• Login

Articles by James A Robertson and Associates

SNw 003 Measuring Competitive Performance (Part 2)
Created by James on 6/13/2013 2:36:00 PM


Competitive advantage is something that is determined by customers.

Can you measure it in a way that you can integrate with the

data contained in E.R.P., C.R.M. and other systems in order to generate high value information?

How does one go about measuring competitiveness?

 

Recap 

In the last issue I outlined some key considerations in terms of the essence of competitiveness being determined by soft (gut) issues and suggested that these issues could be measured.

This was suggested in the context of the previous edition in which it was noted that the World Competitiveness Report had highlighted market focussed strategy, utilization of the human resource and effective management decision making as critical issues and it was mentioned that all three of these areas could be enhanced by effective use of information technology.

In this issue I take these items further and give an example based on an actual case of how one might measure performance in a way that can be captured into your computer based information systems.

 

Measuring Competitive Performance -- An Example Derived From Practice

It is one thing to recognize that "gut" response drives the buying behaviour of customers.  It is another thing to measure this in a way that can be used to generate computer based management information.

The following approach is based on an actual example but is presented in such a way as to preserve confidentiallity.

 

To Get The RIGHT Answer, Ask The RIGHT Question

The previous discussion on soft issues will frequently result in intuitive agreement with the concept of measurement followed by a statement to the effect that the soft issues cannot be measured in a convenient way that makes it suitable for bulk technology based analysis and interpretation.

However, I would like to suggest that it IS possible to do this.

The first step to being able to analyse gut information is fundamentally associated with asking the right question.  That is asking the question that will evoke the gut response.

The acid test of the right question may, in turn, be associated with a response like "we don't want our customers asking those questions".   Which is an executive response I once encountered in response to the questions generated in the process outlined below.

Following are the steps that should be followed in order to put the measurements I have referred to previously in place.  Variations of these measures can be used depending on the application (customer satisfaction, personnel satisfaction, etcetera):

 

1. Research

Start by researching the gut buying drivers.

Formulate the critical question, such as "What is the real reason you buy our products?" (obtain expert market research assistance in formulating the question)

The buying drivers could be determined using questionaire based research but this approach is likely to get head knowledge rather than gut or heart knowledge.

I prefer to get a small but representative group of people in a room (five to fifteen in a session is optimal) and take them through the process outlined in the January newsletter:

  -- seed the process with an appropriate presentation

  -- brainstorm, summarize, synthesize and rate the critical issues in a workshop setting -- develop not more than seven points

  -- evaluate further questions in order to better understand the overall context

  -- run further workshops with other delegate groups until you achieve a representative result which converges on a consistent set of criteria

Keep in mind that the objective is to find the gut factors that drive the real buying response.

Some of the criteria may change for different departments within your organization but, if you really focus on the critical issues, many of the questions are likely to be the same.

 

2. Formulate The RIGHT Questionaire Questions (Semantics)

Convert the output of the research into critical questions to ask your customers.

The objective is to have no more than seven questions.

The wording of the questions is absolutely crucial.

People answer the question they understand you to ask them NOT the question you thought you asked them or that you wanted to ask them.

Engage the services of an expert in market research questionaire formulation who understands the nuances of words.

The semantics of the questionaire are absolutely vital!

When you get to the really fundamental questions really effectively worded the response of organization executives might well be "we don't want our customers asking these questions!"

If the work has been done right, the reality should be that these are the questions that your customers are subconciously asking themselves and the answers that they are getting are determining whether they buy from you / approve of you (non profit organizations), whether they will buy again or whether they walk away.

The questions may take time to find and more time to frame effectively but there ARE fundamental issues that have driven the strategic success of every organization.  Knowing your organizations true strategic drivers may be a necessary prerequisite to finding the right customer or other critical success factor questions.

 

3. Design A Response Acquisition Method

How you acquire answers to your questions is vital to a successful outcome.

Placing keypads at service points where your staff can see what is entered is likely to result in a skewed response.

Rather use keypads in private locations or, more effectively, use attractively designed postcards with attractively designed post boxes within your facililities.

Also offer fax back and post back options.

Whatever technology you use to acquire the information it must be discreet and easy to use.

