CONVERSE Innovation Program
Innovation Excellence Program
Small Business Excellence ProgramEducation and Training Programs Overview
CEMI has been the focal point for the design of a number of quality industry training and development programs targeted at managers within small to medium sized firms, non-profit and large organisations in both the government and private sector. These are delivered either as stand alone programs or customised for specific client requirements.
An Action Learning Approach
All CEMI industry training programs take an interactive approach that use group activities and case studies to help managers learn by relating theory to practice within an individual or group learning environment. A feature of our programs is their use of action learning.
The Action Learning approach recognizes the importance of embedding the learning into practice, and the need to acknowledge the existing knowledge and experience that the manager brings to the program. Most managers have in-depth knowledge of running their companies in a successful manner. This pre-existing knowledge and competence needs to be respected and used within the program to enhance peer-group learning and knowledge exchange.
CEMI focuses its training programs primarily on innovation, small business management and related topics. The following list outlines those programs developed and delivered by CEMI since 2003.
In general the range of courses offered by CEMI includes innovation programs, small business and entrepreneurship development courses, and general management development programs.
CONVERSE Innovation Program
Creative solutions often start with the right conversations and our CONVERSE program offers an integrated package of applied creativity and innovation management diagnostics, workshops and facilitation services. Designed around self-selected project teams, CONVERSE involves an initial profiling of all participants to assess their applied creativity profile and innovation leadership orientation. The program typically involves teams of 5 to 7 managers who undertake action learning projects with a combination of classroom workshops and small group coaching by CEMI training staff.
During Phase I the CEMI consulting team facilitates the client organisation through a thought leadership round table to assist with the development of an innovation road map and also undertakes a best practice review of existing innovation management. Once teams are selected two workshops are held that focus on innovation and the role of intrapreneurs and innovation champions, and the essentials for creating a climate for innovation and enterprise within the organisation.
During Phase II a Delphi Panel is established that assists in the review of real life innovation project proposals for the teams of managers who have engaged in the program. Four additional training workshops are held. These cover: i) the role of middle managers as innovators and entrepreneurs; ii) intrapreneuring within the public sector or large organisations drawing on case studies; iii) managing innovation and change; and iv) team based creativity and innovation.
In Phase III the innovation projects are subject to review and team leaders report on their project experience. This includes an assessment of the impediments to innovation within their organisation. Recommendations are made by the CEMI team to the client organisation as to how the innovation architecture of the organisation can be improved for the future.
Innovation Leadership Program
Innovation is essential to the creation of profitable and sustainable business ventures. New products, processes, market or administrative innovations are what generate improved outcomes for customers, employees and shareholders. The CEMI Innovation Leadership Program (ILP) is designed specifically for smaller firms as a means of enhancing their potential to manage innovation project and widen their understanding of how to build a more innovation focused enterprise.
The ILP draws upon research undertaken into the strategic management of innovation within small firms that collected over 500 cases of innovative companies from 11 OECD countries. This work has been published in the book "Strategic Innovation in Small Firms" and provides a firm foundation of empirical data as to the way small firms manage their innovation and commercialisation activities.
The ILP recognises that successful innovation is as much about people as it is about products or processes. It seeks to have participants assess their past track record in innovation and compare this with international best practice. The seven key measures of innovaiton are examined along with the four indicators of how well the firm is undertaking its innovation management using the Innovation Diagnostic Diamond (IDD) framework.
The structure of the ILP invovles an initial diagnostic assessment of your firm's current approaches to innovation and commercialisation. These results are examined at an initial workshop that focuses on the strategic leadership of innovation. All participants who attend the program should then undertake an action learning project that is completed over a period of approximately 3 weeks prior to returning to the second workshop. At this workshop the projects are examined and all participants outline their proposed strategies for enhancing innovation within their firms. It is expected that all participants will develop an innovation and commercialisation strategy from having participated in the ILP.
Innovation Strategy Program
Designed originally for the WA Government's Public Sector Commission, this program is designed to provide particpants with an enhanced appreciation of the nature of innovation management within public sector organisations and to apply these concepts to the creation of a strategy designed to enhance innovation within their own organisation.
The objectives of this one-day workshop are to get participants to understand the nature of innovation and how it is managed within organisations, and to undertake a review of their organisation's climate for innovation and enterprise. The interplay between leadership, strategy, structure, culture and the organisation's market orientation are examined. Participants are expected to generate from the workshop an initial strategy for enhancing innovation and enterprise within their parent organisations.
The program was initially delivered via the AIM-UWA Alliance for the WA Government during the period 2005 to 2009. A wide range of State Government agencies were involved with the program and over 200 managers attended these workshops. Customised or bespoke variants of the course were developed for specific government departments. The program has been well rececieved by such agencies as Main Roads WA, Department of Culture and the Arts, and Office of State Revenue.
