The Bench-effect Method

Transcription

The
®
Bench-effect
Method
External Support for SMEs
Method
Experiences
Recommendations
A Project within the Framework of the ESF Programme EQUAL II:
"bench-effect – crossing border –
involvement-oriented learnshops in SMEs"
prof.dr.sc. dieter walter
dr.sc. ingo klein
Authors:
Prof.Dr.sc. Dieter Walter
Dr.sc. Ingo Klein
Strausberg, November 2007
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dr.sc. ingo klein
Content
The origin of the project "Bench-effect – crossing border –
1
involvement-oriented learnshops in SMEs".........................................4
1.1
Project conception, partners ................................................4
1.2
Specific economic characteristics of Brandenburg and East
Brandenburg ...............................................................................5
1.3
Experience and conclusions drawn from the project "EQUAL FUTURE 2005 East Brandenburg"..................................................8
1.4
Supporting enterprises in the competition of regions............. 10
1.5
Definition of success factors and areas of learning ................ 12
2
Sources of the bench-effect method.......................................... 15
2.1
Overview......................................................................... 15
2.2
Benchmarking and best practice......................................... 16
2.3
Quality management and business excellence ...................... 20
2.4
Change management........................................................ 23
2.5
Learning organisations, knowledge management, and
benchlearning ........................................................................... 25
3
The functionality and the practical relevance of the bench -effect
method ....................................................................................... 30
3.1
Basic idea and functionality ............................................... 30
3.2
Comparison of companies in different branches of industry.... 33
3.3
Comparison of companies within one branch of industry........ 35
4
Experience gained due to the application of the bench-effect method
37
4.1
The application of the bench-effect method under the specific
East Brandenburg conditions ....................................................... 37
4.2
The combination of acquisition, as-is analysis, identification of
qualification needs and change needs........................................... 45
4.2.1
Acquisition methods ................................................... 45
4.2.2
The as-is analysis ....................................................... 51
4.3
Project phases, participation of enterprises.......................... 55
4.4
Networks as the objective of the method............................. 74
5
Conclusions and recommendations ........................................... 77
5.1
bench-effect – more necessary than ever ............................ 77
5.2
Flexibility – methods, timescale, topics, participants ............. 78
5.3
Working with learning paths and action plans ...................... 80
5.4
Composition of groups: heterogeneous vs. homogenous ....... 82
5.5
Recommendations on the organization of the bench-effect
method .................................................................................... 85
5.6
Conclusion in form of seven questions................................. 89
6
Appendix ............................................................................... 92
7
Bibliography: ....................................................................... 115
8
Additional information:.......................................................... 116
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1 The origin of the project "Bench-effect – crossing border –
involvement-oriented learnshops in SMEs"
1.1 Project conception, partners
Project conception
The main objective of the European support programme "Bench-effect –
crossing border – involvement-oriented learnshops in SMEs" is to initiate a
participation-oriented learning process in co-operation with entrepreneurs and
employees. (SME = small and medium-sized enterprise) This learning process
starts with the analysis of the company’s/organisation’s activities. In a second
step, a comparison of companies is carried out in order to obtain knowledge
and gain motivation for company’s/organisation’s own improvement processes
(benchmarking). The last step is to exploit the identified improvement
potentials in a flexible and multi-methodical way (bench-effect). Thematically
organised training centres (learnshops) support the participants during the
process described above.
Development partnership
We set up a development partnership to implement the EQUAL II project
"Bench-effect" in East Brandenburg in 2004 and 2005. The development
partnership
named
"Schrittmacher
OderSpree"
(Pacesetter
OderSpree)
comprised the following members:
•
bbw Bildungszentrum Frankfurt/Oder (Vocational Training Centre
in Frankfurt/Oder)
•
DAA Brandenburg-Ost
(German Academy of Employees East Brandenburg)
•
Handwerkskammer Frankfurt/Oder
(Chamber of Trade in Frankfurt/Oder)
•
IHK-Bildungszentrum Frankfurt/Oder (Training Centre of the Chamber of
Industry and Commerce in Frankfurt/Oder)
•
IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH Frankfurt/Oder (Project Company of the
Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Frankfurt/Oder)
•
TFH Wildau (Technical University of Applied Sciences in Wildau)
How did we come to the idea of the project?
The idea of the project "Bench-effect – crossing border – involvement-oriented
learnshops in SMEs" was triggered by the following three factors:
•
The
special
economic
characteristics
of
Brandenburg
and
East
Brandenburg
•
Experience and conclusions drawn from the "EQUAL - FUTURE 2005
Ostbrandenburg" (EQUAL - FUTURE 2005 East Brandenburg) project
•
The intention of the development partners to support enterprises in the
competition of the regions
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1.2 Specific economic characteristics of Brandenburg and East
Brandenburg
The economic situation of Brandenburg and East Brandenburg can be
understood properly only if the entire economic region Berlin-Brandenburg is
taken into consideration. Briefly, this economic region is characterised by
serious structural weaknesses and a large potential for development, which
gives reason for hope.
Positive location factors
A recent publication of the Brandenburg Ministry of Economic describes the
region as follows: “The capital region is as large as Belgium. The size of its
population
is
similar
to
Switzerland’s.
Brandenburg
offers
excellent
transnational transport connections and highly skilled and motivated workers.
[…] The German capital region is characterised by a high concentration of
research
and
Frankfurt/Oder
development
and
institutes.
Potsdam),
the
Film
Three
and
universities
Television
(in
Cottbus,
Academy,
five
universities of applied science and twenty-one technology centres complement
the attractions of Berlin making this region to the densest area in terms of
research
institutions in
Germany.
Brandenburg
offers
application-related
competences especially in the field of traffic engineering, microsystems
engineering, power engineering, constructional engineering, electronics, optics,
chemical
industry,
environmental
engineering,
life
sciences
as
well
as
renewable energies.” (Source 17)
However, we would like to emphasise some further positive features of
Brandenburg:
The proportion of self-employed is rather high. In fact, it is the highest
in the newly formed German territorial states. The rate of self-employed
is higher than in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen or Saarland.
The rate of employed females is the highest among the newly formed
German states.
Compared to the other newly formed German states, the migration rate
is not so high in Brandenburg, since many people commute to Berlin.
The new international Airport Berlin-Brandenburg will create 40,000 new
jobs and trigger an economic development which will affect the entire
region.
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Structural weaknesses
Brandenburg has a large number of serious structural weaknesses:
Economic growth rate and GDP per capita are amongst the lowest in
Germany. The average growth rate of Brandenburg was 0.8 per cent
between 2004 and 2006. Berlin was the only state that showed an even
worse performance at 0.3 per cent. The German average was double as
high: 1.6 per cent.
The income level of the Brandenburg people is the second lowest among
the German states. The GDP per capita is € 19.000.
Due to strong economic links to Berlin, Brandenburg’s development is
heavily dependent on the German capital. Berlin is characterised by a
low growth rate and a high public debt.
Brandenburg’s population density and birth rate are very low. The
structure of the state is largely rural. The rate of urban population is the
lowest in Germany.
The industrial investment ratio is rather low in Brandenburg. It is lower
than in Saxony and in Saxony-Anhalt.
Since Brandenburg is lacking real industry, especially in the peripheral
regions, and due to the bad economic situation of Berlin, the
unemployment rate is high. Merely 56 per cent of the working-age
population can find a job in Brandenburg. This rate amounts to 65 per
cent in Saxony. The unemployment rate is 20.9 per cent, although
approximately 25 per cent of the Brandenburg people work in other
federal states of Germany and only 10 per cent of the employed people
commute form another state.
Only 87 per cent of those who wish to learn a profession can find an
apprenticeship. This is the second lowest rate in Germany. Berlin comes
in last with 84.3 per cent.
The public debt per capita amounts to € 6,420. This is 1000 euro more
than the German average (€ 5,356). Public debt per capita in Saxony is
less then half as high as in Brandenburg.
High interest expenditure limits the leeway for other public spending.
The research and development budget is the lowest among the German
states.
The number of first-year students and the higher education expenditure
is lower in Brandenburg than anywhere else in Germany.
The economic structure is characterised by micro and small enterprises.
Ninety per cent of the companies have less than ten employees.
Economic situation and living conditions are very diverse in the single
regions of Brandenburg. Differences are huge between the affluent
suburbs of Berlin, the Uckermark area, and the region along the Polish
border.
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Most enterprises are engaged in traditional industries. The proportion of
highly innovative companies is smaller than in other German states.
There are only a few large companies. They focus on steal processing,
new materials and processing of raw materials.
East
Brandenburg
suffers
from
the
competition
with
Polish
manufacturers and service providers, since labour costs and prices are
much lower on the Polish side of the border.
In spite of positive trends, exports and international economic relations
are still rather low when compared to other German states.(Source 18)
The situation in East Brandenburg
The above-mentioned weaknesses of Brandenburg also apply to the two
administrative districts Oder-Spree (LOS) and Märkisch Oderland (MOL), both
situated in the Eastern part of Brandenburg. They are adjacent to Berlin, but
the affluent suburbs are located more to the South and to the West from the
capital. Frankfurt (Oder) has lost more than one fourth of its population since
1989. Three large investment projects failed spectacularly in the recent past.
Two of them in East Brandenburg: a chip plant project in Frankfurt (Oder) and
the heavy lift airship project of the company Cargolifter in Brand. The
Cargolifter hangar planned for production and operation of the airships is now
used as a holiday resort called Tropical Island. The resort can only survive
because it receives financial support by the state.
The revised economic development project of Brandenburg focuses on six main
industrial locations and eight growth industries.
These industrial locations in LOS and MOL are:
Eisenhüttenstadt, Fürstenwalde, Beeskow, Grünheide/Freienbrink, Strausberg
and the Rüdersdorf area.
The growth industries of the region are: automotive industry, energy industry,
timber
industry,
chemicals
industry
and
synthetic
materials,
logistics,
aeronautical engineering, metal production and processing, paper industry as
well as railway transportation technology.
1,200 commercial investments were supported in the East Brandenburg
districts LOS and MOL between 1990 and 2004. During this period, the total
amount of support was approximately 650 million euro. The overall investment
volume amounted to approximately 2.9 thousand million euro and helped to
create ten thousand new jobs.
The commercial potential of East Brandenburg is represented by enterprises
such as the Arcelor GmbH in Eisenhüttenstadt, the Stemme AG in Strausberg
and the OECA GmbH, an opto-electronic component manufacturer and
application provider in Dahlwitz-Hoppegarten.
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Five solar manufacturing sites are being set up in Brandenburg currently, most
of them in Frankfurt (Oder). Conergy, a company based in Hamburg, took over
the premises of the former chip plant. This new start has trigged impulses for
development and has resulted in increased demand for qualified workers.
(Source 17)
1.3 Experience and conclusions drawn from the project "EQUAL FUTURE 2005 East Brandenburg"
The idea for the bench-effect method and its application arose from the
experience the development partners gained during the "EQUAL - FUTURE 2005
East Brandenburg" project.
The composition of the development partnership had hardly changed since the
ESF programme "EQUAL – FUTURE 2005 – East Brandenburg". We aimed to
support
the
key
economic
sectors
in
East
Brandenburg
by
offering
complementing measures in the field of qualification, consulting and coaching.
We worked with more than 3,000 people. Most of them were employees of
regional SMEs active in the five sectors with the best economic performance in
East Brandenburg. We identified five problems that are the main obstacles to
improvement.
