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Introduction
The Business Planning Group's Approach
to Management Consulting
Consultants of The Business Planning
Group
Background to Business Planning
So, What is a Business Plan?
The "One Day" Business Plan
Questions and Concerns
The Business Planning Group's Consulting
Services
Contacts
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Every organisation requires a different mix of services
to develop what it requires as its 'strategic business plan'. The core
consulting services of The Business Planning Group cover:
- Strategic Management Consulting
- Business Improvement
- 'Change Management'
- Environmental Management
- Economic/Industry Research
- Export Marketing Planning
As strategic management consultants, we work with our clients
to help:
- develop their long-term vision and mission;
- set realistic and attainable long & short
term objectives;
- identify and evaluate strategic alternatives;
- develop detailed operational plans;
- review progress against objectives; and
- to then make necessary planning changes that reflect
operational performance.
Key features of our consulting approach include:
- ‘Needs-driven’ consulting support:
For each assignment, our objective is to provide that mix of strategic
services that best meets our clients needs.
- Technology & skills transfer: We aim to
transfer our planning technology and methodologies to clients as part
of the planning process, thus building longer term business capabilities
for the organisation.
Examples of the type of service included in the business
planning process are:
All business plans involve a fundamental business assessment/diagnostic
which critically examines:
- Organisational vision;
- mission and long term goals;
- value systems; organisation structures;
- issues, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats;
- competitive advantage & critical success factors;
- key result areas & performance indicators;
from which we develop:
- functional objectives & strategic alternatives;
- operational plans, budgets, staffing measurement and
control systems etc.
- to recommend appropriate options and responses; and
- Organisational performance against internal and external
reality to identify
- critical gaps and key strong points including the organisation’s
‘hidden assets’.
We support the development of business plans with services,
as required, such as:
- Plan Facilitation: Facilitating the development
and application of full strategic plans and associated action plans.
- Research: Targeted research to generate the
information required for effective planning, ranging from the provision
of information on specific topics to full environmental scanning.
- Cultural mapping: To determine fundamental cultural
patterns within the organisation and the fit between those and the
organisation's objectives.
- Meeting Facilitation: Provision of expert facilitators
to assist in reviews of performance and the development or revision
of plans.
- Keynote speakers: Provision of keynote speakers
to set the scene at planning, business review and training sessions.
- Development of planning processes: including
supporting documentation and training of staff and planners.
- Progress Reviews: Reviews of progress against
plan.
- Other services: In addition to strategic services
at organisational level, we are also able to offer services targeting
industry, regional and local community needs.
Other strategic management consulting services which we
provide include:
Network development services covers all services associated
with the development and management of informal and formal networks to
achieve organisational objectives. These services include:
- Feasibility studies and evaluation of network possibilities;
- Assistance in the formation and restructuring of networks;
- Network business plans & marketing plans, etc.
The Business Planning Group has undertaken extensive
research into all aspects of business ‘networking’ and has refined
its methodologies and approach through the successful completion of numerous
networking feasibility studies.
- Feasibility and pre–feasibility studies:
The BPG undertakes a range of feasibility and pre–feasibility
studies, drawing as appropriate on the wide range of specialist
skills. Such studies could involve a market and industry assessment,
and forecasts of market sector growth which could serve as the basis
for initial consideration of a capital investment programme.
- Development of venture capital plans:
We have experience in developing venture capital plans,
and have highly developed methodology to assist our clients work
through this process.
- Diagnostic Studies
Diagnostic studies are increasingly required by businesses
which are contemplating the move into a full business planning exercise.
Essentially, the ‘diagnostic’ is the internal audit phase
of a full business planning process plus, probably, the external
audit.
Many smaller businesses choose to couple the diagnostic
with a ‘mentoring’ programme which takes them through,
on a ‘hands-on’ basis, the subsequent steps of a business
plan and its implementation. This is a most cost-effective solution
to businesses which are considering their first steps in adopting
business planning as an integral part of their management process.
The Business Planning Group, with our strong business
management background in major corporations, provides practical detailed
advice on implementing the conclusions of diagnostic studies.
Our business improvement services are applicable to any
level of the organisation — from corporate level down to functional/operational
levels. Our services include undertaking a full review of operations,
identification of areas for improvement and the development and implementation
of the action plans required to achieve the identified gains. At the functional
level, we offer services in support of:
- Management Development: offering a range of services
designed to develop the knowledge and skills of client management in
some or all aspects of the process and practice of management.
