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Welcome to the BPIR blogLatest news:
August 6th, 2010
The Global Benchmarking Network newsletter is out. Download from here
The newsletter includes the latest news from the GBN about members, events, projects and other activities, topics highlighted in this issue:
- Welcome the new members of our benchmarking community:
- Ruler’s Court of Ajman (United Arab Emirates)
- Abu Dhabi International Centre for Organizational Excellence (United Arab Emirates)
- Intelligent Persian Consultants (IPC), Iran
- TeamOne Consulting / KSA Benchmarking Network, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Gulf Lead Consultants, Kuwait
- Next GBN AGM and 5th International Benchmarking Conference:
- Review:
- GBN Roadshow (Mumbai)
- 4th International Benchmarking Conference (Bahrain)
- New structure and members of the GBN Board
- News from the GBN Secretariat and outlines some ideas how the GBN can use social media platforms
About GBN: The Global Benchmarking Network (GBN) is an alliance of leading benchmarking centres worldwide who share a common vision and mission. Current Membership comprises more than 20 benchmarking centres which represent more than 30,000 businesses and government agencies.
The GBN was founded in November 1994 by representatives from benchmarking centres in Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. The GBN is a non-profit organization. It has a Chairman, a Vice Chairman and a Secretary General. The GBN comprises benchmarking centres in the following countries: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai), UK and USA.
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July 12th, 2010
If benchmarking today is an established business practice, much of the credit goes to the efforts of Dr Robert C Camp, lifetime president of the Global Benchmarking Network (GBN), principal of the Best Practice Institute, US, and the man known around the world as the guru of benchmarking. Dr Camp was in Mumbai in June for the 2nd GBN Benchmarking Roadshow organised by BestPrax Club (India) and Benchmarking Partnerships (Australia).
Based in Ithaca, New York, Dr Camp works with government agencies, non-profit organisations, educational institutions and many large domestic and international manufacturing and service firms. He has written three books - Benchmarking: The Search for Industry Best Practices that Lead to Superior Performance, Business Process Benchmarking: Finding and Implementing Best Practices and Global Cases in Benchmarking: Best Practices from Organisations Around the World along with dozens of articles on the subject. His first and best-selling book on benchmarking has been translated into 14 languages.
Vivek Dev (from domain-b.com) spoke to Dr Camp on various aspects of benchmarking during his recent visit to Mumbai.
1- Tell us about your personal experience with benchmarking. How were you initiated into the process?
I started with benchmarking when I was at Xerox Corporation. At the time, benchmarking was a fairly new improvement process and I was asked by my manager to implement it in the logistics function.
2- Why should companies benchmark? What does benchmarking achieve?
Benchmarking is an experience where you can learn from others who have solved a problem you are trying to solve. As they have gone through the experience and implemented improvement processes, this learning can be used as the basis for improving one's organisation through internal, competitive, functional or generic benchmarking.
Any organisation can improve provided it is willing to improve. One can almost be assured that the organisation will get value out of the benchmarking exercise.
3- How should a benchmarking investigation be carried?
There is a defined process for carrying out benchmarking. First, you decide what to benchmark, and then decide whom you benchmark against. Next, you gather the information, conduct the analysis, and define the process(es) for best practices search. The benchmarking process is best facilitated with help from a professional benchmarking expert who can act as a guide or mentor. Often, a knowledgeable librarian can offer valuable inputs for information search.
4- Identifying a candidate list for benchmarking is comparable to laying the foundation of an organisation. What factors are considered while putting together a candidate list?
Most of the time people in various functions have a pretty good idea of superior practices in other organisations, so that knowledge is already there in the organisation. People in particular functions, say, logistics, know from various sources, say, trade journals, peers, etc, on how things are done in other organisations. By putting together the knowledge thus available, a list can be prepared.
5- What is the significance of benchmarking in the operations and growth of an organisation? How does it positively impact organisations?
Benchmarking is a fairly fast way to improve and a very powerful way to justify funding. People have been known to achieve significant results with benchmarking in a short time.
6- Is benchmarking relevant across industries (marketing, manufacturing, administrative support, finance and personnel functions)? Can lessons learnt from one be applicable to another? Please give an example.