Lack of self-reflection
We discovered that the participating SMEs usually do not reflect on their work
systematically. They analyse the results of their business activities rather
rarely. They only do so if they really have to (annual financial statements,
tights liquidity position, negotiations with banks, loss of customers). Even if
they conduct an analysis, they usually assess themselves compared to their
past business results.
Our experience with the EQUAL I project clearly shows that the traditional
management style is rather pragmatic. It focuses mostly on operational issues,
and lacks strategic planning. The "learning" organisation approach does not
stand a chance in such a business environment. Any support by the EU, the
German federal government or the state of Brandenburg would most probably
fail.
Consequently, the EQUAL II project aimed to find an effective method to
improve the situation of SMEs, a method that sets a new standard for
successful business activities.
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Low motivation to learn and to change
We found out during the EQUAL I project that learning in general and the
willingness and readiness for change in particular appear of no great
importance for business culture in East Brandenburg. To get to the heart of the
problem: the demand for business education is rather low. This holds true even
if the education programmes are almost free of charge, and even if they are
adjusted to the special needs of the companies. However, one cannot force
anybody to learn.
Accordingly, the EQUAL II project aimed to find an effective method to improve
the situation of SMEs, a method that helps to motivate people to participate, to
learn, and to make a change.
Tailoring our education programmes according to the needs of the companies
will not increase the motivation to an appropriate extent. We have to create
motivation before we plan our programmes. This means that we have to create
a demand for education programmes in the first place.
In order to create an independent demand for business education, we will have
to change the business culture. We can only achieve it in co-operation with the
people concerned. External support can provide a stimulus and in some cases,
it might even be indispensable. However, we cannot force companies to take
such an approach.
Lack of networking
SMEs in the East Brandenburg region usually operate isolated from each other.
In most cases, they know the market, the customers/consumers and the
suppliers.
They
also
know
their
competitors
if
their
activities
include
manufacturing processes.
However, they have neither the appropriate knowledge nor the necessary
economic capacity or size to be engaged in supra-regional or international
business activities.
SMEs seldom choose to overcome these difficulties by cooperating with other
companies. East Brandenburg SMEs usually work alone and do not participate
in networks.
This is the reason, why these SMEs draw so little inspiration from a systematic
comparison with others. It has come to our attention that people are very
modest which might be one of the reasons for the situation described above.
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1.4 Supporting enterprises in the competition of regions
Lacking self-reflection, a sceptical attitude towards changes, isolation and poor
networking shown by East Brandenburg companies stand in a diametrical
relation with the demands of an increasing competition between different
locations.
It has become easier to trade with products and services across local, regional
and national borders. The mobility of workforce and capital has also been
increasing constantly. The expansion of the European Union to Eastern
European countries has clearly shown that the economic region BerlinBrandenburg, and the East Brandenburg region in particular, have to stand
their ground in the competition of business and industry locations. These
regions need committed and talented workers, enterprises and institutions. Not
only nations compete with each other on globalised markets of the European
Union. Single economic regions are also facing an increasing competition.
This competition takes place at all levels. The competition does not only refer to
such obvious issues as markets, investors, infrastructure and supply of skilled
workers. It also applies to soft location factors such as tourist attractiveness,
quality of life and housing, cultural and educational services as well as public
security.
The East Brandenburg region will only be able to catch up with other successful
European regions, if the existing SMEs become more competitive, if new SMEs
are set up in future-oriented business and industry sectors, and if companies
are able to create more jobs. The European Social Funds (ESF) programme
"Bench-effect – crossing border – involvement-oriented learnshops in SMEs"
aims to enhance SMEs, their employees as well as unemployed people to
increase their competitiveness.
This region will have to compensate for the lack of large-size enterprises and
companies with extensive research activities by setting up a well functioning
networks consisting of small and medium-size enterprises.
We carefully evaluated the experience we gained during the implementation of
the ESF Programme EQUAL I: "FUTURE 2005 East Brandenburg", continued our
theoretical work and assessed the results of other ESF programmes. We did so
to ensure that EQUAL II not only improves the situation for SMEs but it also
gives us a chance to experiment with different methods, to generalize the
experience obtained, in order to increase the competitiveness in SMEs.
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Objectives of the "bench-effect method"
We named our method the "bench-effect method". It is aimed to support East
Brandenburg enterprises in the competition among different regions. We
developed our method based on
the analysis of the economic particularities of the Federal State of
Brandenburg,
the assessment of the experiences gained during the implementation of
the project "EQUAL - FUTURE 2005 East Brandenburg", and
our intention to support East Brandenburg enterprises in the increasing
competition among different business locations and economic regions.
We derived our ideas from the latest business economic and management
literature (as described later) as well as from the individual experience and
know-how of the IHK-Projektgesellschaft and the five participating training
centres.
We developed our method to be implemented and examined within the EU
support programme "Bench-effect – crossing border – involvement-oriented
learnshops in SMEs" This method is aimed to introduce a new way of
entrepreneurial
thinking
and
enables
entrepreneurs
and
employees
to
overcome the above mentioned shortfalls.
The focus of attention should move from a merely pragmatic and operative
corporate management to a more strategic way of thinking. We suggest to all
SMEs that they should create a frame of reference to compare their economic
success with other companies. This comparison should reach beyond the
borders of their regions, even if they do not plan to actually extend their
activities over these borders, i.e. supra-regional benchmarking shall be applied
for regional markets too. This particularly refers to national border regions
within the EU – just like East Brandenburg - if the competitive position of SMEs
becomes sustainable.
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1.5 Definition of success factors and areas of learning
The idea of the bench-effect method served as leitmotif for the five training
centres when they planned their advisory and training services. It was also the
binding element among the development partners.
Success factors
The
members
of
OderSpree" in East
the
development
partnership
named
"Schrittmacher
Brandenburg defined a list of success factors for
entrepreneurial activities and for the development of personnel that bear the
same importance in every competition, be it in the most attractive industrial
location or in any competition or benchmarking among companies. These
crucial factors are:
Personality of the entrepreneur
Employees and teams
Customer relations
Corporate strategy and planning
Products and services
Co-operations and networks
Controlling tools
System and process organisation
Quality management
IT and knowledge management
As a next step, the development partners defined the areas of learning that are
interlinked with these success factors. They decided which institution or training
centre was going to focus on which area of learning, taking into consideration
their individual competences and their access to the single target groups. As a
result, the project partners determined five learning fields.
Learning fields
TFH Wildau - Strategy & Market
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Strategic awareness
Strategies in the life cycle
Strategies for marketing and market positioning
Management and planning techniques
Market research
Identifying target groups
Assessment of needs
Customer relationship management
Customer loyalty programmes
Sales planning
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bbw Bildungszentrum Frankfurt/Oder - Organisation & Controlling
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enterprise structure and organisation
Process organisation
Identifying, describing and monitoring of business processes
Controlling as an instrument of internal management of an
enterprise
Strategies and tactical controlling
Instruments of controlling
National and international controlling
Terminology
IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH Frankfurt/Oder – Co-ordination
•
•
•
•
Coordinating the work of the project partners
Acquiring participants
Public relations
Reporting and documentation, project settlement
Handwerkskammer Frankfurt/Oder – Know-how & Quality
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Problems relating to know-how/knowledge management
Document management
The international market as a chance
Developing knowledge to competence
Basic IT knowledge/know-how
Application software
IT office and hardware system technology
Communication techniques
Internet services and technologies
Information procurement
Company presentation
Quality management
The optimal enterprise
Certifications and product approvals
Quality management in cross-border economic transactions
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DAA Brandenburg-Ost – People & Competences
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Personality of the entrepreneur – self-management
Personality of the entrepreneur as a model
External communication
Internal communication – personnel management
Intercultural competence and language acquisition
Identification with international target markets
Employees as business partners
Agreement on objectives, profit sharing
Corporate communications
Teamwork and the ability to work in a team
Healthy working environment
Time management
Stress at work with co-workers and customers
Working atmosphere
IHK-Bildungszentrum Frankfurt/Oder - Products & Collaborations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Establishing cooperative networks
Initiating of collaboration, the ability to cooperate
Integrating SMEs into communities of interests, supply relations
Product rating
Defining products and business fields
Product presentation
Company presentation
Portfolio techniques
Product and market cycles
Product safety
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2
Sources of the bench-effect method
2.1 Overview
We did not have to reinvent the wheel to develop the bench-effect method. All
we had to do was to study business and management literature and recombine
old elements in a new way.
All methods and systems that we looked into were developed for large
companies and viewed all issues from their perspective. This approach was
quite a serious problem for us because we intended to focus on SMEs. Most of
the methods originate from Anglo-Saxon countries. The general trends for the
implementation of new methods and systems are also set in those states. One
of the biggest challenges was to accurately assess how suitable these methods
and systems could be for SMEs in Brandenburg. A further challenge was to
apply these methods in a creative manner under the circumstances of SMEs in
Brandenburg, while taking into consideration that these circumstances differ
from the ones described in the Anglo-Saxon literature.
The following four fields were carefully studied to draw knowledge and
inspiration that could be used for the bench-effect method. These fields clearly
overlap and interact at different points.
quality management,
business excellence
benchmarking,
best practice
bench-effect
method
learning organisations,
knowledge management,
benchlearning
change management
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2.2 Benchmarking and best practice
The
most
apparent
and
direct
source
of
the
bench-effect
method
is
benchmarking. Benchmarking is defined as a process of target-oriented and
systematic comparing products and services, organisational structures and
business processes of different enterprises, organisations or business units.
Benchmarking is used as a management and controlling tool.
Benchmarking is an effective method to integrate external know-how and
knowledge rapidly into one’s own company. Knowledge that emerged from a
benchmarking project is praxis-oriented per se, since it originates from the
praxis and has already been proven.
If we assume that there is an exemplary solution for every problem, every
activity, and every concern, then the first and most important aim of
benchmarking is to detect the corresponding "best practices".
Excursus:
The origins of the notion benchmarking
The technical terms "benchmark" and "benchmarking" appeared in management and
management theory in the late 1970s and early 1980s and spread over the whole
globe ever since.
We can find different theories about the linguistic origin of the notion "benchmark" in
the literature. These are the three most common theories:
a) The word "benchmark" originates from land surveying. It denotes signposts to
determine distances, height or elevation differences and to measure angles.
b) The word "benchmark" means a fixed point in the textile industry. It originates
from the field of weaving and was commonly used in the middle of the 19th century.
c) The word "benchmark" comes from the wood processing industry. Carpenters and
cabinet makers used to make a mark on their benches that indicated the length of
the legs of chairs or tables. They used these marks to make sure that all legs have
the same length.
Today, Benchmark denotes a standard of comparison or a point of reference in the
comparison of enterprises. It is used in this sense since a study about the USAmerican enterprise Xerox Corporation was published in 1979.
Soon after its patent on copy technology expired, Xerox lost a large part of its
market share on its Japanese competitor, Canon. It was supposed that these were
Canon’s dumping prices that caused this change. The Japanese competitor brought
its products to the market for prices that were lower than the manufacturing costs of
similar devices produced by Xerox. Xerox set up a team of experts to analyse the
Canon products. The team purchased a Canon copier, took it apart and compared its
single components with the components of the Xerox device.
The experts managed to find an explanation for almost all differences in
manufacturing costs. As a next step, they analysed the value chains of their own
company and detected serious problems in logistics and sales.
The benchmarking approach was so successful that it became an integral part of the
instruments used by the Xerox management.