Coupling replies to some form of competition may be an option to consider but it may also skew the results towards a particular constituency within your customer group.

If the questions are intuitively valid and effectively worded you will obtain a statistically representative sample of replies.

My recommendation is post cards designed by a graphic designer in conjunction with promotional posters and other material designed to inform customers about the questionaire and how to reply to it.

Have a reply paid address and toll free fax number on the back of the post card.

The objective should be to continue with the SAME questions on an ongoing basis -- make the subconscious criteria conscious BUT make sure that you deliver a concrete and tangible response to the answers you get.

Cards can be issued to every customer or every n th customer (5th, 10th, etcetera) at the point of sale, included in delivery documentation, included with invoices or statements in the post, etcetera.  The objective is to get a limited number of cards to a random sample of your customer base every month on an ongoing basis.

Remember that statistically you are only looking for a response rate of a few percent of cards issued in any interval, just sufficient to monitor the "pulse" of your customer base.

It may be worth validating the initial responses by a formal market research program based on the same questions.

 

4. Add A Unique Identifier When Practical

Depending on circumstances I recommend that you add a unique identifier to every card, this could take the form of a bar coded sequence number or some other reference number.

If practical modify your E.R.P. point of sale and other software so that the reference number is scanned or recorded before the card is given to the customer or posted to the customer.  This will permit you to associate the card with the transaction and therefore with the person, department and location, etcetera providing the service / supplying the product, etcetera.

This will also allow you to link the results to the time of day, day of week and other information relating to the specific customer interaction.

Giving a card a discreet serial number, logged on your systems at time of card issue and linked to the sequence number in your data warehouse or other information repository opens up a diverse range of ways of looking at your transaction data that is otherwise not available.

If it is not practical to add a sequence number and log it then produce cards without this feature, you will still obtain great value.  However, it is probably easier than it seems to add and log a sequence number.  Give me a call if you would like to discuss it.

If you do put a code on the card, place it on the same side as the questions.

If you use terminals to capture replies it may not be possible to link the reply to the customer and transaction discreetly but capture whatever information is readily available such as location, time, etcetera.

 

5. Put A Data Capture Method In Place 

If you do use cards there is questionaire interpretation technology that will process a scanned image of the card and read the results into a database with limited human intervention.

Cards that are dropped in a box at the point of customer contact or posted in can be fed through a scanner.

Cards that are faxed in to a fax server can be routed to the same interpretation software.

Alternatively, a simple software form can be created and an administrative person can capture the results manually.

 

6. Implement And Operate

Implementation of this solution should take place in the context of the seven critical factors for I.T. investment success listed in my book "The Critical Factors For Information Technology Investment Success" which can be purchased by emailing us at the above address.  Referwww.jar-a.com for further information on the book.

Executive custody of this project is vital to a successful outcome.

 

7. Analyse, Interpret, Act And Monitor

As the data is acquired feed it into a database and, if a unique sequence number has been allocated, link the questionaire results to the associated data.

In the initial stages the data can be examined using a spreadsheet but, over time, as volumes increase there may be merit in investing in statistical software.

My recommendation is to run the questionaire process as a continuous low key process on a long term basis.  If you do this you will eventually be able to undertake time series analysis on the data which will almost certainly open up some new views of the data and your organization.

 

Conclusion -- Measuring Competitive Performance

The above method can be implemented quite easily and relatively inexpensively as a means of measuring competitive performance.

In conjunction with this you could employ market researchers to undertake research to evaluate how your competitors stack up in reply to the same questions.

Provided you have determined the correct "gut" factors for your customers, comparing the results for your own organization with those of your competitors will give you a numeric measure of competitive advantage.  To be really competitively strong you need to be about ten percent stronger than your competitors.

print[MAKERATING] The comment feature is locked by administrator.
Sort by:


Random Selection of Articles by Dr James Robertson

CSt 08 History of my experience with software design, development and deployment to create high value business solutions

One of the areas that James Robertson assists client with is the design and oversight of construction of custom strategic software geared to creating competitive value for clients
Std 002 Standards for Custom Software Specification

A set of outline standards for the specification of custom software
SNw 057 Business System Failure – HOW do you recognize it?

