PESTLE provides the external perspective to a SWOT analysis...where: PESTLE + PRIMO-F = SWOT Six simple rules for … [Read more...] about 5 common mistakes in doing a PESTLE analysis
make-the-most-of-social-media-for-marketing
Make the most of social media for marketing Ok so you are one of those people (like me) that uses social marketing sites as part of your marketing strategy?Is your approached integrated or haphazard? Did you know that you can feed your blog posts to your twitter account or face book etc?You have to be careful about content as each is a slightly different audience, however if you can have more activity with less effort all the better.Tools like Twitterfeed help take your blog … [Read more...] about make-the-most-of-social-media-for-marketing
Force Field Analysis
The Force Field analysis is a graphical tool for supporting decision making. It can be used equally by individuals or teams.Kurt Lewin in 1943 developed the concept based in the physical sciences. He originally proposed it as a tool to understand problem based situations in social science and to effect planned change.He described a problem situation as one where the difference between the way things are and the way they are desired to be. The principle of force field analysis is that in … [Read more...] about Force Field Analysis
25 easy tips on employee engagement – morale boosters
25 easy and great tips on building employee engagement - morale boostersIn difficult and tough economic times we still need to engage with our employees. While the big budgets may not be available any more there are lots of things that we can do which are effective. Here we explore low cost 25 great tips on employee engagement.The strategy for boosting employee morale - fast, is based on Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of five basic human needs. He arranged these needs in the shape of a … [Read more...] about 25 easy tips on employee engagement – morale boosters
Barriers and Profitability in business and organisations
Barriers and Profitability Every organization strives to capture a sound market share with their products or services. If we take into consideration the progress of market in the last decade, we will realize that all the niches now face stiff competition. The buyers are more aware and the sellers are more elaborate in terms of marketing campaigns, quality and reaching out to consumers. Some markets have perfect competition where all the products fall in that same category and there are no entry … [Read more...] about Barriers and Profitability in business and organisations