- Human resources assessment & organisational
change & development: offering comprehensive and interrelated
services intended to improve performance through the development of
the organisation and its people. Some of the services include survey,
analysis and planning in areas such as:
- review and revision of departmental and individual
job content, roles, tasks, responsibilities and accountabilities;
- development of new organisation structures, reporting
lines and delegations of authority; and
- development of comprehensive job descriptions, employee
specifications, and
- performance appraisal systems to meet the specific
needs of the individual members of the new organisation structure.
- Sales and marketing performance improvement: offering
a complete range of services intended to improve sales & marketing
performance. Some of our areas of expertise include the provision of
advice on:
- the marketplace served by the firm (market size,
trends, determinants of demand, competitor analysis, customer needs
- the firm's position in the marketplace (relative
shares, strengths and weaknesses
- the way the firm reaches its marketplace (distribution
channels used, sales and marketing strategies, relative costs and returns
on marketing activities); and
- ways of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of
distribution strategies.
- sales management improvement of sales team performance
including all aspects of sales territory management and account management.
- improved product development: covering the way products
(including services) are defined and developed.
- Customer service performance improvement: covering
the design of customer service policies, procedures, installation of
the process and training of staff etc.
- Export marketing planning and implementation:
covering the detailed development and execution of complete export marketing
plans.
The Business Planning Group has an extensive commitment
to developing and implementing the ‘change management’ aspects
of the strategic business planning and marketing planning process, which
is increasingly being sought by our strategy consulting client base. We
have proven expertise in this field, and offer significant improvements
to the strategy consulting process through the insertion of appropriate
strategic and tactical elements of change management methodology into
the business planning process ‘Change management’ is a widely
used, but frequently misunderstood, term. The change management model
developed by The Business Planning Group is based on the following
key elements.
- Addressing change in a comprehensive manner:
This usually includes what are known as the transformational factors,
which include leadership, organisational culture, vision, mission,
strategy etc, and the transactional factors, which include management
practices, systems, individual needs, and values etc.
- Installation of a model for introducing change:
The steps are:
Assessment: Analysis of the data for an accurate
diagnosis of the "as is" situation and create an understanding
of the change problems.
Planning: Articulate and define the tactical
change processes required to bridge the gap between "as is"
and "to be".
Implementation: Develop an approach to support
the process and reinforce commitment of management.
Ongoing change management: Develop a new
approach to involve and empower staff at all levels toward a shared
vision.
3. Addressing a set of critical success factors relevant
to the organisation’s business: This process is about setting
aside current assumptions, systems, and modes of behaviour which are
not working, and looking at the structural and cultural elements of
the organisation with an open mind.
The Business Planning Group has developed a broadly–based
expertise and consulting practice in environmental management. Our presence
in Canberra, and our continuing involvement in some of the key policy-forming
forums in Australia in the field of environmental management, has given
our consultancy a thorough understanding of the spectrum of issues which
are either established or emerging as major factors influencing the adoption
of environmental management in Australia.
We were commissioned by CCH Australia to develop a comprehensive model
of Environmental Management as a publishing venture. The Manual of
Environmental Management & Auditing was launched in 1995 CCH and
supported by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The essential approach of this manual was to integrate the diversity
of environmental issues, policies, regulations and standards into the
fundamentals of business planning and management
Our focus here is to assist clients to understand their
needs, and to design and assist in the installation of an EMS, which pro-actively
deals with those specific needs. Equally, we can assist enterprises which
have started down the environmental management path to improve on existing
systems. Some examples of these services include:
- Design and installation of complete Environmental Management
Systems;
- Environmental management audits;
- Environmental improvement programs
- Environmental operating plans and guidelines
- Applying ISO 14000 Standards and integrating their
concepts into the plans and management practices of an organisation
.
We also offer a blend of services for clients who have a
particular interest in developing proactive environmental marketing programs,
including such project areas as:
- Environmental marketing plans/strategies;
- New product development;
- Environmentally driven consumer trends;
- Environmental marketing charters;
- Packaging reviews and waste minimisation advice; and
- Eco-labelling.
For clients who have already made progress in the installation
of EMS within their organisation, we offer customised update and review
services to keep abreast of the burgeoning number of environmental initiatives,
regulations, and legislation etc.
These include reviews, advice and interpretation of :
- International developments in environmental management,
- Governments’ environmental policy, regulatory
initiatives
- Consulting support for in–house environmental
committees etc.
In support of the services outlined, we are able to undertake
training of client management and staff in various aspect of environmental
management.
An essential component of any business plan is the ‘external
audit’, ie: the consideration of the external factors impacting on
a business — competition in all of its aspects, the characteristics
of the market into which the products /services are presented, the overall
economic environment and its influence on market demand, and the policy
/regulatory role of Government.