Many executives and managers do NOT know how to recognize business systems failure.  They have failed systems right at their finger tips, gauged by the standards advocated on this website, BUT they do NOT realize that they are at some level failures and, because they do NOT recognize failure they do NOT recognize either the need OR the opportunity to DO something about it
Std 027 COBOL – old software CAN be retained (with reference to Bridgestone)

Many organizations replace COBOL systems because they have been told they are obsolete, this article dispels that myth
SNw 050 The Real Issues in BIS: Part 3 – Strategic Alignment and Precision Configuration

Strategic alignment, the alignment of system concept and solution architecture with the strategic essence of the organization, why it exists and how it thrives, such that the systems enable management and staff to do the right things well as determined by the customers of the organization together with the need for Precision Configuration the very exact development of data content to model the business, are discussed in this section

Subscribe to our StratNews newsletter

Click here to send us an email subscribing to our free newsletter -- all articles posted by James Robertson will be emailed to you

Dr James A Robertson PrEng The ERP Doctor

Business Systems NOT delivering?

Call the Business Systems Specialist

Dr. James Robinson

Dr James A Robertson -- has been involved in the effective application of Business Information Systems, including but NOT limited to ERP, since 1987 and in the profitable and effective use of computers in Business since 1981.

Drawing on a diversity of experience, including formal military training in Quick Attack techniques at the Regimental Commander level, Dr Robertson has developed highly effective methods of investigating any sub-optimal Business Information Systems situation -- be it an established system or a stalled project or any other source of Executive frustration -- quickly and concisely diagnosing the root cause of the problem and prescribing concise practical actions that Business Executives can effectively act on see the Pulse Measurement page and also the Sample Reports page for redacted real reports.

He has also developed highly effective methods of strategically enriching systems to unlock the full potential of existing investments, see the Precision Configuration page and couples this to architecting small pieces of clever software that harness the full potential of your investment, see the Software page.

If you are having problems with your systems, your project or your IT Department, call The Business Systems Specialist
James@James-A-Robertson-and-Associates.com

Business System Failure is RIFE -- we offer insight into why this happens AND WHAT is required to prevent it.

Failure is at epidemic levels with massive damage done to client companies -- if you are NOT aware of the extent of the problem please visit the About Failure page for a catalog of major failures running to billions of Pounds and Dollars.

All evidence indicates that the established players do NOT know how to deliver stable, reliable high value solutions that WORK.

There HAS to be a better way!

This website provides information relating to that way with a large collection of white papers, presentations, standards documents, etc that you can use to start bringing the situation under control

We also offer high level advisory services with regard to the application of the principles advocated on this website

We offer an ENGINEERING APPROACH to addressing these issues

Click here to read more about the Engineering Approach

By Engineering I mean the formal, structured, highly disciplined, highly systematic, highly practical approach that consistently delivers results in ALL areas of human endeavor where formally trained and certified engineers are the ONLY practitioners permitted to operate -- think large buildings, factories, motor vehicles, aircraft -- highly complex systems that work at a level that we take it for granted that they WILL work and where failure is all but unthinkable and, when it happens, attracts immediate public attention and rigorous investigation directed at ensuring that such failures are prevented in the future -- in fact, everything that the management consulting industry that implements complex software systems is NOT

This approach is discussed further on the Engineering Approach page.

Book -- The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success

In 2003 I undertook an in-depth analysis of all the information and experience that I had gathered with regard to the factors giving rise to Business Information System failure including ERP and general IT and classified this information into a number of categories including "The Factors Causing Failure" and "The Critical Factors for Success" based on this I developed a two day Course "The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success" which is still offered today.

Based on this I wrote the book of the same name, which is available in electronic form here for download:

Connect with James Robertson on LinkedIn

James has a very detailed profile on LinkedIn should you require further information about him.

You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/DrJamesARobertsonERPDoctor

James has an open networking profile -- click on "Connect" and use email address James@LinkedIn-at-JARA.com.