In certain processes, lessons can be learnt across industries. Typically, there are three types of functions in industry - management, support and operations. While management and support function processes have much in common across industries, the function process of operations is unique to industries. For example, support function processes such as in HR or IT can be benchmarked across industries.
7- What role does benchmarking play in innovation? Can you elaborate?
Benchmarking is a necessary ingredient in innovation. Firstly, it is necessary to benchmark the extent of the innovation focus through a search. Defining the standard or benchmark is in itself a creative process so innovation and benchmarking are concepts that are interlinked from the very start.
Secondly, combining the creative and innovative talents of the innovation team members with the insights gained through benchmarking is a powerful and often revealing experience and may markedly improve the result. Further, the actual process of people going through the exercise opens their minds and brings about new ideas and thinking.
Benchmarking is a critical tool for how you run your business. It is a strategic strength when practiced and a fatal weakness if not pursued.
8- The term best practices is widely used in every stream of business (particularly, insurance, banking and mutual funds) and not-for-profit-enterprises. Does this have any connection with benchmarking?
It is the essence of benchmarking. Benchmarking is a process of finding and implementing best practices. It is the desired output of the benchmarking process. It is only through an understanding of best practices that the way to improvement is revealed.
The process of identifying, understanding and adapting superior practices from organisations locally and worldwide, within and outside the industry, helps an organisation improve its performance and achieve priority business results.
9- What would you say is the value proposition of benchmarking?
I would say 'quick learning to improve'. The important aspect here is 'quick learning'.
10- When and why did you establish the GBN? Does it have a presence in India?
The objective of the GBN, established in 1994, is to have benchmarking competency centres around the globe so that assistance with benchmarking is available locally, and so it can be adapted to local conditions. In India, the GBN is represented by the BestPrax Club, Mumbai, founded by Suresh Lulla.
11- If Indian organisations have to leapfrog into the global arena, can the GBN help in finding benchmarking partners?
The experience of the GBN member organisations would substantiate that finding. Every gathering of those interested in benchmarking, including the recent GBN Roadshow and Executive Briefing, should be used as an opportunity to establish potential partners.
12- With your wealth of experience, how do you visualise India 2020?
A sage person once said, ''I hesitate to make predictions especially when it involves the future!'' I would leave the details of 2020 to the economists and others more knowledgeable of the particulars in India. I would trust however that India would continue to pursue its competitiveness through ''best practice'' benchmarking.
About Dr Robert Camp: Principal, Best Practices Institute, talks on the various aspects of benchmarking in an interview with Vivek Dev Source:
http://www.domain-b.com/people/interviews/20100629_robert_camp.html
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/Corporate-Dossier/Benchmarking-with-best-practices-outside-industry-works/articleshow/6116117.cms?curpg=1
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June 1st, 2010
The Global Benchmarking Network is embarking on a project to look at the future for Benchmarking up to the year 2030. This project will take into account new technologies and social networking opportunities as well as issues such as global financial crises, governance, political, social and environmental trends and changing natural characteristics. However the project also needs to look well beyond the current issues.
Any inputs would be greatly appreciated.
This project will answer the following questions - What will Benchmarking look like in 2030 – and in between? What are the tools, methodologies and technologies that Benchmarkers can use now to help organisations and economies to improve their outcomes? The main outcome will be to report on results of a Roundtable at end 2010 – as part of the Dubai GBN AGM and Annual Conference.
The project will investigate the use of benchmarking and the future use of benchmarking techniques: It will connect Benchmarking experts with people from politics, science and companies and discuss the use and future use of benchmarking (e.g. survey, roundtable discussion, delphi study). Key parties to the proposal are Bruce Searles, Benchmarking Partnerships (project leader), Dr Robin Mann, bpir.com and Dr Holger Kohl, Fraunhofer.
Best wishes,
Bruce Searles
Director
Benchmarking Partnerships
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January 28th, 2010
Over the last year, I have been busy running benchmarking workshops in Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Singapore and the United Kingdom. The training addresses the misconceptions surrounding benchmarking and aims to increase the professionalism of benchmarking through a certification scheme.
Through my research and experience it is evident that many organisations have misunderstood benchmarking or applied it incorrectly with poor results. In one of COER’s recent studies on behalf of the Global Benchmarking Network we identified that:
- 25% of respondents that used benchmarking had not been trained in benchmarking and another 30% of respondents indicated that “only a few of the employees had received training or that training was rarely given”.