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Once the best practices are detected, it is much easier to find shortcomings in
the performance of the benchmarked organisation. However, the comparison
offers more than that: Making the right comparison can help to shed light on
the reasons for differences in performance.
Identifying best
Excursus:
practices based on
an appropriate and
The notion best practice
problem-related
system of
The technical term best practice originates from American
business economics just like the word benchmarking. An
enterprise that applies the best practice adopts the best
procedures, utilises the best technical systems and uses
the best business models. Doing so, this enterprise
becomes a model for other companies in the main fields
of operation.
parameters is an
important part of
benchmarking.
However, one should
not forget that there
is a clear difference
between benchmarks
Weaker companies compare their services, products,
projects, methods and systems to those of the best
practice enterprise in order to assess themselves and if
necessary to improve their performance by setting new
objectives.
and benchmarking.
Benchmarks are standards, comparative data and parameters, while
benchmarking is a complex process.
Enterprises and organisations should use benchmark information to trigger a
target-oriented organisational learning process. Companies should consequently
embrace and implement impulses and ideas that emerge from the learning
process. Thus, benchmarking can improve performance. Generally speaking, it
is paramount to the success of benchmarking to fully understand the
operational processes of the best practice company and to draw the right
conclusions. The main aim of benchmarking is to change products, services and
operational processes.
Different forms of benchmarking
Researchers often make a distinction between process benchmarking versus
product and cost benchmarking. Process benchmarking examines activities
(tasks,
strategies
and
operational
processes)
of
different
organisations
independent of their functional structure. It delivers quantitative data and
qualitative descriptions. It may be applied to simplify or accelerate processes or
to integrate tasks efficiently. In the end, its goal is also to reduce costs and to
optimise the use of resources.
Every benchmarking starts with the questions: What should be compared with
what and for what reason shall they be compared? That is why the first step of
every benchmarking is to choose the reference units or processes (one or more
units, external or internal units, units of a different or the same branch of
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industry). The next step is to find indicators that can best map the
benchmarked area either in a quantitative manner (using data and figures) or
in qualitative manner (by studying key processes).
Afterwards, one has to decide which kind of benchmarking should be carried
out: a competitive or a cooperative benchmarking. A competitive benchmarking
aims to compare an enterprise or organisation with the other ones. These other
companies/organisations are studied but they do not play an active or direct
part in the benchmarking process.
A cooperative benchmarking is carried out by different companies/organisations
based on an agreement. They exchange confidential data and information that
are collected and processed by a special project team. Thus, cooperative
benchmarking projects need to be prepared very well and require open
communication. Each participating unit must be sure that the ratio of
information
provided
and
information
received
is
well
balanced.
Each
participant is an observer and is being observed at the same time during the
benchmarking
process.
This
is
what
distinguishes
the
cooperative
benchmarking from other types of data collecting methods.
Benchmarking can also be categorised according to the benchmarking partners.
Participating units can belong to the same or a different branch of industry,
they can be a part of the same or a different organisation.
Internal benchmarking
Internal benchmarking is carried out internally in an enterprise or organisation.
It usually compares different manufacturing plants, branches or distribution
outlets. Internal benchmarking can but does not have to be limited to one
branch of industry for example in case of corporate groups, holding companies
and conglomerates that are active in different sectors. The advantage of such a
benchmarking project is that comparable data is available. Its disadvantage is
that it does not go beyond the limits of the organisation studied. However, a
mixture of these two project structures may be a practical and useful solution
for SMEs. Such a borderline internal benchmarking project can be carried out
between single member enterprises in co-operation chains and co-operation
networks.
Competitive benchmarking
Competitive benchmarking is a technique whish compares companies, which
compete in the same branch of industry, on the same or at a different market.
Its main goal is to compare key figures. However, such figures are often not
available for competitive reasons. Competing companies might wish to conclude
a co-operation agreement to carry out a cooperative benchmarking project as
described above.
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A clear advantage of competitive benchmarking is that companies can identify
their exact position in the competition. Its disadvantage is that the participants
cannot look beyond the boundaries of their own sector.
Intersectoral benchmarking
This type of benchmarking is conducted with companies that are neither in the
same branch of industry nor belong to the same corporate group. This
technique offers the highest learning potential, since looking into other sectors
can lead to new ideas and inspiration. Benchmarking at the corporate group
level can best tap this potential.
Based
on
different
characteristics,
we
can
identify
several
types
of
benchmarking:
quantitative or qualitative
carried out within or outside the company
carried out in one or more branches of industry
competitive or cooperative
We can define
different
Excursus: Examples of benchmarking
benchmarking
Example: Benchmarking in PC development
methods
depending on the
combination of
these
characteristics.
Each method has
its strengths and
weaknesses.
It is important to
choose the right
method according
to the objectives
MIT Boston has built a laptop PC for developing countries at a
price under $ 100.00. Researchers in India are trying to set a
new benchmark and develop a cheaper device.
Example: Benchmarking in robot
development
Honda has developed a robot that offers state-of-the-art
operating performance. It was presented at the international
exhibition "The wisdom of nature" in Japan. Three competing
American teams, a German team and numerous other teams in
other countries started working to increase the operational
performance mainly by utilising the effects of natural gravity of
the running movement. One team drew inspiration from a
200 years old wooden toy. (Source: Science Magazine, March
2005)
pursued. It is
rather complicated
Example Benchmarking based on the results
to make
of the PISA Study
objectives,
performances and
operational
processes of
different
organisations
comparable and to
evaluate them.
The diversity of the results of the PISA study may be subject to
controversial discussions but it is a fact that Finland is the
benchmark. The difference between the results of single
schools in Germany is 70 per cent while it is only 10 per cent in
Sweden. The reason for it is that Finland, Sweden and some
other countries have successfully established a system that
facilitates the comparison of data and exchange of experience
among schools. A few German schools achieved results similar
to the Finish. However, the German educational system lacks a
mechanism which enables to gain an insight into the working
methods of highly performing schools, since education is a
matter of the single federal states of Germany.
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The mentioned prominent examples of benchmarking are easy to understand,
indeed. They all aim to reach or even to go beyond a clear benchmark: a price
ceiling, a speed level, or a certain score in a standardised performance test.
However, benchmarks in corporate practice are often more complex and consist
of sophisticated scoring systems.
Banks also work along elementary requirements on management systems that
form a basis for credit terms. ("Basel II", see also section 3.2. "Comparison of
companies in different branches of industry" of the present paper).
Benchmarking is a tool for self-monitoring. The resulting data may be used for
the management of companies and organisation. Benchmarking sheds light on
the strengths and weaknesses of companies and thus, it aims to increase
performance and efficiency compared to competitors.
2.3 Quality management and business excellence
In addition to benchmarking, quality management systems (QM systems) and
the so-called business excellence served as an important source and inspiration
for the bench-effect method.
The application of QM systems according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS
18001, KTQ etc. aim to improve operational processes continuously. Special
standards such as ISO/TS 16949, QS 9000, VDA in the automotive industry and
ITIL, BS 7799 for the IT sector are particularly important, because they also
define customer requirements and include some best practice approaches.
We shall mention the philosophy of Total Quality Management (TQM) here. TQM
implies a continuous modernisation, development and improvement of the
company. All efforts aim to make the enterprise one of the leading companies
of the industrial branch by being the best in performance.
Process oriented and integrated management systems according to TQM form
the basis for a sustainable corporate development. Increase in personnel
motivation and continuous adjustment of their work to the company’s improved
operational processes play an important role in TQM.
The
introduction
of
modern
and
balanced
valuation
systems
was
the
precondition of a relatively recent tool: the balanced scorecard that is used in
professional process management systems.
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In general, modern QM systems must fulfil the following requirements:
set a corporate strategy and define the corresponding parameters
consider human resources development as a strategic task
aim for continuous improvement
include a consistent orientation of the company to customer satisfaction
embody a systematic product and process development
include detailed and systematic advanced quality planning
include systematic product testing and process assessment
observe cross-industry product and process release regulations
provide proof of competence and accuracy of the measuring instruments
used
consider special aspects of product liability, occupational safety and
environmental protection
ensure a ban on inadmissibility of certain elements by the company
provide documentation on the maintenance and efficiency of processes
used
QM systems should provide the following benefits:
make quality comprehensible to employees and thus, enable them to
perform the required quality
close vulnerabilities in the quality management system
reduce risks in case of organisational negligence and product liability
initiate a continuous improvement in all areas of the enterprise
improve the flow of information
reduce confusion and misunderstanding by introducing clear definitions
make the enterprise less dependent on the know-how of single
employees
increase productivity by improving process orientation in all fields
exploit cost saving potentials
lead to competitive advantages (Source 19)
The concept of business excellence is closely linked to QM systems. The
business excellence model of the EFQM (European Federation for Quality
Management), for example, aims to support enterprises on their way to TQM by
providing appropriate guidelines and recommendations.
The E.F.Q.M. model® is a registered trademark of the EFQM and is based on
the premises that excellent results in terms of performance, clients, staff and
society can be achieved by a management that raises policies and strategies,
staff and partnerships, resources and process to a high level.
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The
open
basic
structure
of
the
E.F.Q.M.-Model®
enables
numerous
approaches, which aim to achieve and sustain excellent performance. In spite
of the open approach, there are a few basic concepts that form the fundament
of the E.F.Q.M.-Model®:
achieving balanced results
adding value for customers
leading with vision, inspiration and integrity
managing by processes and facts
succeeding through the development and participation of staff
enabling continuous learning
nurturing innovation and improvement
building partnerships
taking responsibility for the public
The above-mentioned fields stand for single criteria. Based on these criteria, we
can assess the progress of an organisation on the way towards TQM. This
model also includes a mechanism within the framework of self-assessment that
helps to evaluate changes and identify potential improvements.
One of the core elements of this model is the so-called RADAR methodology.
This acronym refers to the following components:
Results
Approach
Deployment
Assessment
Review
The application of this methodology can help enterprises
to define the desired results
to plan and develop a suitable approach
to deploy this approach
to assess and refine the approach
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2.4 Change management
Benchmarking, QM systems and business excellence aim to bring about
systematic changes in enterprises and organisations. Thus, they are directly
connected to change management. Change management is another source of
the bench-effect method.
Workforce and management are usually rather sceptical about changes at first.
People often associate changes with uncertainties about the future. They tend
to perceive changes as a threat and risk to their own perspectives. Changes
often imply rationalisation measures and cost reduction, and lead to job losses.
Thus, it is no surprise that people do not respond to changes positively.
Every project management manual suggests to prepare the parties involved for
the upcoming changes by providing comprehensive information in time. In this
respect, change management should also include training measures.
It is crucial for the company’s success to convince the affected managers and
staff members that the planned changes are feasible and realisable. Plausible
benchmarks, i.e. practical examples of other enterprises or organisations, are
the strongest arguments. This is the reason why benchmarking and change
management are so closely interlinked. Concisely, the largest obstacles to
successful implementation of changes are poor management, motivation
deficits, and communication problems.
The results of the study on the motivation of staff members are notable indeed.
On the average, half of the staff members backed out of change requirements
and tend to block it. The number of change objectors was double as high as the
number of people that actively promoted the change process.
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Congruence in the
Excursus:
change design
across different
fields and the
The origin of the notion
change management
accord of hard
and soft factors is
essential for the
success of the
change process.