Contact Us

You can contact us on

Email: James@James-A-Robertson-and-Associates.com

LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/drjamesarobertsonerpdoctor

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/james.a.robertson.393

Mobile: +44 (0) 776-862-2875

Landline: +44 (0) 207-059-0007

Fax: +44 (0) 844 774 4580

Articles by James A Robertson and Associates

There is a large body of white papers, articles and other content produced by Dr James Robertson available on this website

Please click here to visit the detailed listing of articles


Random Selection of Articles by Dr James Robertson

SNw 052 Robust Procurement: Part 3 - Exec Engagement, Bid Compliance, Adjudication and other matters

A discussion of the importance of executive engagement, bid compliance evaluation, a structured approach to bid adjudication and other matters
SNw 048 Robust Procurement: Part 2 -- Bill of Services, Laboratory, Go-live Certificate, etc

The importance of a formal bill of services, a business simulation laboratory, the issue of formal certificates including a formal go-live certificate and related matters
Cnf 071 SA Engineering to Thrive SAICE Railways and Harbours

The application of the principles that I have developed and successfully applied in the business information systems and IT arena to the broader technology arena in South Africa with regard to the challenges being faced in the South African economy with a view to developing an initiative to turn the economy around from a technical perspective
SNw 051 Strategically Enriching your BIS: Part 3 -- Steps in applying these recommendations

Steps in applying these recommendations with regard to precision configuration in terms of a method of working geared to quickly and efficiently developing high quality data content that captures the essence of the organization and creates a platform to help the organization thrive
TxM 100 Taxonomy Manual Part 1: Introduction, Problem Statement, Definitions and Examples

An overview of the history of the approach and statement of the problem in terms of major deficiencies in high quality management information together with definitions and examples

