Slide share from August 2012 Competitive SME event in Edinburgh. Jim Henderson looks at the state of the economy and how we should now be planning for the future, David Hood and Brian Canavan give an intro to the Irrefusable Offer process,and Jim Mather explores collaboration as a means to competitive success.

2. : Agenda
1. Welcome and Introduction (David Hood, Competitive SME)
2. Opportunity or Armageddon? Ready for the Economic Upswing?
(Jim Henderson, Shirlaws)
3. An insight into Competitiveness for SMEs
(Brian Canavan & David Hood, Competitive SME )
4. Collaboration for SMEs
(Jim Mather, former Minister for Enterprise, Scottish Government)
5. Panel Session
6. Then stick around for networking afterwards, or dinner downstairs in
the Cargo Restaurant (discount on meals using your new Cargo
Business Lounge card you receive upon arrival).

5. Jim Henderson
Shirlaws

6. “Opportunity or Armageddon”
Competitive SME Event - 30th August 2012

7. Black Monday
Monday October 19, 1987

8. The “W”

9. The “W”

10. “W” Shaped Recessions
There only have been 4 times when the markets dropped 60 %
• 1930 - 32
• 1937 - 38
• 1973 - 75
……and now 2007 - 09

11. 11

13. The “W”

14. Prepare for the Third Wave
The business owner who’s educated, confident and secure about the
economic cycle will be preparing their business for the next boom.
It’s this preparation over the next 12-18 months that’s business critical in
maximising the benefits from the next boom.
• Get your numbers right – prepare and plan
• Get your timing right – match your business stages to economic
phases – investment returns take time
• Get your culture right and reconnect back to your vision
• Packaging and IP development
• Distribute into distinctly defined niche markets

15. http://www.shirlawscoaching.co.uk/stages

16. V=PxM

18. Time To Get Positive
The business owner who’s educated, confident and secure about the
economic cycle will be preparing their business for the next boom.
It’s this preparation over the next 12-18 months that’s business critical in
maximising the benefits from the next boom.
• Get your numbers right – prepare and plan
• Get your timing right – match your business stages to economic
phases
• Get your culture right and reconnect back to your vision
• Packaging and IP development
• Distribute into distinctly defined niche markets

19. Jim Henderson, Partner
jhenderson@shirlawscoaching.com
07817 745958
Blog: www.JimatShirlaws.com

20. David Hood
Brian Canavan
Competitive SME

21. © Copyright David Hood / Competitive SME

22. © Copyright David Hood / Competitive SME

23. : De/Re-CONSTRUCT
© Copyright David Hood / Competitive SME

24. : De/Re-CONSTRUCT
• Reactive • Proactive
• Resource focus • Opportunity focus
• Legacy processes • Adaptability / Resilience
• Defined by industry • Defined by market
• Make as much as we can • Offer as much value
• Make to and for margin • Make to need, order and
demand
© Copyright David Hood / Competitive SME

25. : P.A.T.
Proposition
Accelerator
Tool:
... the simple and
ultimate test!
© Copyright Brian Canavan / Competitive SME

26. Changing the Currency
What to Change What to Change to How to Change (Currency)
Rolls-Royce: Keep the engines up
Engine downtime costs a in the air; (‘performance ‘Power by the hour’
lot of money to the client based logistics’)
First Class Physiotherapy:
Stop people getting hurt
The point of interaction
rather than waiting for ‘Reduce absence’
and reference for the
them to get hurt; caring!
problem of staff absence
Laboratory Services:
Do not charge the way the
We charge more than the ‘Helping shift product for
industry does, always has,
competition and are not the client’
and always will
seen as worth the money
© Copyright Competitive SME

27. : P.A.T.
Ask yourself....
..... “SO WHAT?”
© Copyright Brian Canavan / Competitive SME

28. Jim Mather
Chairman
Gael Ltd.

29. Jim Mather
Collaboration for SMEs

30. My Messages
• Collaboration is a great survival strategy
• Competition is overstated and has been perverted
• Time for a new Beginning that resuscitates Trust
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