The more
comprehensive a
change process is
the higher are its
The notion change management emerged during the
development of change management theory in the USA in the
1930s. The scientists Roethlisberger and Mayo conducted
experiments in the plants of the Western Electric Corp during
an analysis on performance improvement. Much to their
surprise, they discovered that the attention paid to the
employees influenced their performance much more than actual
changes of their working conditions. Change management
comprises all tasks and measures that aim to implement new
strategies, structures, processes, systems or approaches and
thus, lead to a significant change within an enterprise or an
organisation.
chances to
succeed. Statistic
analyses prove
that there is a
close correlation
between the level
of motivation and
the success rate.
In the past, change agents were appointed in the management
to enhance the change process. Change agents are experts in
project management, conflict management, and communication
techniques. Some companies have employed such external
experts for a limited time. However, the trend is towards entire
change teams instead of only one change expert. Managers of
large enterprises are expected to possess change agent skills.
Thus, appointing special change agents is more of an
exception. We hold the view that SMEs need support in change
management. External change agents can provide the
necessary support.
„To make a
change projects successful, it is not enough to address the obvious but we also
have to take account of the complexity of human attitudes and behaviours.
Motivation, which is essential for the change process, cannot be achieved at the
push of a button. It assumes that employees and managers perceive the
congruence in the perceived framework conditions and a clear orientation with
regard to the way and objective ahead. (Source 5)“
Three important factors determine the success of change processes according
to results of a company survey carried out by the Technical University Munich
and C4 Consulting Düsseldorf (Source 5) during their mutual study. These
factors are:
motivation
orientation and
congruence
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2.5 Learning
organisations,
benchlearning
knowledge
management,
and
Companies and organisations should be capable of learning to succeed in
implementing benchmarking, QM, business excellence, and the changes they
may bring. The capability of learning is the key to every qualitative change
within an organisation.
The term learning organisations generally refers to adapting organisations that
are capable to react dynamically to internal and external changes. It is
understood that we refer to the single members of the organisation and not the
organisation as a whole when we speak about the capability of learning.
In an ideal situation, a learning organisation is a system which is constantly in
motion and which embraces external changes as a stimulus for development
and adaptation processes.
That is why the methods and problems in the development of learning
organisations provide valuable information for SME networks as well as for
managers and staff members of single enterprises.
To achieve this goal, various factors are required, such as common visions and
objectives, communication and transparency, team spirit and co-operation,
conflict management skills and participative leadership, process orientation and
the willingness to support new ideas, and last but not least a well functioning
knowledge management. Knowledge management plays a prominent role in
benchmarking, change management, and learning organisations.
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Benchlearning
The publication
Excursus:
"Benchlearning – Good
Examples as a Lever
for Development"
The origin of the notion and
of the theory of learning organisation
written by a Swedish
team of authors Bengt
Karlöf, Kurt Lundgren,
Marie Edenfeldt
Froment was a good
source of inspiration
The notion "learning organisation" was introduced by Peter
M. Senge’s book "The Fifth Discipline" published in 1990.
Back then, he was the director of the Center for
Organizational Learning at the Sloan School of
Management of the MIT. He is the founding chairperson of
the Society for Organizational Learning (SoL).
Senge defines five approaches or disciplines to develop
learning organisations:
for the conception of
our project "Bencheffect – crossing
border – involvementoriented learnshops in
SMEs". The English
translation of the
Swedish paper was
published in 2001.
According to the
authors,
„Benchlearning can be
described as a
combination of
1. Personal mastery – It includes the development of the
personalities and capabilities of the staff members of an
organisation. It deals with ways to strengthen individual
perception, questioning and listening techniques, and
questions about the individual contribution of the staff
members within the organisation.
2. Mental models - What implicit and explicit basic
assumptions have developed to explain the world around
us? The main issue of this discipline is to visualise the
implicit and explicit basic assumptions employees have
about their environment and business environment and
make these assumptions subject to discussions and
development.
3. Shared visioning – Shared visions emerge if the
members of an organisation understand and accept their
common objectives and if they are able to internalise them
emotionally. Each and every member has to understand
what s/he has to do in order to achieve the common
objective.
business development
and organizational
learning.“ (p. 1)
They characterise
benchlearning as an
interaction of four
building blocks. These
are:
efficiency
team learning
broad participation
good examples
We shall explain these
four elements in
4. Team learning – Joint learning and consulting increases
the value of a team. Their common value will be higher
than the sum of the value of the members. The methods
applied include e.g. dialog or interactive mind mapping.
5. Systems thinking – Thinking in systems is a holistic
approach that is used to describe the mechanism of action
and expected behaviour in a symbolic formal language.
This description can help to identify typical patterns of
behaviour, which then can be discussed and revised. In a
next step, we can simulate the system behaviour by using
the system dynamics method. Examples: fixes that fail,
accidental adversaries and shifting the burden.
The last approach includes the findings of research in the
filed of system theory, sociology, and cybernetics.
According to Peter M. Senge all five disciplines are
essential for building a learning organisation. These
elements interact in development processes and help to
improve the capabilities needed in the organisation
gradually.
detail.
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Efficiency
According to the authors, benchlearning refers to different methods to increase
the efficiency of single employees and the efficiency of the company as a whole.
Thus, the ultimate goal of benchmarking is increasing efficiency.
The authors distinguish between two ways to increase efficiency. It is
understood that the traditional way to increase efficiency is to increase
productivity. It all comes down to the relation between the resources used and
the output achieved. Or simply said: doing things right. In this context, it
means: doing things at the best price.
If it comes to a comparison, it is just as important to ask questions about the
customer value: Do we offer the right product or service measured by the
changes of market demand, the preferences of customers, and the offer of our
competitors? Enterprises do not have to ask these questions every day.
However, they should ask themselves another question regularly: Are we doing
the right things? There is another underlying question: Are our prices
adequate? Is the price-performance ratio acceptable for our clients? Thus, this
question cannot really be separated from the first aspect of efficiency.
P. Womack / D.T. Jones give a clearer definition of the same context in their
book "Auf dem Weg zum perfekten Unternehmen" published in Munich in 1996.
They carried out a detailed analysis of the experience of the Toyota concern
and its medium-sized suppliers over several years. Womack and Jones state
that optimising the value chain (doing things right) makes sense only if it refers
to the creation of products that are awarded by the customer (doing the right
things). (Source 14.)
We would like to point out that this question is very explosive in East
Brandenburg given the fact that East Brandenburg has a direct border to
Poland. The situation is particularly severe in the case of labour-intensive
services. Many Polish craftsmen and service providers entered the German
market after Poland joined the European Union. This applies especially to
services consumed by the broad public. Let us take bride and groom attire as
an example. Wedding attire and accessories usually need custom tailoring or
adjusting. German providers had hardly had any chance to offer these timeand care-intensive services. Their price-performance ratio was not acceptable
for their customers when compared to their Polish competitors.
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Team learning
We can distinguish two components of learning:
The first component is the business-related part of the learning processes that
aims to increase the efficiency of the enterprise. They often refer to the
effectivity of managers and employees. Target oriented qualification schemes
and retraining programmes might become necessary e.g. if a new technology is
introduced. However, learning has also individual component which applies only
to the single manager or employee for example to maintain their ability to
learn, i.e. competence in methodological competency. To put it simply: learning
how to learn.
If we concentrate only on the first component, the affected people might
perceive the learning process as a threat and react rejecting. However, focusing
only on the second component, namely, on individual learning might as well
cause
some
difficulties.
E.g.
employees
that
participated
in
individual
qualification programmes might get frustrated if they see that nothing has
changed in the enterprise and especially in the management.
Subsequently, teamlearing includes both components: Learning in groups and
experiencing individual progress.
Broad participation
Benchmarking is traditionally a top-down approach, i.e. from the management
to the employees.
Let us recall the example of Xerox: The Xerox management studied the
benchmarks set by Canon. Based on the findings, it was the management that
made all decisions. These decisions affected the entire Xerox staff and not only
in a positive way, since some of the management decisions implied a reduction
in workforce.
The benchlearning approach is a bottom-up approach. It assumes that the
affected people must be included in the change process right from the
beginning. The aim of benchmarking is to see where we are in comparison to
others. Benchlearning emphasises the inspiration of all affected people to
change and focuses on a broad participation.
This is how benchlearning supports change managements. In order to be
successful, change management must include the affected staff members as far
as possible. Corporate development means a change in the behaviour of the
affected people. We all know that frustrated staff members work strictly to rule.
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Good examples
Surprisingly, it is rather difficult to build on the good experience of others.
People prefer to reinvent the wheel. They do so even within the same
organisation.
But why are people so ignorant? – According to the authors of "Benchlearning",
one of the reasons for ignorance is that the individual performance of managers
(self-made man) is evaluated higher than the will to see and learn how other
people do things.
Let us consider an example for lacking self-reflection: The University of
Michigan carried out a survey in which they asked US top managers about the
position of their enterprises in comparison to their competitors. Ninety per cent
of the participants said that their company was better than the average.
Twenty-five per cent of the managers interviewed claimed that their companies
are among the top 10 %.
Benchlearning helps to achieve a more realistic self-reflection. Building on the
innovations and experience of others can finally lead to progress. The sum of
other people’s performance represents a much larger intellectual capital to tap
than one’s own.
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3 The functionality and the practical relevance of the bench -effect
method
3.1 Basic idea and functionality
The development partnership "Schrittmacher OderSpree" issued an information
brochure to acquire project participants. This brochure addresses both
enterprises and employees. It describes benchmarking and bench-effect as
follows:
„Benchmarking denotes the comparison of one company with another one –
actually with the best one - plus the wiliness to change one’s own company
based on the comparison results. This is what every enterprise does, even the
smallest one. This comparison process might have a different name and it is
often less structured. The "Schrittmacher OderSpree" network offers a special
support to companies and freelancers in East Brandenburg. We help to
systematise this process and increase the learn effect and bench effect
respectively as well as decrease or minimise efforts and costs at the same time.
analysing the company’s activity
benchmarking
comparing with other companies
exploiting improvement potentials
qualification in education centres
bench-effect
As a first step, the company is examined carefully. Where is the enterprise
now? How did it achieve its previous success? Where are its opportunities?
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What were the things that did not work out and why? The reflection of the
company must be realistic and critical. The next step is a comparison with the
best-in-class company. Usually, there are minor or major differences in results.
However, this is no reason for panicking. It is a reason for taking targetoriented action. Acting is much easier than one might think because now we
know precisely what the shortcomings of the system are. Now, that the
deficiencies are visible, it is much easier to see what changes are necessary.
The task is to subsequently close the gaps and eliminate shortcomings.
Enterprises receive a specific, custom-tailored development programme, which
includes the necessary qualification, consulting and individual coaching. The
weaknesses of the company were identified during the initial analysis. Now, it is
easier to concentrate on what is really needed. For example, we can find out an
avoid qualification programmes and ad-hoc actions that are superfluous, thus
saving both time and money. The new know-how has an immediate positive
effect if applied and implemented in your company in a professional manner.
Now, that you know which way to take, your company has a good chance to
compete at the highest level.“ (Source 20)
In addition to this short description of benchmarking and bench-effect, the
mentioned brochure presents mainly the different qualification programmes of
the five training centres.
This short extract from the brochure clearly displays the intention to motivate
enterprises to participate. It emphasises one of the basic principles of the
bench-effect method that is to find out where we stand and learn from good
examples by comparing ourselves to others.
This means at the same time that we need to create a pressure to change and
to reverse the burden of proof, i.e. not to justify that we need to change
something but to recognise why it should not remain unchangeable. Now that it
is obvious that someone can do it better than we do, we could change it as
well. Thus, this approach also applies a change in attitude and behaviour.