ArticleTagCloud for Articles Published by James A Robertson and Associates

7 steps to FIX your ERP      80:20 regarding software replacement      aborted projects      abstract      abstractness      accounting      actionable      adjudication      Advantage Data Transformer      advisory      agreement      all possible classifications      all reports      all software elements required      all spreadsheets      all tasks required to execute the project      Alpha Omega      analysis of data      analytics      animation      answers to the questions we have NOT yet thought to ask      Armscor      arrogant ignorance      art of strategic business information system project leadership      ASCO      attendance register      attorney      audit      audit cost reduction      bankrupt organizations      basis for achieving alignment      basis of payment      basis of pricing      better way      bid adjudication      bid adjudication score sheet      bid compliance      bid compliance checklist      bill of materials      bill of services      BIS      BIS failure      BIS success      boots in the mud      BPM      BPM dangerous      BPM distracting      BPM ineffective      brainstorming      break it until it does NOT break anymore      break it until it will NOT break any more      budget      budgeting      business engagement      business executives      business improvement      business information system      business information system failure      business information system success      business information system taxonomies      business information systems      business information systems procurement      business information systems projects      business integration      business intelligence      business intelligence models      business knowledge and experience      business participation      business process      business process mapping      business requirements focused      business requirements specification      business simulation laboratory      business systems      business systems laboratory      business understanding      by the book      care      case studies      case study      CEO      CEO -- project leader communication      CEO as custodian      CEO definite views      certificates      challenges      challenging presentations      change facilitation      change for strategic reasons      chart of accounts      classification schemes      clever software      client changing scope      client compact      clinical codes      coaching      Cobol      COBOL CAN be retained      Cobol still viable      code schemes      coding conventions and standards      cognitive span      collapse      communication      competitive advantage      competitive advantage through precision configuration      competitiveness      compiler      complexity      compliance      compliance checklist      comprehensive testing      Compuware      conference speaking      conferences      confidentiality      configuration      consultant NOT delivering what required      contract      contract certificates      contract law      contracting      contractors      corporate planning      cost      cost-quality-time      CPT 4      CPT4      critical factors      critical factors for IT investment success      critical factors for success      critical factors for technology success      critical human foundation      critical issues      critical issues analysis      critical requirements      CRM Risk Control      cubic business model      custom development      custom software      customer focused      data      data content      data engineering      data entities      data warehouse      DB2      definitions      design against failure      design and development      design for success      determination of strategic essence      determining strategy      diagnostic code      diamonds in the dust      differentiated      differentiation      diffusion of innovations      discovery      dislike of failure      dispute resolution      do NOT change systems because of alleged software redundancy      do things competitors could NOT do      document pack      Dr James A Robertson      Dr James A Robertson PrEng      dramatic benefits      dramatically improved strategic management information      driver of success      Dunning-Kruger effect      ease of use      economic collapse      economics      effective communication      effectiveness      efficiencies      efficiency      efficient filing of emails      eliminate light bidders      email      engineer against failure      engineered data      engineering      engineering approach      engineering approach to strategy      engineering failure      engineering laboratory      engineering services      engineering solution design      engineering techniques      enhance differentiators      enhance the differentiators      enhancing the value of your present investment      ensuring project success      enterprise resource planning      ERP      ERP configuration      ERP failure      ERP procurement      ERP success      ERP taxonomies      ERP value      essence IS different      essence of business      essence of the business and how it thrives      ethics      examples      exceptionally bad code design      executive briefing      executive briefings      executive custody      executive decision support      executive engagement      executive forum      executive frustration      expose hidden agendas      facilitation      factors causing failure      factors causing IT investment failure      factors causing technology failure      factors to manage for success      failure      failure to address soft issues      fashion      file table of contents      Financial Information System      financial information systems      financial management      fixing your ERP      focus for projects      folder design      foundation for delivery      full training      functional entities      future      Gantt Chart      gap analysis      general ledger      George Paton      go-live      go-live certificate      governance      governance = care      governance failure      group consolidation      Group Consolidation Chart of Accounts      growth      gut feel factors      hand holding      harshest judge of governance      hate failure      head count reduction      health management software      hierarchies      high level requirements      high road      high value      high value implementations      high value solutions      high value systems implementation      highly effective chart of accounts      holistic view of solution      how do you achieve executive custody      how the organization differentiates itself      how to      how to do it      huge opportunity      human foundation      hype      Hyperion      IBIS      ICD 10      ICD10      importance of executive custody      improved management information      in-box rules      incremental enhancement of existing systems      ineffectiveness      inefficiency      information required from third party suppliers      information technology      information technology failure      Information Technology Strategy      information technology success      Informix      in-house courses      innovative software solutions      innovator      inside head of CEO      insightful      instructions      intangible      integrated business information system      integrated view of business      integrity      intelligent data      interactive training material      interview      invitation to bid      isolated CEO = explosion      IT      IT and strategy      IT Audit      IT failure      IT governance      IT lies      IT management      IT mythology      IT non-performance      IT people who lie      IT personnel socialization      IT procurement      IT projects that fail      IT strategy      IT systems      IT systems procurement      IT the harshest judge of governance      James Robertson      Jof Nelson      key performance indicators      Kirsten Speer      knowledge management      laboratory      lack of an engineering approach      lack of precision configuration      lack of strategic alignment      lawyer      leadership      legal agreement      legislation      lies      list of required software      listen carefully      litigation      logical entities      loss information      low road      loyalty      MacDonald      maintain code schemes      maintenance      maintenance management      Malcolm McDonald      management      management information      managing contractors      manual      marketing hype      master data      master data classifications      master test data      mature facilitation      mature facilitator      measurable      measures of alignment      mentoring      Microsoft Outlook      misrepresentation      missing link      mistique      morals      Munich      mystique      mythology      new future state      New South Africa      no drill down      non-disclosure      NOT classic project management      obsolete is a fashion statement      obsolete software      old software IS viable      once software works it always works      on-line seminars      opportunities      opportunity to turn the economy around      organizing Microsoft Outlook      orientation of IT staff      own business experience      passion to enable clients to thrive      people are part of the system      personality matrix      planning      platform for a tough contract      precisio      precision      precision configuration      precision configuration advisory      precision configuration leadership      precision data      precision taxonomies      Predictive Index      preparatory steps      prescribed table of contents      presentation technique      presentations      preventing failure      preventing falure      preventing project failure      pricing      principles      problem statement      procedure code      process      processor ignorant of language      procurement      procurement timeline      professional speaker      Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa      profitability      programming languages are for the programmer      project facilitation      project leader      project leader -- CEO communication      project leadership      project management      project management IT project management      projects      prove it works      PSASA      psychology      psychometrics      public conferences      public presentations      public speaking      Pulse Measurement      quality      REAL issues in Business Information Systems      REAL value      recognizing failure      redaction      reduced audit costs      reduced head count      reference documents      Reg Barry      regulatory body      relationship Almighty      relationship orientated      remediation of existing systems      Rennies Group      reports      reports not reliable      request for proposal      requirements specification      results orientated      RFP      right things      rigorous process      rigorous strategic planning      risk management      Robert Priebatsch      robust business information systems procurement      robust business systems procurement      robust contracts      robust procurement      robust solutions      SAICE      SAP ABAP is similar to COBOL      scheduling procurement      scientific professional      score sheet      screen design      seminars      SEPT      service orientated      Service Orientated Architecture      simple techniques to enhance business information systems value      simulation      sloppy configuration      SOA      socialization      software      software assets      software design      software does NOT wear out      software is instructions for the bricklayer      software schedule      software specification      software specification standards      solution experience      solution knowledge      South Africa      South African Institution of Civil Engineering      speaking      Spirit Led      standards      strategic      strategic advisory      strategic alignment      strategic analysis      strategic analysis and design      strategic business improvement      strategic custom development      strategic definition      strategic discovery      strategic driver      strategic driving force      strategic engineered precision configuration      strategic engineered precision taxonomies      strategic essence      strategic financial information      strategic gap analysis      strategic governance      strategic information      strategic management      strategic management information      strategic plan      strategic planning      strategic project leader      strategic snapshots      strategic software      strategic solution architect advisory      strategic solution architect leadership      strategic solution architecture      strategically designed chart of accounts      strategy      strategy defined      strategy focused planning      Strategy Snapshot Toolset      StratGap      StratSnap      strengthen differentiators      structured analysis      structured chart of accounts      substantial management information      succeed by engineering against failure      success      successful deployment      survive      system knowledge and experience      table of contents      tailored presentations      take notes      taxonomies      taxonomy      taxonomy software      technology      technology failure      technology issues      technology management      tender document pack      tender pack      tender pack table of contents      test data      testing      The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success      the Critical Factors for Success      the essence of the business      the essence of the business and how it thrives      the essence of the organization and how it thrives      the factors causing failure      the first hour      The REAL Issues in Business Information System success      things right      third party suppliers      third world countries      thrive      time      tipping point      tough certificates      tough contract management      tough contracts      tough procurement      tough terms      training      training material      treatment code      understanding of data      understanding the engineering approach      Uniface      unlocking value      use different languages for new components      V3 Consulting Engineers      validation data      value      versus process      video      webinar      webinars      weighted factors      what is executive custody      what is strategy      what is the essence of this organization and how does it thrive      what to do      where is IT going      why executive custody is required      why the organization exists and how it thrives      why your business information system is NOT delivering and HOW to FIX it      why your ERP is NOT delivering and how to fix it      workflow      writer     