- 30% of respondents that used benchmarking do not follow a particular benchmarking methodology when conducting benchmarking projects.
- 25% of respondents do not follow (or rarely follow) a benchmarking code of conduct when undertaking a benchmarking project.
- 30% of respondents “do not, rarely, or sometimes” develop a project brief for their benchmarking project specifying the aim, scope, sponsor, and members of the benchmarking team – thus indicating poor project planning.
- 35% of respondents do not (or rarely) undertake a cost and benefits analysis of the project once it is completed.
The methodology that I promote is the TRADE best practice benchmarking methodology. TRADE focuses on the exchange (or” trade”) of information and best practices to improve the performance of processes, goods and services. Use of this methodology, and its prescriptive approach, ensures that benchmarking projects:
a) are focused on key areas of importance
b) have the buy-in of key stakeholders at each and every step of the project
c) are conducted professionally using a sound research approach
d) deliver results. After each stage of TRADE, the project is reviewed to ensure it is on-track. If it is not on-track, the project can be stopped or the direction of the project changed.
TRADE significantly increases the likelihood that best practices will be found, often resulting in breakthrough improvements. On average, as identified in COER’s study, successful benchmarking projects produce a return of more than US$250,000 – therefore it is well worth investing the time in learning and adopting a proven methodology.
To help organisations learn more about benchmarking, COER has just launched a series of You Tube videos on benchmarking showing snippets from a presentation I gave at the Business Excellence Global Conference in Singapore:
1. A benchmarking example from the health sector
2. What is benchmarking?
3. TRADE best practice benchmarking and certification Part 1
4. TRADE best practice benchmarking and certification Part 2
5. Popularity of benchmarking
6. Benchmarking is becoming easier due to advances in social media
7. What is the BPIR.com? – and how it supports benchmarking
I hope that you find them useful. Good luck with your benchmarking efforts!
Best regards
Robin
Dr Robin Mann, Commercial Director and Part-Owner, BPIR.com Limited,
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November 9th, 2009
According to a recent survey by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), social media offers an important and growing set of communications tools. These tools are being utilised by organisations worldwide for effective employee engagement. The survey which involved almost 1500 participants specifically addressed the use of internal/external social media tools, see the charted results below. Blogs were used most at 47%, and discussion boards (or internet forums) ranked very high at 65% when planned future use is taken into account. Interestingly the survey revealed that more than half of top executives did not use social media, however 12% did regularly use internal and external social media.
See full survey results on the iabc.com website [pdf link]
Neil Crawford
Senior Researcher
BPIR.com Limited
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October 20th, 2009
How has the recession affected your business and what are you doing about it? With the current economic climate organisations everywhere are thinking one thing: “How can we survive the recession?”
There are a number of ways your business can survive the recession. Some positive (reducing costs, optimizing, expanding), and some negative (layoffs, downsizing). Either way the BPIR.com can help you to research ideas and provide information on best practices for successful implementation.
The strength of the BPIR.com is found in its vast amount of content in the form of research and case studies, and the fact that it is all accessible by keyword searches. Our research can help to prove or disprove your current plans, and you do not have to reinvent the wheel but refer to case studies from award winning industry leaders.
If you haven't already - why not join the BPIR right now? Our resources will not only help you to get through the recession they can also help to take your business to the next level.
As a follow-up to our previous post on the telecommunications industry , check out the snippet below from one of our many cases studies.
Digital Island Communications in New Zealand
The following is a refreshing account of some well earned success achieved by Digital Island Communications in New Zealand. DI are a top ICT company that provides internet & data services, toll calling, phone lines & systems, mobile phone services, conference calling, phone cards and fax-to-email services. They were also winners of the Deloitte Fast 50 "Fastest growing technology company in 2008", and "Fastest growing telecommunications business" award in October 2007. Ruth Le Pla [1] in NZ Business magazine writes that in a slowing economy DI was losing a lot of revenue and to overcome this it worked at improving its total operations and closely examined its underlying business model. As a result instead of retrenching this led DI to make the following improvements:
- Carrying out a re-branding exercise in order to put a new sparkle into its image,
- Examining the products offered and eliminating poor performers,
- Dropping some suppliers and picking up new ones as appropriate,
- Proactively offering key customers better prices i.e. reducing costs!
