Transcript Strategic Planning and Chamber Development

Strategic Planning and
Chamber Development
Gerard Doyle
Chambers of Commerce of
Ireland
Ingredients for a Good
Plan….
Relate to the medium term i.e. 2/4 years
Be undertaken by key personnel/stakeholders
Include consultation with the membership
Focus on matters of strategic importance
Be separated from day-to-day work
Be realistic, detached and critical
Be reviewed periodically
Plan Components
SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats) Analysis
Vision
Mission
Values
Strategies
Goals - Objectives
Programmes
Look Back…Diagnostic
How has the Chamber been managed?
How has the Chamber been funded?
How has the Chamber sought to
increase membership or broaden the
scope of services?
How have productivity/costs moved?
Find out the Cause
"What stopped the Chamber
from?"
"What caused such a result?"
"Why didn't the Chamber achieve
a 25% growth rate?"
Go underneath obvious causes…
Strengths/Weaknesses
Membership – marketing, promotion;
Management – systems, expertise;
Operations – staff, efficiency, capacity;
Services – quality, pricing, range,
competitiveness;
Representation – quality, effectiveness;
Finances – resources, cost performance;
Research – effort, direction, resources;
Systems – organization, structures.
Opportunities/Trends
The state of the global and national
economy and how local business is
competing in the economy.
Changes in the marketplace due to
economic or social factors.
Local economy or social and
environmental issues
Government laws and regulations.
Impact of new technologies.
Trends Affecting
Chambers
Competition from other business
organisations, state agencies
Changing Business Structure ……small business growing - large business
declining …..Corporate downsizing.. leading
to more home based-electronically based
business.
Trends Affecting
Chambers
Business Pressure - Changes in society
“people are too busy to go to events any
more” “entrepreneurs are under huge
pressures”
Members More Demanding – want better
quality services, at the same price or cheaper
Service Needs Changing – less information
needed, more how to make sense of
information
Trends Affecting
Chambers
Direct Commercial benefits –
business development services for
members are more important
Chambers Role no longer clear,
financial pressure forcing chambers to
adopt new roles and strategies
Need to innovate or disintegrate
[specialization – using new technology]
Trends Affecting
Chambers
We must get closer to the customer establish branches, contact
mechanisms
Economies of scale are important mergers and greater regionalisation of
Chambers
Engage with newly diversified
partnership and leadership models in
the community
Vision
The San Diego Chamber of
Commerce will be acclaimed as a
leader and catalyst in creating
value for its members by
optimizing their competitive
viability in the regional, national
and global marketplace.
Vision
Picture of the organization in 5
years time re its influence, role,
size, activities, services,
stakeholders, products, structure,
staffing etc.
Picture-Vision for the Country
can help create Vision of the
Chamber
Vision of Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a country with a
competitive, sustainable economy,
based on equality and prosperity for all.
Mission
The role of the Metropolitan Chamber of
Commerce in achieving its vision is to:
Build and strengthen the business culture
through:
Advocacy - The Voice of Business
Networking - Bringing Business Together
Leadership - Shaping the Business
Environment
- Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Mission of the Costa
Rica Chamber
The Costa Rica Chamber of Industry
represents and supports the industrial
sector to achieve and sustain
competitiveness.
See Mission Examples
Mission - Vision How To Sheet
Values (CICR)
This organisation, in representing the
legitimate interests of the industrial sector
will operate at all times with:
- Efficiency
- Objectivity
- Transparency
- Seriousness
And will itself develop and maintain the
highest standards of its excellence in all
its work.
Strategies
Are broad plans for implementing
the mission
They are not specific or detailed
The usually relate to stakeholders
“Strong representation of the
industrial sector through building
strategic alliances.”
Goals - Objectives
Time and Measurement (Result)
The Chamber will achieve a 20% increase in
membership by the end of 2004.
The Chamber will increase its income from
member events by 30% by the end of 2003.
The Chamber will reduce its operating costs
by 10% in 2003.
Programmes – Action
Plans
Implementation plans for the key
strategies.
These should cover resources,
objectives, time-scales, deadlines,
budgets and performance targets.
9 Benchmarks of a
Successful Chamber
1. Broad Based - Concerned with
membership and business development and
actively engaged in representation activities,
but also involved with local economic
development, provides education and
training, and extensive information
management services.
2. Strong financial position -mix of
income from members, products, projects
and services and access to funds for
investment in new projects, and a
contingency fund.
9 Benchmarks of a
Successful Chamber
3. Has all the key businesses in the
area in membership.
4. Membership expanding annually.
5. Has a strong local brand image
and exercises real influence.
6. Devotes substantial resources to
innovation (new services, new ideas
for local development).
9 Benchmarks of a
Successful Chamber
7. Very close to its members and
responsive to their needs.
8. Seeks a leadership role in the
local community.
9. Well managed with high-grade
staff and good peoplemanagement.
Planning to Plan
Planning Team
Chairman/President/CEO/Board
Member Surveys/Gather data
Consultation/Discussion/Feedback
One Person responsible
Planning to Plan
4 Meetings Planning System
Half-Day Board Retreat – Vision.
Mission, Values – Appoint Planning
Team
Draft Plan/Objectives/Goals/Program
Presented
Feedback meeting
Final Board decision Meeting
Format of Plan
1) Executive Summary
2) Authorization
3) Chamber Description - Diagnostic
4) Mission, Vision and Values
Statements
5) Strategies
6) Goals-Objectives
7) Action Plans-Programmes
Format of Plan
8) Budget
9) Description of Process Used
10) Monitoring and Evaluation of
Plan
11) Communication of Plan
Critical Success Factors
• Adequate resources (staff, office, program
budget, etc),
Partnerships with companies, other
organizations, agencies, government,
Support from member companies,
Commitment of chamber officers/ committee
members - (this may imply innovative ways of
getting people involved)
Realistic targets and review mechanisms
Implementation
Involve those responsible for
implementation – Senior Commitment is
vital
Be realistic – divide into smaller plans
Decide who does what, when
Regular reviews
Appoint one person for implementation
Monitoring, Evaluation,
Changes
Are goals being achieved or not? If
they are, then acknowledge, reward
and communicate the progress. If not,
why?
Deviating from Plan
It’s OK to deviate from the plan. The
plan is only a guideline, not a strict
roadmap which must be followed.
Changes – Celebration !
Changing the Plan
Be sure some mechanism is identified
for changing the plan, if necessary.
Celebration
Celebration is as important as
accomplishing objectives -- maybe
more. Without a sense of closure,
acknowledgement and fulfillment from a
job well done, the next planning cycle
becomes a boring grind.
Finis ---
Strategic Planning Resources
Sheet