Search Articles

Table of Contents

Home

About Dr James A Robertson PrEng -- The Business Systems Doctor -- and Other Topics

Catalogue of Major Business Information System Failures

About the Engineering Approach

James Robertson's Value Add

Attributes of a HIGH VALUE solution

Recognizing Business System Failure

The Critical Human Foundation

Old Software IS Viable

From South Africa

Competencies of Dr James A Robertson PrEng

About Professor Malcolm McDonald

Table of Contents

About my relationship with the Almighty Creator, Yah the Eternally Self-Existing

Comments relating to the Business Systems Industry and other topics

Testimonials and other positive material regarding James Robertson

Reference Articles

List of Articles

Article Catalogue

Achieving High Value Business Information System outcomes

Executive Custody -- What is it and HOW do you get it?

The REAL Issues in Integrated Business Information System Success

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2 -- Mythology and Lack of Executive Custody

Part 3 – Strategic Alignment and Precision Configuration

Why your ERP is NOT delivering and HOW to FIX it

IT Project Management

Pulse Measurement

CEO Anthony Lee Comments on his experience of the Pulse Measurement

No Charge Guarantee on the Pulse Measurement Service

Examples of Pulse Measurement Outcomes

Critical questions regarding the Pulse Measurement™

The Pulse Measurement Workflow

The Critical Factors for Business System (ERP+) Investment Success in the Pulse Measurement

Indicative Pulse Measurement Durations

What is a JAR&A Pulse Measurement?