Innovation Excellence Program
The CEMI Innovation Excellence Program (IEP) is a management skills development program designed to enhance the innovation and entrepreneurial management capabilities of entrepreneurs who are seeking to commercialise new ventures based on innovative products, services or processes. The IEP comprises seven one-day workshops that cover: i) the strategic management of innovation; ii) intellectual property management; iii) the assessment of market opportunities for new products and services; iv) success strategies for new product development; v) how to manage commercialisation risk; vi) how to prepare an investor ready business case; and vii) developing, stress testing and implementing a business plan.REIWA Management Development Program
The Real Estate Industry is facing major change as the consumer moves into an online world. Internet empowered consumers are demanding better, faster services and a more personalised response. This is a challenge that will require strategic thinking and more sophisticated marketing by Real Estate professionals. Online marketing now comprise the majority of all real estate transactions and this is requiring a re-thinking of how the industry works.
This program was designed for the Real Estate Institute of WA (REIWA) and delivered during 2010-2011 via UWA Extension. The program comprises five one-day workshops that focus on: i) strategy and planning; ii) strategic marketing; iii) management systems; iv) finding and maintaining a competitive edge; and v) effective fast cycle selling.
The program can be delivered as a package or each workshop can be run as a stand alone course. It is targeted at Real Estate Principals and takes a strategic approach to the development of competitive advantage and shaping sustainable strategies for the future.
Blueprinting Customer Service
This program examines the process of strategically managing customer service and the customer service process. It looks at the organisation from the customer's perspective with a view to understanding where the key customer touch points are, and how they are being managed by the organisation. Too often the best intentions of best work of the sales team are undone by poor customer management.
The program takes a holistic view of the business and recognises that customer contact can take place at all levels and customer delight dependent on all members of the organisation understanding how their role impacts on the customer. A 'brown paper' exercise is employed to map customer contact across the entire buying cycle from initial contact to post-sale service. Gaps and weaknesses in either the people or process are identified in this process which involves an action learning project for the entire organisation.
This program was delivered in 2009 via the AIM-UWA Alliance and recieved very favorable responses from the participants. The key outcomes from this program should be to examine their customer behaviour and understand why customer delight is essential to repeat business. Participants will evaluate their customer service management systems and match these against best practice principles. Key issues are what is visible to the customer and and what is not and to identify what is critical and why. An important outcome for the program is the development of an action plan and customer service charter.
Strategic Planning Essentials for Management Teams
This three-day interactive program was originally designed for Nokia Corporation and used successfully to train their managers throughout the Asia-Pacific during the period 2005-2006. It focuses on giving managers an intergrated framework of strategic management principles that they can apply within their own organisation.
The program balances theory and practice with participants working in syndicates, ideally from the same company, to build a strategic plan with attention to external environmental analysis and the creation of an implementation plan including a balanced scorecard. At the end of the program participants should possess a working knowledge of strategy and the strategic planning process, while possessing tools to translate strategy into action.
Over three full days the program focuses on:
1. Introduction to Strategy and Setting a Strategic Direction
This workshop covers strategic managment principles and the factors that define successful and unsuccessful firms. The concept of strategic intent is examined and related to the setting of a clear vision and mission. Participants undertake a cross-impact matrix and TOWS matrix exercise.
2. Conducting Strategic Analysis
This workshop covers the external and internal environment surrounding the organisation. Issues associated with game theory and the competitive analysis of industries are explored along with the Resource Based View (RBV) of the firm. Dynamic capabilities theory is overviewed and related to case study examples. Participants are expected to develop a SWOT/TOWS analysis.
3. Implementing Strategy
This workshop covers the issues of core competence, culture and knowledge management within the firm. How competitive advantage is established and sustained are also examined. A key outcome from this workshop is the development of a balanced scorecard framework that builds on the outcomes from the first two workshops.
Strategic Marketing for the Non-Marketing Manager
This two-day program provides an overview of the role of marketing and its relationship to business strategy and building sustainable competitive advantages. The objective of the program is to enable participants to establish an enhance their ability to effectively participate in developing and implementing marketing strategies.
At the end of the program participants should have a working knowledge of the language and concepts associated with marketing. They should also understand the link between marketing and strategy and to be in a position to build a customer focused approach to future activities. The ability to identify market opportunities and use industry intelligence to create strong marketing strategies are also expected as outcomes. Participants will also be expected to have developed a blueprint for a future marketing plan for their organisation.
Small Business Excellence Program
The SBEP was developed in response to a recognised need for such a course that emerged from research undertaken by CEMI over the period 2002-2004. This research, particularly a major review of the Business Enterprise Centres (BEC) network in WA conducted in 2003, found that small business owners were in need of an applied, yet rigorous course that could combine action learning with individual and peer group mentoring.