- Assigning additional staff to focus on loyal customers,
- Improving service levels,
- Leveraging technology by implementing sales-force software and efficient document management systems,
- Implementing cost reductions by targeting areas where the greatest impact and maximum gain would be achieved and not by “nit picking”,
- Managing debtors closely by following up personally on the 21st of the month.
- Communicating well internally so that staff were always in the picture,
As a result of these actions Digital Island achieved more than 25% revenue growth for the 2009 financial year. Blair Stewart of Digital Island said that "When times become tough, you need to make better decisions faster than ever,” and offered the following advice for achieving growth:
- Stay in touch with cash flows.
- Add value to customers.
- Personalise offers.
- Develop ways to up-sell.
- Carry out contingency planning.
- Work closely with key suppliers and banks developing a relationship of openness and honesty.
- Guide customers through sales processes and keep them informed, customers value the experience just as much as they value the result.
- Don't read newspapers. They spread negativity.
- Be positive. (The attitude projected by management teams has an incredible effect on an organisation.)
[1] Le Pla, R., (2009), The tough get going!, NZ Business, Vol 23, Iss 6, pp 24-28, Adrenalin Publishing Ltd., Auckland
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Members may read the full article (click here) which provides further helpful tips regarding three organisations that have bucked the trend by rising against the recession.
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July 27th, 2009
Embrace or die! That’s what the choice seems to be for businesses today in terms of online networking. It’s become so much an accepted part of ‘normal’ life for a large and increasing portion of the workforce that they need access to it throughout the day (a 2009 study showed out of 1483 respondents almost 75% used social networking sites for personal use within an organisation). And if it isn’t authorised via the employer’s corporate internet service, well then, there is always the mobile phone evolution that is fast making mobile wireless internet browsing an affordable reality. So, for businesses, it makes sense to encourage participation in online networks that can benefit personal and organisational performance.
What seems a long time ago now I joined Thomas Power’s network Ecademy. This was prior to LinkedIn and Facebook even launched and was, I think, the first ‘social-business network’ to gain popularity. I read up a lot on what could be gained from such an investment in time and browsed many guides on how to best ‘network’. However my first effort to network online flopped; I didn’t invest the time necessary, even though I believed in it. My workload was just too high, I thought. Since then the world has moved on and now social networks play a critical part in the development of young people. Wow! Things change fast! I am amazed every time when I hear researchers and psychologists comment on how online-communications are replacing the need for face-to-face meetings in the context of the development of children – or at least teenagers for now…. Whole friend- and support-networks are being developed online instead of by meeting others and socialising together personally. It seems sad but it’s the way the world is going. What’s even more surprising to me is that a huge proportion of online networkers are aged not in their twenties, but anything up to mid-fifties! A recent study defined most Facebook users as college educated, white-collar workers, and more than 40% at over 35 years old. Another study found half of all blog readers were between the ages of 31 and 50, and 18% were between 51 and 60.
Anyway, I do clearly see the huge advantage that organisations can gain from encouraging participation by employees in online networks, and I know that time spent in such networks is well-spent. But the vast majority of organisations are not capitalising on these networks. Just understanding and acknowledging that employees who use networks are likely to benefit through interacting with many, hopefully, peers by way of ‘organic learning’ is not enough to make a difference. All organisations will be benefiting thus before long and hence the ‘benefit’ will be effectively neutralised. What will define a true learning organisation from others will be the proactive decision to provide access to networks designed to promote the type of learning and contact that affects organisational performance. Well, what a coincidence! For the last 18 months here at BPIR.com we have been feverishly designing and developing a network portal that will allow our members to leverage the growing BPIR membership community, and create ways that we, as administrators, can help encourage the learning potential that exists for all in the network to filter back and translate into increases in organisational performance, and hence, into bottom line profit. Our network is being rolled out as you read this blog. For now the network is available only to members of BPIR and its partners.
Here are a handful of interesting survey snippets about social networks in the business environment.
That’s all for now. Hopefully see you in the network!