Survival of the fittest – why it makes sense to measure the pulse of your business

Examples of Pulse Measurement Outcomes over 24 years

Sample Pulse Measurement Reports

Strategy

Strategic Essence: The Missing Link in Business Information Systems

Strategic Essence: Overview

Strategic Essence: Part 1 -- Strategy Defined

Strategic Essence: Part 2 -- Differentiation

Strategic Essence: Part 3 -- The Essence IS Different

Strategic Essence: Part 4 -- The Essence should be the Point of Departure

Strategic Essence: Part 5 -- Discovering Strategic Essence

Strategy -- the Essence of the Business: What is it and how do you develop actionable strategic plans?

Simple Steps to Increase the Strategic Value of your ERP Investment

Free Strategic Snapshot Toolset and Manual

A strategy focused planning system beyond traditional budgeting

Tough IT and ERP Procurement and Contracting that Works

Robust Business Systems Procurement

Part 1 -- Introduction

Part 2 -- Bill of Services, Laboratory, Go-live Certificate, etc

Part 3 -- Executive Engagement, Bid Compliance, Adjudication and other matters

Procurement Documents

Guidance and Advisory Services

The Art of Project Leadership

Why Regular Communication with the CEO is Vital

The Business Simulation Laboratory

Precision Configuration and Strategic Business Information Architecture

Precision Configuration based on Strategic Engineered Precision Taxonomies

The JAR&A Cubic Business Model

Highly Structured Strategic Chart of Accounts -- a Vital Element of your Corporate Information Arsenal

The Product Catalogue -- an Essential Element of any Precision Configuration

Attributes -- answers to the questions you have NOT yet thought to ask

Case Studies of Notably Successful Projects with high value Precision Configuration

092 Doing things differently and better -- ASCO Case Study 2-- BPM Summit 2013

088 Strategic ERP Invesment -- ASCO Case Study -- Service Management Conference and Exhibition Africa

026 Information Architecture and Design of FIS for Rennies Group -- Financial Information Systems Conf

018 CRM Risk Control: Designing and Implementing an Integrated Risk Mgmt Sys -- Integrated Risk Mgmt Conf

011 V3 Consulting Eng: Benefits of MIS to Professional Practice -- SAICE 15th Ann Conf on Computers in Civil Eng

Strategically Enriching your Business Information Systems

Part 1 -- Introduction

Part 2 -- Principles of Data Engineering

Part 3 -- Steps in applying these recommendations

Simple Steps to increase the strategic information value yield from your Business Systems Investment

The Full JAR&A Taxonomy Manual

Part 1: Introduction, Problem Statement, Definitions and Examples

Part 2: Why Use JAR&A, Required Knowledge and Experience, Cubic Business Model and Chart of Accounts and Taxonomy Software

Part 3: How to do it, Case Studies and White Papers and other References

Example General Ledger Manual

Business Process -- Irrelevant, Distracting and Dangerous

The RIGHT Approach

Custom Strategic Software Design and Oversight of Construction

Standards for Custom Software Specification

What IS Software?

IT Effectiveness

Organizing Outlook

Critical Factors for I.T. Success

A Moral and Ethical Dilemma -- Systems that Fail

Case Studies examining Business Information System failures

The BBC Digital Media Initiative Debacle

The Bridgestone -- IBM Conflict

Speaking and Training

Showcase of Conference Presentations

Most Viewed Presentations

Briefings and Seminars

Why your ERP/BIS is NOT delivering and HOW to FIX it

ERP and IT Procurement that Delivers Results

The Critical Factors for IT and ERP Investment Success

Other Seminars

Conferences and Public Presentations

Conferences 80 to 99 -- 2009 to Present

Conferences 60 to 79 -- 2005 to 2009

Conferences 40 to 59 -- 1996 to 2005

Conferences 20 to 39 -- 1994 to 1996

Conferences 01 to 19 -- 1989 to 1994

On-Line Seminars (Webinars)

Webinar on Preparing and Presenting Webinars

Contacting James A Robertson and Associates Limited