There is a common misconception: Benchmarking does not necessarily lead us
to imitation. The aim of benchmarking is to find inspiration and creative
individual solutions. Positive reference examples have a clear advantage in
comparison to the strategic goals set by the management: They are realistic for
they have already been achieved by others.
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Realistic goals increase the ambition of the members of an organisation. Bencheffect shows at the same time where the enterprise stand and thus, it creates a
creative tension. Large enterprises and consulting companies were pioneers in
benchmarking and knowledge management. More and more SMEs join in as the
competition increases. Rapid technological progress, especially in the IT field,
shows the key to success gradually: The future of companies depends
increasingly on their ability to acquire new knowledge efficiently and to refine
and utilise knowledge developed in their own companies. Our five training
centres offer custom-tailored and, in most cases, complementary qualification
schemes to address this issue.
SMEs are per se small and often face an information overload. Companies have
to process incoming information in a professional and targeted manner. They
also have to store and update the knowledge of their own company. Small
enterprises tend to work along short-term strategies and lack appropriate
documentation. In general, SMEs depend more on the knowledge and skills of
single employees than larger companies do. Experience, trade knowledge and
customer knowledge are mostly stored in the heads of a few experts. This fact
can become a risk if the experts decide to leave the company without passing
on their knowledge to other employees.
Large companies may have problems identifying and distributing knowledge,
whereas SMEs more often have difficulty acquiring and processing knowledge.
However, SMEs have a few advantages in the field of knowledge management.
These
enterprises
are
usually
simply
structured
and
the
exchange
of
information is faster, since the ways of communication are direct and informal,
and the affected people know each other personally. Handicraft enterprises
have a long and proven tradition of passing on expertise.
Knowledge management systems are used for the collection, storage and
distribution of information as a rule. This is the side of the information
providers.
Problems usually occur when information needs to be transformed into
knowledge. This represents the side of the information receiver. This means
that the receiver does not embrace and internalise the information provided.
The objectives are clearly defined, and thus, bench-effect stimulates a new way
of learning: the way of learning organisations.
A learning organisation is capable of creating, learning and transferring
knowledge. Such an organisation is able to adjust its behaviour in a way that
reflects new knowledge and insights.
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The bench-effect method aims to support organisations to modify their
behaviour according to what they can learn from good examples. (It is assumed
that one can and should learn from bad examples and case studies too. This is
the basic principle of learning practiced at Anglo-Saxon business schools like
Harvard and Stanford.)
It is quite a big challenge for SMEs to conduct a comparison or to work on the
development of their companies in the very sense of benchmarking and bencheffect method. However, it is inevitable if they want to develop in a successful
way.
We are going to explain two forms of comparison in detail in the next two
sections. These forms are:
comparison of companies in different branches of industry
comparison of companies within one branch of industry
We are also going to illustrate the practical relevance of benchmarking and
bench-effect.
3.2 Comparison of companies in different branches of industry
When we compare one company with another one, we usually encounter
differences that might make a comparison rather difficult. In some cases, it
might even seem impossible to compare companies. As the proverb goes, "You
cannot compare apples and oranges". These difficulties might discourage
employees. As a result, they do not even try to conduct a systematic
comparison with another enterprise because they think that these things cannot
be compared anyway.
However, enterprises must face up to comparison when they apply for a credit
from their bank or even if they need an appropriate increase of their overdraft
credit line. It is an everyday task of banks to test the credit standing of their
customers. It does not matter whether the bank is a major international bank
or a small savings bank. It applies both to private and corporate customers of
all banks.
For this reason, it can very well make sense or be inevitable to look at one’s
own enterprise from the perspective of a bank and to assess the company
according to the criteria with regard to the issue of credits from time to time.
If the entrepreneur or the manager of the company assumes the bank’s role,
he will see that his company can indeed be compared with other companies of
the same branch as well as of other branches of industry.
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Example:
Lending practices of banks according to the criteria of Basel II
One of the basic principles of banking is that banks must hold appropriate
capital against the loss of all loans granted. The minimum capital requirements
of a bank vary according to the structure of its customers. The weaker the
credit quality of the borrowers the higher the required bank capital. The central
banks and regulatory authorities of leading industrial nations issued their
recommendations in a document called "New Basel Capital Accord" or "Basel II"
in 2004. The members of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision agreed
in this paper to recommend an approach for the assessment of borrowers that
is much more comprehensive than the previously used approaches. The
creditworthiness of applicants is classified at least in nine rating grades. Banks
must prove that they made their assessment based on figures specific to the
enterprise. This assessment must be confirmed by an independent external
rating, for example, by auditors or by professional associations.
The rating process is rather expensive and complex. This is why most credit
applications of SMEs may be treated as retail loans. Banks may deviate from
the strict criteria of Basel II if the applying company’s turnover does not exceed
five million euro and the credit amount is lower than one million euro. This
regulation can be seen as a release for SMEs. However, there are some
concerns that in case the detailed assessment of creditworthiness of an SME
would not be worth the effort, banks would demand more securities from SMEs,
make access to credits more difficult, offer less favourable conditions or even
reject a credit application. The general rule is that each enterprise must
undergo credit rating independent of its size. In order to get a credit in the first
place and to get it at favourable conditions, each company faces the question:
How can I convince my bank that I am a good borrower compared to other
debtors?
One of the problems is that the catalogue of figures is not standardised and
each bank uses its own assessment method. We can distinguish different rating
criteria, although banks always try to compare figures specific to a certain
branch of industry. These criteria are the following:
Quantitative criteria:
return on sales, capital ratio, liquidity planning, return on assets, cash flow,
dept-to-capital ratio, ratio of personnel expenses, ratio of material costs,
growth in turnover, existence of a comparison of planned and achieved goals,
and an appropriate business plan for two to three years
Qualitative criteria:
state and perspectives of the branch of industry, market positioning of the
enterprise, customer orientation, innovation ability, success factor specific to
the company, entrepreneurial qualities, organisation and IT systems, long-term
strategy, investment risk, information policy towards loan creditors, securities
Application of business management and control tools:
adequate and up-to-date accounting, appropriate cost calculation and cost
control, liquidity planning, breakeven analysis, preliminary and follow-up
calculation of products and services, accounts receivable management,
production monitoring, quality management
You can find further information on Basel II on the following Internet pages:
www.dihk.de
,
www.handwerk.de
,
www.kfw-mittelstandsbank.de
,
www.bafin.de , www.handwerk.com , www.zdh.de , www.sap.com
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Conclusion
To sum up, entrepreneurs and their responsible employees have to understand
that comparing their company to other firms is worth the effort. If they do not
do it themselves, then others will do it. No one can escape comparison. Those
who conduct a comparison, take action. They can make necessary adjustments
in good time. Thus, they will be in a better negotiating position if they want to
borrow from a bank.
3.3 Comparison of companies within one branch of industry
It is clear that the comparison of data in different industries is important.
However, we also need indicators specific to a certain industry. Inter-trade
organisations, guilds, chambers of crafts, entrepreneurs’ associations collect
industry specific data on a regular basis and on special occasions. Special
institutes and consulting firms carry out detailed analyses of such data.
Relevant reference data is published in professional journals, newsletters of
associations, statistical office publications or priced publications of studies.
Such data is even more conclusive if it does not only refer to a certain branch
of industry but is restricted to the region of the company interested in a
comparison. The following example shows a case in which industry specific data
as well as region specific data have a special relevance.
Example:
A comparison of the development of tourism as well as the economic
situation in the hotel and catering business between certain travel
areas and single federal states of Germany
The Ostdeutsche Sparkassen- und Giroverband (East German Saving Bank
Association) publishes a tourism barometer each year. This publication includes
qualitative and quantitative comparisons between the federal states of
Germany and single tourist regions. Indicators specific to a certain branch of
industry are often particularly conclusive. Hotel and catering enterprises need
to know how well they perform concerning bed occupancy rate, profit margin,
cost for personnel and cash flow. It is important that they can compare their
performance with those of their competitors in other federal states, in their own
federal state and especially in the travel area of their business activities.
The Tourism Barometer 2004 states that the room occupancy rate in the state
Brandenburg was 34 per cent in 2003. Brandenburg was close to the average of
the former Eastern German states. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania set the
benchmark at 45.2 per cent, followed by Saxony’s 38 per cent. Even more
informative for hotel operators in Brandenburg is the comparison of room
occupancy rates in the single travel areas in this federal state. Potsdam was
leading the race with 43.7 per cent followed by the Dahme Lakeland with 40
per cent. The two East Brandenburg administrative districts Märkisch-Oderland
and Oder-Spree Lakeland with 31.3 and 31.0 per cent performed under the t
average of Brandenburg which was 34.0 per cent. (Source 10, page 35)
Changes in the number of visitors in a region as well as the bed and room
occupancy rates directly influence the business results of service providers in
the tourism industry. According to the tourism barometer, the profit margin of
the catering business was merely 0.1 per cent in Brandenburg in 2002. It was
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0.3 per cent in Saxony and 1.4 per cent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Schleswig Holstein set the benchmark at 5.0 per cent in the comparison among
all federal states. (Source .10, page 61)
However, it is not enough to have reliable reference data – just like the ones in
the above-mentioned study – and to know the differences between one’s own
business indicators and that of the competitors and the benchmark setting
enterprise. This is just the first part of the task. The second part is to find out
the reasons for the difference in the figures. This is where qualitative
benchmarking begins. If we take the example of the tourism industry again, it
means that service providers would have to study the operational processes
and strategies of the best competitor in order to understand the reason for their
lead. Finally, they would have to analyse these reasons and draw their
conclusions.
One of the proven methods was used as example by the Brandenburgische
Tourismusinstitut (Brandenburg tourism institute - BTI), Bad Saarow. The BTI
organised and moderated trips for tourism service providers and political
decision makers from East Brandenburg. They travelled to successful tourist
regions and spa towns in states that were not in a direct competition with their
own region. The aim of these trips was to sense and experience an unknown
surrounding in a group. These trips were successful not only because the
participants could see and feel everything themselves, but also because they
got the opportunity to discuss their experience with the tourism service
providers whom they visited and draw conclusions from what they have seen
for their own work.
Other industries use other indicators. In case of the construction industry,
backlog of orders and weather-related short-time work play a particular role.
Each enterprise has to define which of the indicators are important in their
industry and how they can acquire the necessary data.
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4 Experience gained due to the application of the bench-effect
method
4.1 The application of the bench-effect method under the specific
East Brandenburg conditions
The original idea of the bench-effect method is determined by a logic that has
emerged from learning and development theory.
In practice, this logical and methodological sequence of work and development
steps (compare page 62 et seqq.) had to match the extremely diverse
conditions of the SMEs and their employees, and, finally, be adjusted to
practical requirements.
Furthermore, the significantly differing subjective expectations and blockades of
the responsible persons in the single SMEs had to be considered during the
planning and execution of bench-effect projects.
The participants in the SMEs responded in a completely different way to almost
identical business-related problems even within the same industrial sector.
The relevant factors were:
The personal experience of the decision makers in SMEs (Obviously,
there are significant differences between those who had started their
businesses in the GDR, those who became self-employed in the field of
their primary occupation after the German reunification, and the so
called "career changers")
Educational
background
and
knowledge
of
the
decision
makers
(low-educated family background seems to strengthen the aversion to
further professional training and external support)
The current situations of the single SMEs have a considerable influence
on the willingness to accept external support. (As a rule, less
well-educated "old-fashioned" entrepreneurs do not see the necessity to
participate in EQUAL if their businesses run well. However, the situation
turns out to be completely different if the very existence of their
businesses is under threat. Though, even in these cases, they merely
concentrate on the solution of the current problem for the most part.)