31. Two Problems with Collaboration
• Historical Connotations
• The Victory of “Competition is best” lobby
– Competition - definition: The activity or condition of competing
– Competitive - definition: Having or displaying a strong desire to be
more successful than others
– Arguments:
• Competition has been overstated as a force for good, perverted & hijacked in some
cases against the real economy and the consumer
• “Competition” often means “Lowest Price”

32. W. Edwards Deming
 The Book
 The 14 Points
 Point 1:
 Create constancy of purpose toward
improvement of product and
service, with the aim to become
competitive and to stay in business, and
to provide jobs.
 The Case for Collaboration
 It’s synonymous with Optimisation
 An attribute of the “competitive”
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

33. Moving Target
Worthy Altruistic
Unifying
Goal
Involvement of
Active Constant Referral to
external people and
Maintenance of Community Interest
organisations that could
Relationships and
“Contribute or Benefit
From” the success of the Community Involvement
“System”
Determination to constantly
optimise the whole system
Charles Ehin
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

34. Professor Ken Cloke’s
Ladder of Unity
Collaboration
Experience
Relationship
Fair & Open Processes
Unifying Worth Goal
Opposition
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

35. Collaboration
Blending the Three Mind-sets
H1 – Status Quo – Business as Usual
H2 – Gradual Evolution of Existing Business
H3 – Radical Departure from Existing Business Model
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

36. WHAT THE HOPPER BROTHERS
OBSERVED
The Puritan Gift

37. Likely reasons why change &
innovation & change programmes fail
Future SME 2011 © Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

38. Likely Drivers of Innovation
Steve Johnson – Where Good Ideas come from
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

39. The Stated Benefits of companies
setting out to be competitive
Consumer / Economy Competitive Firm
• Choice • Resilience –
• Lower Consumer Prices – Ability to Endure & Grow
• Economic Growth – Attract & Retain Talent
• Generate intrinsic motivation
• Spin-outs – Continuous improvement &
• Reinvestment innovation
• Role Models – Ability to challenge Orthodoxies
• Minimise waste
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

40. Current Issues with Competition
• For Real Economy Businesses - Waste, Duplication
– Margins decimated
– High Attrition Rate
• Nations
– People, Communities & Countries left in lurch
• Consolidation and creation of Monopolies
– David Korten – Nightmare Scenario
• Small number of Beneficiaries:-
– Financial Markets
– Professions – Legal, Accountancy, Purchasing
• Countries rejecting the Washington Consensus
– Getting better results than compliant nations
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

41. The Case for a Two-Legged Walk
- The Genius of Dee Hock
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

42. The Case for a Two-Legged Walk
- The Genius of Dee Hock
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

43. The Case for a Two-Legged Walk
- The Genius of Dee Hock
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

44. The Case for a Two-Legged Walk
- The Genius of Dee Hock
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

45. Collaborate with whom?

46. How do we do it?
• Take Margaret Wheatley’s advice
• Blend Competitive & Collaborative Strategies
– Reject the Race to the bottom
– Take pride in offerings and prices
• Read:-
– The Shell Scenario Planners
• Ari de Geus and Adam Kahane
– The man that studied how Toyota did it
• Mike Rother
– The Hopper Brothers’ Hero
• William B. Given
• Resurrect Deming
• Put the systems in place to move beyond good intentions
– Commitment to Quality, Continuous Improvement and Challenging Orthodoxies
– Quality Management Systems
– Collaboration Tools
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

47. Other Questions
• Can we create such a blend:-
– Locally?
– Nationally?
• Will Horizon 2020 Drive behaviour?
• Can we educate:-
– Purchasing Managers?
– The Accountancy Profession?
• And avoid The City and Wall Street creaming
off the profits?
© Copyright Jim Mather - Gael Ltd

49. Want to join in?
davidh@mymarketinglife.com
brian.canavan@aperturemarketing.co.uk
@competitivesme