The Business Planning Group has an extensive background
in developing assessments of the external environment in which a business
must operate. Our Canberra practice is able to access the considerable
[publicly available] economic and industry data bases of Government and
develop assessments which usually have a vital bearing on the marketing
plans of the business.
Our industry, market and economic analysis services are
intended to provide business with the information and advice needed for
effective decision making. Unlike many economic consultancies which concentrate
on macroeconomic issues, we are concerned particularly with microeconomic
issues. Our focus is on the issues affecting performance at economy-wide,
industry, market and firm levels.
Our research services fall into four categories:
- Firm related,
- Economy related,
- Government related, and
- Industry related.
- Firm related services
These deal with issues associated with a firm’s
performance. These fall into three main areas:
Market assessments, covering the marketplace
served by the firm (market size, trends, determinants of demand, competitor
analysis, distribution channels, customer needs etc); the firm’s
position in that marketplace (relative shares, strengths and weaknesses
etc); the way the firm reaches its marketplace (distribution channels
used, marketing strategies, relative costs and returns of marketing
activities); and ways of improving the efficiency and effectiveness
of firm marketing performance (pricing issues, product structures
etc)
Product Assessments, covering the way products
are defined and developed (product life cycles, redefinition of product
to better meet customer need etc)
Production Assessments, covering the way products
are produced and delivered, including after sales support.
These services include assessments of directions in the
economy, and particular industry sub-sectors which would materially
influence .the demand for the products or services of a company.
- Government related services
These services are delivered in conjunction with our
Government services practice in Canberra and include Government program
evaluation services, cost / benefit analyses, regulatory impact assessments,
environmental economics, the economics of regulation, regional analysis
and industry economics.
- Industry Related Services
These cover the provision of analyses and advice on issues
relating to an industry’s structure and current and future performance,
growth prospects of the industry, and competitive evaluations of major
players in an industry.
We are experienced both in line management and, as consultants,
in export marketing planning. Our principals have respectively completed
such assignments as establishment of the export department of the former
Commonwealth Industrial Gases (CIG), and the setting up of a wide range
of market development programmes for American Express through-out the
Asia-Pacific region..
We also have recent experience in developing export marketing
plans for small to medium clients.We are accredited AusIndustry export
marketing planning consultants. Export marketing planning is a specific
variation of the more usual domestic marketing plan. An Export Marketing
Plan consists of six sections which are outlined briefly below:
Stage 1 – Export Marketing ‘Diagnostic’
The ‘Diagnostic’ helps determine export readiness
and the relative attractiveness of export versus other growth opportunities.
A preliminary screening process is applied to prioritise the attractiveness
of relative export markets. An assessment is then made of the industry
structure within those export markets. Information gaps may emerge
and these are used to develop a list of market research information
required.
Stage 2 – Market Research
A framework is provided for gathering quality information
on customers, competitors and consumers upon which planning assumptions
can be based. The step by step approach provides practical guidance
on cost effective market research and includes the ‘ready, aim,
fire’ approach as well as the more traditional methods of data
gathering.
Stage 3 – Target Market Selection
TMP takes the results of the early market research and
uses a portfolio technique to enable judgements to be made on a range
of markets, ending up with clear priorities. This process may reveal
further information gaps which need to be resolved before strategic
objectives can be assigned to the different markets.
Stage 4 – Strategy Development
The target markets have been identified and prioritised,
research undertaken and strategic direction set for each market. It
is now time to formulate the market entry, market development and
implementation strategies.
Stage 5 – The Market Planning Framework
A framework is provided to assist in documenting the
export plan based on the information gathered in Stages 1–4.
All stages contain many helpful hints and warnings based on the experiences
of other Australian exporters.
Stage 6 – Performance Monitoring
A review process is provided to assist in updating the
plans to ensure opportunities are being maximised in light of the
previously identified market potential. Plan monitoring occurs at
three levels:
- Strategic
- Tactical; and
- Operational.
By employing this export marketing planning process, a business
should gain
- A clearer appreciation of the extent to which its
organisation is "export ready".
- An appreciation of the Critical Factors require for
success in export marketing.
- A deeper knowledge of the how to identify suitable
export customers, and to provile these prospective clients as well
as its potential competitors.
- A knowledge of how to leverage limited resources
to effectively target its
preferred export markets.
- An understanding of the ways in which market share
may be improved over time.
- An understanding of how to control the pace of export
development and
monitor performance.
- An appreciation of the process for leveraging early
success into additional export markets.
- The deliverable of a high quality export marketing
plan.
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