The willingness to accept external support obviously depends on the
prevailing management culture of the SMEs which in turn is strongly
influenced by the personal characteristics of managers and employees
as well as by the cultural imprint of the company. The co-operative
management style usually facilitates the work in EQUAL projects.
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A person who makes a decision about the participation of the SME in
EQUAL finds him-/herself in a certain psychological situation with respect
to his/her management of the company, the recognition of his/her
management style by employees, and also with regard to group
dynamics (processes). The stronger the leading role of the decision
maker and the more undisputed his/her claim for leadership, the easier
the access to EQUAL, and the more comprehensive the wish for cooperation.
EQUAL can be also abused. Under certain circumstances, decision
makers in SMEs tend to use external opportunities to solve internal
problems that have nothing to do with the educational and performance
objectives of the EQUAL programme. It occurred that due to the
participation in an EQUAL project, employees were put under pressure
that otherwise could not be explained by internal factors in any
reasonable way. In some cases, decision makers simply sought for a
sort of a compensation for the missing recognition of their work. They
tried to set a clear sign of their own importance by making contact to
external trainers and coaches.
It was essential to make these diverse realities to the initial point of the
bench-effect method and it is not going to change in the future application of
the method either.
If we want to motivate people to some changes in their behaviour pattern, we
have to meet them where they have got to as a result of their own
development, based on their subjective attributes, circumstances and wishes,
and not where analysts would expect them to be, based on the objective
situation in their companies.
As a result, companies join EQUAL projects in completely different ways.
Sometimes, unlike the logical sequences of work steps in the original
bench-effect method, single steps have to be selected even in a rather random
way. The involvement of the interested parties is often discontinuous and not
permanent. Hence, the goals and working steps have to be monitored and under certain circumstances - revised more frequently.
Although SMEs get involved in and develop within an EQAUL-project in quite
different ways, certain behavioural patterns (beyond single individual cases)
have
proved
practical.
Some
elements
of
the
method
are
worthy
of
generalization and can be recommended for further use.
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The planning of specific projects in all training centres was based on: the basic
idea of the "Bench-effect – crossing border – involvement-oriented learnshops
in SMEs", the organisation of a continuous process – starting with the analysis
of the current situation, over the definition of objectives by conducting best
practice comparisons, to the derivation of qualification measures, and the
subsequent design of change processes as well as their active implementation.
The specific regional conditions in East Brandenburg have determined the
structure of industrial sectors and the needs of participating companies and
persons during the implementation of the project. These conditions also
determined the specific design of the bench-effect method in general, as well as
its essential elements in particular.
Benchmarking
The basic idea of the bench-effect method implies the objective to turn
benchmarking into a suitable starting point for a transformation process in
SMEs on their way to success in business.
The proposed procedure prior to the project beginning suggested the following
sequence:
Identifying an initial partner for the benchmarking project
(We were looking for a strongly represented industrial sector, preferably
large enterprises, and a company that could be regarded as a model to
follow.)
Analysing operational processes in the initial partner’s company in order
to
develop
an
appropriate
system
of
indicators
suitable
for
benchmarking (What indicators would be relevant for a comparison?)
Editing the system of indicators in order to create a questionnaire that
delivers measurable results
Identifying benchmarking partners
Contacting and recruiting benchmarking partners for the project
Concluding the contract between the benchmarking partners (including
the scope of co-operation, the evaluation method, project objectives,
and the obligation of confidentiality)
Processing questionnaires by the benchmarking partners
Evaluating questionnaires, identifying benchmarks, and deriving best
practice
Organising workshops for the benchmarking partners in order to
evaluate the specific stages of the project
Making offers for joint learning, general or custom-tailored business
programmes for the participating companies
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The members of the development partnership put a great effort into the search
and recruitment of partners for classical benchmarking projects. We were
prepared
for
both
a
process
benchmarking
as
well
as
an
indicator
benchmarking. We designed competitive and co-operative models and were
open to both benchmarking within a single industrial sector and an intersectoral
benchmarking.
We have to admit, that we have failed to follow the classical logic of
benchmarking.
According to our experience, the classical approaches have failed for the
following reasons:
1. It is a common view that the potential benefit of benchmarking is much
smaller than the risk that might occur when providing sensitive business
data to other companies within the same industrial sector. (The same
applies to sharing information between different industrial sectors in the
same industrial region.)
2. The strategic management of a company by means of data records,
indicators and process analyses is obviously not widely spread. Most
managers make their decisions based on their experience (so-called
"gut decisions"). Frequently, solvency is the most important or even the
only management variable that is monitored constantly.
Hence, the principle of benchmarking is relatively far from the current business
practice of companies.
We
have
launched
a
sector-related
indicator
benchmarking
project
in
co-operation with a municipal undertaking for complex services and property
management. It followed this classical sequence and seemed to flourish
relatively well. However, even this promising project had to be discontinued
shortly before the decisive phase began, like all our project efforts that followed
the classical project implementation pattern.
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Example: Benchmarking project in a municipal undertaking
Shorthand report of the project implementation in ten steps
Step 1: Acquisition idea
A development partnership (DP) consultant learns about the activities of the
Entrepreneurs’ Association of Oranienburg.
Step 2: Establishing a contact, introducing EQUAL, generating interest
Potential benefits are a strong argument and convince the Board of the
Association during the meeting. The benchmarking project can help the
Association to demonstrate the economic advantages of a membership to its
members.
Step 3: Road Show – EQUAL – promotion presentations
DP-consultants succeed to acquire two potential partners to participate in a
benchmarking project.
Step 4: First meeting with the potential partners
Subsequently, the focus of efforts is OHBV (a consortium with several
companies); strong interest in benchmarking in Berlin: suburban bus traffic,
homogenous market with easy-to-compare parameters, no competition
between the potential benchmarking partners.
Step 5: Workshop with the management (2 days)
Conclusion of an agreement on a benchmarking project: problem analysis,
definition of project foci, action plan an time schedule, completion of all
participation formalities (agreement, master data list).
Step 6: Benchmarking concept (prepared by consultants)
Enquiries about nine bus companies; focus on the comparison of the
enterprises based on public statistical data; identification of corporate
interests and objectives; assessment of the suitability of the company for
benchmarking.
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Step 7: Workshop "Benchmarking"
- Identifying indicators for the first benchmarking,
- Defining future steps of the benchmarking and the transition from
benchmarking to bench-effect,
- Reducing the number of the identified indicators to six: those that can show
the economic potential of the company without requiring much effort to
acquire and process,
- Defining indicators
Step 8: Letter of invitation to the potential participants
Mailing to the nine identified potential participants
Content of the letter:
- Motivation for the participation (advantages)
- List of participants
- List of indicators with definitions
- Description of the evaluation and the further
procedures (confidentiality agreement)
Follow-up calls to the bus companies’ managements.
Step 9: Evaluation of the benchmarking (six indicators)
- Analysis of indicators, report on results (consultants)
- Distribution of the result report to all participants
We could not conduct this step:
- Confirmation:
1 enterprise
- Written refusal:
2 enterprises
- Refusal via telephone:
2 enterprises
The only reason given for refusal: Fear of disadvantage in the competition
Step 10: Bench-effect
- qualitative analysis of indicators, possibly with consultants’ support on site
- workshop for participating companies which expressed their interest in
participation
- designing a concept of and launching of a bench-effect process
This step could not be conducted in absence of step 9.
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Regardless of all the difficulties with the classical benchmarking models,
extremely diverse benchmarking processes emerged in the course of the
project. These processes markedly differed from the classical models and did
not consistently follow the original logical sequence. These processes served as
an important subject matter for discussions in troubleshooting groups and a
starting point for work in implementing groups.
Benchmarking occurred in the following forms:
Spontaneous exchange of experience in all courses and workshops;
Identification of best practice examples which served as an objective for
moderated workshops or as training material for seminars
(e.g. in troubleshooting groups in which entrepreneurs and employees
with possibly identical problems worked jointly, paying particular
attention to aspects like structure of ownership, industrial sectors, size
of company);
Establishing theoretical best values on the basis of results obtained by
in-house working groups and on the experience gained during a
long-term preparation of different companies to new markets.
Integration
of
DP representatives
knowledge
during
on
the
first
best
practice
analysis
of
through
the
the
enterprises
participating in the EQUAL project;
integration of best practice knowledge by conducting mystery consumer
check (an anonymous survey and analysis of processes in different
enterprises, and comparison with established benchmarks)
The exercised forms of benchmarking required from the project executing
organizations to look for examples of successful experience obtained in other
branches of industry and in other regions as well as to intensively motivate the
participants to learn and apply promising methods that can help to improve
their practical work. Under the given circumstances, participants were more
likely to accept competitive benchmarking than co-operative benchmarking.
Intersectoral and interregional forms of benchmarking were also rather
successful. However, trainers and consultants had to work hard to convince the
participants to conduct a benchmarking and dispel all doubts of the participants
concerning the applicability of these forms of benchmarking for their practical
work. Almost in all cases, an intensive initial work had to be done to adjust the
respective methods to the current situation in the companies.
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Trust was an essential component in the process. Participating companies were
only willing to engage in a benchmarking process if they trusted the actual staff
members in the training centres or if they could build up a trustworthy
relationship to them by time. These psychological preconditions of the project
usually emerge in a long lasting process which can concurrently provide for a
guarantee that it is quite possible to define and achieve the benchmarks if you
are determined to strive for it.
It has proved to be practicable, to define the company’s structure and the
required social competence derived from it prior to identification of shortfalls,
problematic fields, potential and benchmarks in order to create a strategic
awareness.
Despite of this, most participating companies and individuals had to experience
a sort of a "self-discovery" at the beginning of the EQUAL project. This is
explainable, since one has to develop willingness to change before one is ready
and willing to see the company from an outside perspective, and finally admit
insights for third parties.
The design of benchlearning
The aim of benchlearning is to increase the efficiency of companies. It is based
on teamwork and a broad participation of all stakeholders involved, and it also
implies best practices in the learning process. (See section 2.5.) A broad
participation and team learning have lead to significant and continuous
progress during the project. In terms of effectiveness, we observed a significant
progress in the optimisation of existing processes ("doing the things right")
during the implementation of all project activities. The qualitative changes in
the
goal-oriented
behaviour
("doing
the
right
things")
have
lead
to
differentiated results. As positive results we can regard the restructuring the
range of products and services range, winning new markets by altered or new
products, acquiring new behavioural patterns and qualifications relevant for the
labour market. Resistance against changes which can be traced back to old
stereotypes and a tenacious insistence on them lead to a negative effect.
All Change Management projects and qualification measures, regardless of their
organizational form, have been developed on the basis of the data obtained due
to company and personnel analysis which were carried out prior to individual
project planning.
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Organisation of Change Management
Systematic changes in the company, in the organisation and in the behaviour of
the participants proved to be the most
complicated challenge for all
participants. That was reflected in the concept of the bench-effect method as
well as in the single steps of its implementation and elaboration. (See sections
4.2 and 4.3.)
It was crucial for the success to involve the company management, the future
human resources managers, as well as all affected individuals into activities
that aimed to improve the current situation towards the benchmarks. For this
purpose, it was essential to inform these individuals about the as-is analysis
and the derived qualification measures. The moderation of change management
through trainers and tutors was essential for the success, however, it required
their conscious behaviour by gradually withdrawing their support in helping
people to help themselves. To make positive changes sustainable, it is required
to involve all project participants – entrepreneurs, managers and personnel into transformation processes on the regular basis.
