Fundamentally

Practical financial management

One of the things that brings me a degree of satisfaction is the opportunity to teach, where (strangely) I am more open to challenge than when I work as a consultant for someone's business that needs a fresh approach in order to maintain growth, sustainability and the employment of others

Often, one of the areas that causes concern is applying financial understanding to a management role and making it relevant to current business activity.

Given that the organisation has a sound purpose and one single clear objective - lots of aims and wishes, but just one objective - then providing control through financial management becomes relatively straightforward

This paper sets out to begin to demysify financial management

A new approach to strategy

Few companies are taking full advantage of the opportunities presented by the burgeoning use of social media

How people are using social media is opening up a whole new bundle of strategic options - where there were six, there are now nine

To see how things have changed click here

Social media policy

The astounding growth and pervasiveness of social media is challenging governments.

Surprisingly few organisations, witnessing this phenomenon, have any sort of policy to limit or reduce the potential for risk to their corporate reputation

Here are a few steps that offer an approach and a few ideas

Click here for the paper

Feed this Monster

Social media are creating a whole new strand to marketing, by allowing people to form communities of common interest, where people can contrast and compare - as well as communicate and complain

Too many companies are burying their head in the sand, waving away unfavourable comments, or justifying a poor customer experience with technical jargon - in the hope that everything will be fine.

The astute companies are feeding the social media and engaging people - and perversely, the odd negative comment interspersed with mainly good ones raises credibility and brand presence by demonstrating fallibility - a very human trait!

The aware companies are taking advantage of social media and reaching out to the market where proof in use and advocacy are opening significant growth opportunities

For a fuller discussion click here

Gender balance and decision-making

As management begins to move out of survival mode - not only for the organisation, but also their own jobs - now is the time to more closely consider how decisions might best be made for the sustainable organisation.

This note examines how gender can play a part and how a board of directors might be balanced to take full advantage of the economic cycle

The balance may be brought about through sound management of the Non-Executive Directors and developing their involvement in challenging the main Board

please click here for the link

An effective structure for the Board of Directors

As we come to grips with the recession and once again seriously consider sustainability, instead of survival, we need to more closely consider the capacity of management.

The balance of strengths in the management team is often overlooked because they are in a protected position and usually unwilling to challenge themselves or colleagues.

This note provides a stucture which may be used as a basis for that challenge by interested parties which includes shareholders, customers, suppliers and staff.

It also provides a basis for the Nominations Committee to make better informed decisions

Please click here here  for the link