Steve
General dog's body, grafter, and MD of BPIR.com Limited
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December 17th, 2008
Hello all
Thanks to all those BPIR members/supporters that participated in the Global Benchmarking Network's survey on "Business Improvement and Benchmarking."
In total over 450 people responded from over 40 countries. It was the most comprehensive survey to date on the use of business improvement tools and, in particular, on benchmarking. Key insights were revealed into this increasingly popular technique and how organisations were applying it and using it to improve their performance.
Key findings were:
- Mission and Vision Statements and Customer (Client) Surveys are the most used (by 77% of organisations) of 20 improvement tools, followed by Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (72%), and Informal Benchmarking (68%). Performance Benchmarking was used by (49%) and Best Practice Benchmarking by (39%).
- The tools that are likely to increase in popularity the most over the next three years are Performance Benchmarking, Informal Benchmarking, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and Best Practice Benchmarking. Over 60% of organizations that are not currently using these tools indicated they are likely to use them in the next three years.
- When Best Practice Benchmarking is done well significant benefits are obtained with 20% of projects resulting in benefits worth $250,000.
- Respondents indicated that the external help/service that they most want (out of 8 services) is access to a best practice database! This is obviously good news for the BPIR.com and means we are on the right track with our collection of 1,000's of best practices.
BPIR members can read the full report here, once logged in, and non-members can read Excerpts from a Report on the Global Use of Business Improvement Tools and Benchmarking.
Join now to read the full report.
II hope the report's findings will assist you all in undertaking benchmarking more effectively.
Best regards
Robin
Dr Robin Mann, Commercial Director and Part-Owner, BPIR.com Limited.
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November 11th, 2008
Hello all
I thought I would share with you our next phase of development for the BPIR.com and hopefully get some feedback from you.
Currently the BPIR.com is an information resource. It contains one of the largest collections of best practices, benchmarks, self-assessment tools etc on the web.. However, with recent developments in web technology and the growing interest in social networking we are now planning to introduce the 2nd phase of development. This will transform the BPIR into an information and networking resource.
I recently attended the 3rd International Benchmarking Conference in Hungary, www.bestpracticeconference.com. Much of the talk here was to do with how technology can support benchmarking. One of the most interesting presentations was by Aad Streng, Corporate Quality, Philips. Philips found that few people will implement a good idea without first consulting the owner of the idea/best practice. Hence, Aad emphasised that it is at least as important to connect people to people than to connect people to information. Aad then talked about how Philips through its profiling/social networking tools was encouraging its employees to network and learn from each other - with over 130,000 employees worldwide it was essential that knowledge was transferred effectively company-wide and social networking technology had a key role in this.
Moving back to the BPIR… By May 2009 all our members will be able to develop their own personal and organisational profiles, share best practices, benchmarks and information on the tools they use. Members will be able to search and contact others to find information and collaborate on benchmarking projects. We will also be encouraging this sharing through providing a number of best practice awards to those organisations/people that share their best practices with others. All in all we want to make the BPIR the No.1 website for sharing best practices so that if you have a certain problem or issue you can raise it with our membership and obtain good ideas on how to move forward.
For further information on social networking and the use of technology I have provided links to three interesting articles:
Overview on Web 2.0 and social software - This is a short paper written by the Global Benchmarking Network that provides a simple introduction and explanation of Web 2.0 technology. Read full article: Overview of Web 2.0 and Social Software
Social networking sites good for business - Good news for workers addicted to Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, a British think-tank says bosses should not stop their staff using social networking sites because they could actually benefit their firms. The report by Demos said encouraging employees to use networking technologies to build relationships and closer links with colleagues and customers could help businesses rather than damage them. Click here for full article.
Towards NHS 2.0 - This white paper discusses the changes in the UK's National Health Service. It draws parellels between the changes from a Web 1.0 (being fed generic information) to a Web 2.0 (networking and personalised information) environment and a Health 1.0 and Health 2.0 environment. It discusses what this means for patients and clinicians. Read full article: Towards NHS 2.0
So, how can you help the BPIR? Please let me know what functionality you would like in the BPIR from a social networking perspective? How can we best help you to build up your networks and learn from other organisations? What service would help you the most?
Looking forward to hearing from you, Robin
(Dr Robin Mann, Commercial Director and Part-Owner, BPIR.com Limited).
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