4.2 The combination of acquisition, as-is analysis, identification of
qualification needs and change needs
4.2.1 Acquisition methods
Acquisition is the first step in the bench-effect method. Its aim is to acquire
participants for ESF programmes.
It is not enough to tailor your education programmes to the needs of the
companies when it comes to finding the right motivating factors. The
motivation to participate in a programme should be possibly generated before
such programmes are offered: ultimately, it means that demand for such
programmes should be created in the first place.
If the aim is to create a more or less independent demand for business training,
then we will have to change the business culture, which can only be achieved in
co-operation with those involved in the business.
During the acquisition of participants, we could rely on long-lasting contacts to
companies and individuals, who had positive experience with regard to previous
programmes at the training centres.
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Additionally, the training centres could also use databases which contained
company information provided on the basis of:
membership in the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) and the
HWK (Chamber of Trade),
long-standing connections of the bbw (Vocational Training Centre
in Frankfurt/Oder) to employers' associations,
long-standing connections of the DAA (German Academy of Employees
East Brandenburg) to employment agencies, job centres and trade
unions,
as well as the relations of the Bad Saarow branch of TFH Wildau
(University of Applied Sciences in Wildau, former BTI), to travel and
tourism companies and associations.
The following formal tools have proven successful (to a different extent) for the
acquisition of participants:
Project description - brochure
The project brochure issued by the development partnership (DP) offered a
broad overview of the entire project, its organisation, the project partners and
their programmes. It consisted of more than just the application documents for
the programme and had an advertising character by addressing potential
participants.
The DP brochure also strengthened the partnership internally as well as
promoted common philosophy and activities.
However, the main aim of the brochure was to advertise the programme and
recruit
participants.
The
style
and
layout
of
the
project
description
corresponded to the above-described aim.
The circulation was large enough to cover almost all potential enterprises.
(a copy was presented to the company management mostly at a meeting)
At the same time, the brochure also targeted at our strategic and international
partners and media, as well as other information disseminators.
Flyers
The centres presented their current training programmes in short advertising
leaflets, which were distributed to potentially interested people. In addition, a
digital version of the flyer was e-mailed to interested parties.
Some training centres also informed about their regular training programmes in
their six-month programme leaflet.
The flyers were very well received by interested people and participants.
According to the addressees, they even emphasized the importance of the
training offers for the electronic age in a certain way.
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Presentations
The
development
partnership
prepared
and
used
a
joint
PowerPoint
presentation for the preparation and monitoring of all oral forms of participant
acquisition.
We did not have to invent anything new as far as the content was concerned.
The presentation was based on the above-mentioned brochure and the
individual flyers of the training centres.
All training centres developed their own road show on the basis of this
presentation and used them with varying intensity.
It has proved to be practicable to plan the single stops of the individual road
shows at existing company networks.
This applied e.g. to networks such as: regional entrepreneurs’ associations,
local trade boards, associations of single branches of industry (tourism,
construction industry), existing co-operation networks of companies.
Experience has shown that the success of the acquisition phase depended
significantly on the personal prerequisites of the staff members who conducted
the presentation. The following factors were crucial for the success of the
acquisition:
-
Credibility of the involved individuals and institutions and
-
Degree of acceptance of the involved individuals in their capacity as
consultants.
Tools for the first contact
The goal of the first step is to establish a contact to potentially interested
entrepreneurs and employees.
The form of the initial contact varies but its aim is to convince the potentially
interested persons to agree to further talks and meetings.
In our view, there are five appropriate first contact tools:
mailings, telephone calls, road shows, competitions and indirect initial contacts
via media.
We made diverse experience with these tools during our practical work. In
principle, it became apparent that the choice of tools, the success achieved, as
well as the time required until a success appeared, depended largely on the
quality and intensity of the existing contacts as well as the general involvement
of the target groups. We had to be and are rather flexible regarding the tools.
We also noticed that the best prerequisite condition of successful acquisition
was an existing and preferably intensive working contact to the potential
participants. In such cases, we were almost always able to make an
appointment.
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The initial contact is usually regarded as an exceedingly difficult working phase.
In addition to the reservations about funded projects mentioned, there is a
special difficulty that has to be considered, since we usually get only one
chance to acquire participants.
Mailings
We used e-mails as the main tool to attract potential participants. This form of
initial contact has proven effective in principle. Ultimately, this is an essential
auxiliary tool for oral forms of acquisition.
Who sent the mailings?
The co-operation office of the programme, and/or the staff members engaged
in the single subprojects depending on the profile of the offers.
What form did the mails have?
A cover letter, a reply card and a programme leaflet, or the same documents in
form of an e-mail message.
Experience with reference to the efficiency of the mailings content:
The covering letter should be formulated in a way that the hurdles of project
participation are presented as rather low. This method proved to be good in the
bench-effect project. The accompanying reply card should only state that the
potential
participant
is
interested
in
further
communication
about
the
programme.
The reply card should allow potential participants to complete a questionnaire
on their companies or bindingly declare their participation in the project.
However, these options should not make a condition.
Distribution of mailings:
We expected a major wastage of mailings. That is why we concentrated on
target groups, i.e. those individuals and companies that we assumed to be
interested in such a project. This applied to persons and companies that have
participated in other projects and remained satisfied. We also assumed that
wastage would be smaller if we asked our strategic partners (e.g. an
entrepreneurs' association) to assess the interest of their members for our
project, and send our joint mailing to potential participants.
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Limited efficiency:
One should not pitch the expectations of success in targeted mailing campaigns
too high. From a marketing perspective, this product requires quite a long
explanation. Moreover, this product will only sell, if people who want to apply
our method accept it in the first place. (Our method can be regarded as a
product but it is rather a complex offer of services.)
According to our experience in the course of the project, mailings were
especially successful if they were sent to people to whom we maintained
personal contacts.
Telephone calls
In general, telephone calls are a fast and cost-effective way to address
potential participants, and draw their attention to a project.
All experience showed as early as in the project planning phase that telephone
calls were successful only in those cases in which the callee demonstrated a
high level of involvement, or if there was mutual trust between the caller and
the callee.
Hence, commissioning a call centre or similar service providers was not
applicable and therefore, no attempts have been made in this regard.
In practice, the acquisition of potential participants via telephone was limited to
single cases in which staff members knew the callee well or if staff members
wanted to remind an interested person of the project.
Telephone calls proved to be effective after the potential participants had
received the mailing, and thus, they possessed information about the project.
Road show
Events that are organised to inform a target group about a certain programme
are called "road shows" in marketing. We found out that road shows were an
essential tool to establish an initial contact to potential participants.
The Project Company used a specific form of project acquisition, i.e. it
organised entrepreneurs’ meetings from the beginning of the project through
April 2007. These meetings contributed to the acquisition of participants and
helped to compile problems. At the same time, entrepreneurs welcomed the
event as a qualification programme and a platform for information exchange.
Road shows were the main acquisition tool of the Project Company.
However, it has not been systematically documented how many of the
participants at such entrepreneurs’ meetings had actually participated in single
activities in the training centres. We strongly recommend conducting such a
documentation to all people who wish to apply our method in the future. This
documentation can help to identify and record the need for changes, and
qualification of companies and persons. Additionally, these data can help to
improve the thematic and methodological design of the entrepreneurs'
meetings.
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Competition
New and unconventional forms of acquisition should be tested in the course of
the
project
planning,
if
possible.
Our
assessment
of
the
programme
mobilisation led to the conclusion that it might be rather difficult to find a
sufficient number of committed participants.
The initiators of the subprojects used the expression "to shake somebody up" in
this context. We assumed that all traditional forms of acquisition would abet the
consideration, that something "unfamiliar" is offered to, or even imposed on
potential participants from the outside again.
This psychologically understandable reaction pattern should be addressed with
new forms of offers that make the service offered to a desirable objective that
is not too easy to achieve. Additionally, these new forms of offers should
require and promote a strong involvement and independent activities of the
potential participants from the very beginning.
This would be the case, if we managed not only to promote the participation,
but if we would initiate a competition for a precious commodity: the opportunity
to participate in the project.
Unfortunately, this approach has not succeeded with a few exceptions. Further
training programmes and consulting on support projects are not at all rare
commodities in the federal state of Brandenburg.
It is obvious that competitive elements only have a chance, if the services
offered within the project remain a rare commodity over a longer period of
time.
Indirect initial contact via the media
The development partnership conducted systematic PR work during the
implementation of the project. Information on the overall project was published
in the regional media according to the available financial and human resources.
The training centres advertised their programmes in local print media.
The effect of media contact has not been explicitly determined. However,
interviews with participants of single EQUAL projects revealed the following:
The fact that the project appeared in the media gave many participants
an additional reason to have a closer look at in the project and
convinced them to participate in it.
The more information the media communicated about the opportunities
offered by the project, the easier it was to acquire participants at the
individual level.
The number of participants increased significantly if the local advertising
papers published information on the time frame of the individual
activities within the training programmes at the training centres.
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4.2.2 The as-is analysis
Many of the initial hypotheses concerning the reasonable procedure for a
comprehensive and flexible external support for SMEs, which were formulated
among other documents in the project support materials by the project
beginning, have proved practicable in the course of the project. The materials
included common analysis and consulting tools as well as corporate consulting
standards for negotiations.
It is highly recommended to use them – also within the future implementation
of the bench-effect method.
We refer to appendix 9 (Guide to the interview) as well as to appendix 10 and
11 (Tools for self-analysis).
Recommended analysis tools:
The above-mentioned project support material recommends the following tools
for the as-is analysis of the participants:
Enterprise evaluation questionnaire – long version (questionnaire of
the Project Company, appendix 2),
SWOT analysis,
Problem evaluation,
Criteria of business excellence,
Comparison of indicators
In the first two months of the project implementation, the enterprise evaluation
questionnaire (appendix 1 and 2) was mostly used during the initial contacts to
participants. The potentials, limitations and weaknesses of this tool became
apparent during this process.
The enterprise evaluation questionnaires proved to be an initial motivation to
participate in the project. In the best case, the questionnaires even animated
companies and employees to focus on an in-depth examination of their current
company situation and the management style applied.
However, the questionnaires were less practical tools for the actual analysis of
companies. The questionnaires listed too many questions; yet, they were too
undifferentiated. The reason for it was that the questions were to be answered
by companies of different sizes, engaged in different branches of industry,
located in different regions and at different stages of their development.
Hence, the results of the evaluation of the answers were often unfounded and
they did not motivate people to participate.
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The criteria of the analysed evaluation of the company's situation were partially
unfounded or even misleading. (E.g. negative assessment of companies that
had not indicated any export turnover in case of local service providers,
bakeries, butcher’s shops, etc.)
The importance of enterprise evaluation questionnaires as a tool for the
determination of training demand of potential companies decreased as the
project progressed. There were two factors that helped to convince new
companies of the benefits of the programmes offered. These were the positive
verbal propaganda communicated by the companies that participated in the
project before, and our efforts to focus on serious pestering problems in the
region and the single industrial sectors. (Examples: "First Solar Fabrik" in
Frankfurt, change of the personnel structure in the hospitals in Brandenburg,
increasing importance of fitness of elderly and unemployed people capable of
work)
The actual work in the companies and with the companies, with the
managements,
employees,
job
seekers
and
individuals
in
rehabilitation
programmes made increasingly obvious that:
In general, the analysis of soft skills should be intensified, and accordingly
reflected in the structure of the initial analysis.