Designed around best practice principles for small business management training, the SBEP was developed with an initial grant from the Australian Federal Government and run successfully as a pilot program in 2006-2007. The progam is targeted at the owner-managers of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and has four primary objectives. First, it aims to enhance the management skills of small business owner-managers. Second, it aims to enhance their financial control and productivity through the use of diagnostics and coaching. Third, it aims to strengthen their networking and innovation orientation by teaching peer-to-peer counselling and mentoring skills. Finally, the SBEP aims to assist the growth of SMES by building up the strategic thinking and planning skills of small business owners.
At the core of the SBEP are 8 Action Learning Tasks that address key areas such as business planning and strategy, financial management, operations management, use of technology, marketing, sales and service and human resource management through team leadership. Business booster workshops are also used to supplement the eight core modules. All participants are given diagnostic assessments prior to joining the program to assess their current management behaviour against a comprehensive set of indicators across 12 key areas. This diagnostic assessment is used to provide a guide to where the participant should place future emphasis on their action learning. A post-program assessment is then used to assess progress during the program.
Individual mentoring is provide within the SBEP by experienced business coaches who provide up to 20 hours of individual and small group mentoring to assist participants in the implementation of their business development strategies. The success of the SBEP is evidenced by the following testimonials:
"I've been doing courses on small business management for too many years now, and there are a lot of courses out there, bu the way this course was structured has done me a lot of good. As far as my own business goes, the course has been fairly dramatic in the last four months. I have implemented so many things; I have increased my staff members by two...it has made me look at my whole business structure, organisation, how we conduct business, the way we appear in the general public's eye and how we differentiate ourselves from others", Jim Turner, Managing Director, Albany Scaffold Hire Pty Ltd.
"This course has made us do at least two things; first it has made us go back to basics and to start to fill in the gaps that we have missed, because sometimes when you are trying to run a business you just run along and don't stop to think. Second, it has made us focus on the future and working on the business rather than in it. That has probably been the most significant thing, to step outside our day to day and really think about where we are going", Barbara Helsby, Managing Director, Novada Glass and Aluminimum Pty Ltd.
Small Business Boosters
The CEMI Small Business Booster workshops are a suite of practical management development courses delivered over a day or half-day of training. They have been designed especially for the small business owner-manager who is seeking to develop specific knowledge and skills in key areas. Each workshop focuses on a specific area of small business management skills development. There are currently four workshops offered within the Small Business Booster suite of courses:
Business Booster 1: Successful Strategy and Planning
This workshop examines the key concepts in strategy and relates these to a four-part framework for strategic planning within the small firm. The relationship between the firm's task environment and its organisational resources and configuration are mapped to one of four strategic planning responses. Depending on where a particular small business is within its development cycle will determine which of these four responses should be applied. The overall approach to managing the business from a strategic perspective is examined using diagnostic assessments. Particpants who attend the workshop should not only learn more about the concepts associated with strategy and planning in small firms, but gain a better understand of what level of planning they should undertake. There is no single business planing approach that should be followed, much depends on the aims of the owner, the resources of the business and the market environment in which they are operating.
Business Booster 2: Successful Strategic Marketing
This workshop is designed for managers and small business owners who want to effectively position their business within its markets and develop a point of competitive advantage. It overviews the key elements of developing a marketing plan and brand positioning strategy for a small firm. A diagnostic assessment tool is used to evaluate where each participant's business is currently placed in relation to their marketing strategy and practices. Particpants should get from attending the workshop a working knowledge of key marketing concepts and a better understanding of how to apply marketing theory to their business operations. The need to correctly identify their competitive position and develop one that their resources can sustain over time is a key feature of the workshop. A major outcome from this workshop is the development of a blueprint for a future marketing plan that each business owner-manager can implement upon return to work.
Business Booster 3: Marketing Metrics
Marketing "Metrics" refers to the need for business owners to systematically track, capture and use data on customer sales, retention rates, repeat business and related measures. The workshop is designed for managers and small business owners who want to improve the process of new business generation through a systematic analysis of their customers' purchasing patterns. It links sales to financial ratios and examines the sources of profit within the customer database. Also covered are some basic market research techniques suitable for understanding customer buying behaviour. Participants who attend the workshop should learn how to review and develop a customer relationship management system, profile a profitable customer and develop a set of key performance indicators that can help them track the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. The development of a sales platform and new business generation system are also features of the workshop.
Business Booster 3: Fast Cycle Selling
This workshop focuses on the process of generating sales via collaborative selling techniques. The cornerstone of the selling process is the AIDA model that focuses on attention, interest, desire and action. It draws from research into consumer psychology to understand the process that future customers must take before they can be expected to make a final purchase decision. The workshop is targeted at managers with sales responsibilities and small business owners seeking to enhance their sales process. Participants who attend the workshop should develop a better understanding of the new era of electronic communication and selling channels, and learn how to engage in a collaborative sales process. Key learning outcomes are to recognise when to go for impact in the sales presentation and when to re-assure the process for the prospect.