It was necessary to emphasise the benefits for the companies (even) more
intensively, and continue to improve the qualification of the measurement of
progress. These aspects became the focus of attention due to the development
and implementation of more creative analysis methods at the later stages of
the project. The participating training centres adjusted the reviewed methods to
the needs of target groups as exemplarily described in appendix 5, 6 and 7 by
means of elected analysis tools. (The learning fields of the training centres are
listed in section 1.5)
For that reason, the improvements and innovations in the system of analysis
tools were systematically developed as follows:
In the acquisition phase, the so-called "rapid evaluation" (appendix 3)
was offered to the addressed enterprises. It aimed to help managers to
evaluate the company’s actual situation. The evaluation questionnaire
was limited to merely six questions on the commercial viability of the
company’s activities, collaboration with partners, the company’s own
progress controlling methods, the quality of the employees’ work, and
the company’s strategic management.
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The original enterprise evaluation questionnaire (appendix 1) was
revised.
The
new
version
(appendix
2)
was
designed
as
a
multiple-choice questionnaire. Compared to the original questionnaire,
the new version included significant improvements for both the
enterprises and for the evaluation, since it offered several possible
answers and recommended different qualification measures.
The complexity of the questions made the questionnaire very useful to
identify the demand for qualification measures that were not offered by
the co-operating training centres at that time. Hence, the questionnaire
has contributed to the set-up of networks. However, the revised version
of the questionnaire did not succeed to diminish criticism on the original
version such as its unsophisticated structure, and the demotivating and
inadequate conclusions in reference to the quality of the companies'
management.
The questionnaire was still not an optimal tool for the definition of the
benchmarks. Moreover, its application was reasonable only for several
purposes (gaining the participants’ confidence, reacting on specific
problems of the respondents) and only combined with a personal
interview. In addition, the questionnaire is too long and time-consuming.
The common questionnaire of all education centres involved in the
"EQUAL II – bench-effect – crossing boarder" project was originally
intended
to
attract
suitable
tutors,
consultants
and
coaches
(appendix 4). It specified all learning fields offered by the training
centres in a detailed and clear manner, and thus, it was suitable for
identifying the potential participants’ qualification needs and their
interest in change, without forcing the respondents to disclose any
personal or corporate weaknesses and deficiencies. The education
training centres used this questionnaire for acquisition purposes as well
as for the initial analysis of needs, strengths and weaknesses.
bbw (Vocational Training Centre in Frankfurt/Oder) developed its own
enterprise assessment questionnaire (appendix 6), which focuses on the
behaviour of the management referring to management accounting.
Respondents can choose from three possible answers. All answers are
given anonymously. Due to this solution, respondents can avoid a
subjective oath of disclosure. It also creates a basis for a focused
discussion, and for the initiation of change processes. The application of
this questionnaire in workshops with the representatives of companies
proved to be effective. Subsequent users of the method may flexibly
tailor the actual content of the questions may according to the needs of
other target groups. What is crucial from the methodological point of
view, is the basic principle to obtain fast and plausible information about
the structure of the qualification need and the foci of the necessary
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changes (individual, group and company change management). The
evaluation of the information obtained is based on the relative frequency
of the answers given. (According to the way respondents assess their
own situations: positively, neutrally or negatively.)
The experience gained while implementing the bench-effect method
under the East Brandenburg conditions (i.e. the development of special
evaluation systems and their application, problem analysis, potential
solutions and problem shooting) is worth to be recommended for further
implementation.
A
good
example
is
the
"Health
check
50+"
(Gesundheitscheck 50plus) which was developed during the project by
the DAA (German Academy of Employees East Brandenburg) and was
successfully applied. (see appendix 7)
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4.3 Project phases, participation of enterprises
According to the sources and principles of the bench-effect method as described
in Section 1, the following project phases were recommended in the "support
material":
Modell: Ablaufschema „Bencheffect“
Gesamtübersicht
1.
Akquise-Phase
2.
Teamfindung
3.
Analyse der Ist-Situation
4.
Lern-Phase
5.
Weiterführende Maßnahmeplanung
German-English version
Modell: Ablaufschema „Bencheffekt“
Model: Flow chart "bench-effect"
Gesamtübersicht
Overview
1. Aquise-Phase
Phase 1: Acquisition
2. Teamfindung
Phase 2: Team building
3. Analyse der Ist-Situation
Phase 3: As-is analysis
4. Lern-Phase
Phase 4: Learning
5. Weiterführende
Phase 5: Further action planning
Maßnahmenplanung
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At the beginning the project, we provided stakeholders with the following
detailed proposal about the approach:
German version
Phase 1: Akquise
Roadshow
Mailing
Wettbewerb
Teilnahme
Publikationen
Firmencheck - Kurz
Firmencheck - Kurz
Firmencheck - Kurz
Firmencheck - Kurz
Strategische Partner
Begleitende AkquiseMaterialien
Firmenbegleiter
Broschüre
Präsentation
Flyer - Reason why
persönliches Gespräch
Kleinstunternehmen mit
1-3 Teilnehmern
Festes
Seminarprogramm
der Lernstätten
Positive Teilnahmeentscheidung
Seminarteilnahme
Selbststudium
Festes
Selbstlernangebot
der Lernstätten
Unternehmen mit einer größeren
Anzahl von Mitarbeitern, komplexen
Lernaufgaben und einer geplanten,
längeren Verweildauer in den
Lernstätten
zur Phase 2
zur Phase 2
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Model: Flow chart "bench-effect"
Phase 1: Akquise
Phase 1: Acquisition
Roadshow
Road shows
Firmencheck - Kurz
enterprise evaluation questionnaire
– short version
Mailing
Mailings
Firmencheck - Kurz
– short version
Wettbewerb Teilnahme
Participation in a competition
Firmencheck - Kurz
– short version
Publikationen
Publications
Firmencheck – Kurz
– short version
Strategische Partner
Strategic partners
Firmenbegleiter
Project liaison managers
Begleitende Aquise-Materialien
Complementary materials for the
acquisition
Broschüre
Brochure
Präsentation
Presentation
Flyer – Reason why
Flyer – reason why
persönliches Gespräch
Personal interview
Festes Seminarprogramm der
Fixed programme of the training
Lernstätten
centres
Seminarteilnahme
Participation in the seminar
Selbststudium
Self-study
Festes Selbstlernangebot der
Fixed self-study programme of the
Lernstätten
training centres
Positive Teilnahmeentscheidung
Positive decision on participation
Kleinstunternehmen mit 1-3
Micro enterprises with one to three
Teilnehmern
participants
Unternehmen mit einer größeren
Enterprises with a higher number of
Anzahl von Mitarbeitern, komplexen
employees, complex learning goals
Lernaufgaben und einer geplanten,
and a scheduled longer stay in the
längeren Verweildauer in den
training centres
Lernstätten
zu Phase 2
to phase 2
zu Phase 2
to phase 2
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German version
Phase 2 und 3: Teamfindung
Analyse der Ist-Situation
Arbeitsphase 2 wird nur bei größeren Unternehmen
und komplexeren Aufgaben notwendig werden.
Ablauf für größere
Unternehmen und
komplexere Aufgaben
Ablauf für kleine
Unternehmen
Bildung Change-ManagementTeam
Motivation C-M-T
2.
Auftaktmeeting
Anwendung alternativer
Analyse-Tools
Firmencheck
Check
Standardprobleme
Business
Excellence
Check
SWOTAnalyse
Objektive
Funktionsanalyse
3.
Feststellung der Problemlagen
Festlegung der Lernstätten
Verbindung zur Phase 4
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Model: flow chart "bench-effect"
Phase 2 und 3:
Phases 2 and 3:
Teamfinding
Analyse der
team building
as-is analysis
Ist-Situation
Arbeitsphase 2 wird nur bei größeren
Working phase 2 is only applicable in
Unternehmen und komplexeren
case of larger companies and more
Aufgaben notwendig werden.
complex tasks.
Ablauf für kleine Unternehmen
Course of action for small enterprises
Ablauf für größere Unternehmen und
Course of action for larger enterprises
komplexere Aufgaben
and more complex tasks
2.
2
Bildung Change-Management-Team
Building change management teams
Motivation C-M-T
Motivation CMT
Auftaktmeeting
Kick-off meeting
3.
3
Anwendung alternativer Analyse-Tools
Application of alternative analysis
tools
Firmencheck
Enterprise evaluation
Check Standard-probleme
Standard problem evaluation
questionnaire
Business Excellence check
Business excellence evaluation
questionnaire
SWOT-Analyse
SWOT analysis
Objektive Funktionsanalyse
Objective functional analysis
Feststellung der Problemlagen
Identifying problems
Festlegung der Lernstätten
Determining training centres
Verbindung zu Phase 4
to phase 4
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German version
Phase 4 und 5: Lernen/weiterführende Maßnahmeplanung
Festes
Seminarprogramm
der Lernstätten
Seminarteilnahme
Entscheidung
zur weiteren
Teilnahme
Selbst-studium
Festes
Selbstlernangebot
der Lernstätten
Training /
Beratung
Seminar
Praktikum
Coaching
4.
Work Shop
zur Reflexion der
Lernphase
Inspirationen festhalten
Ergebnsiberichte
Strategie durch C-M-T
Maßnahmeplan
5.
Unterstützung bei der
Umsetzung
Seminar
Training
Beratung
Coaching
Abschlußkonferenz 2007
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Model: flow chart "bench-effect"
Phase 4 und 5 Lernen/weiterführende
Phases 4 and 5:
Maßnahmeplanung
planning of training measures
Entscheidung zur weiteren Teilnahme
Decision upon a further participation
Festes Seinarprogramm der
Fixed programme of the training
Lernstätten
centres
learning /further
Seminarteilnahme
Participation in the seminar
Selbststudium
Self-study
Festes Selbstlernangebot der
Fixed self-study programmes of the
Lernstätten
training centres
4.
4
Seminar
Seminar
Training / Beratung
Training / consulting
Praktikum
Practical training
Coaching
Coaching
Workshop zur Reflexion der Lernphase
Workshop to reflect the learning stage
Inspirationen festhalten
Capturing inspirations
Ergebnisberichte
Reports on the results
5.
5
Strategie durch C-M-T
Strategy by the CMT
Maßnahmeplan
Training activities plan
Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung
Support during the implementation
Seminar
Seminar
Training
Training
Beratung
Consulting
Coaching
Coaching
Abschlusskonferenz 2007
Final conference 2007
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The involved parties came to the following results in the fist phase of the worksharing and cooperative implementation of the project:
The phases described in the overview have proven to be essential
elements; however, they could not be realised as independent phases
that composed a set sequence. For example, the as-is analysis of the
institution/company is in most cases an essential part of the acquisition
phase. Another example is the learning phase, in which further analyses
were often carried out, and activities aimed at transformation of the
current practice were drafted.
A detailed plan of the single steps, which is similar to the one developed
during the project, can be useful as a result of brainstorming conducted
by the entire network. In spite of its detailed structure, the plan should
not prevent us from reacting flexibly to new problems (qualification
needs, finding innovative solutions, problems in implementation).
Depending on the specific objective of the project activities and profiles
of the training centres, specific sequences must be developed and
implemented, taking into account the above-mentioned elements of the
bench-effect method.
In particular, in-house project activities in enterprises combine business
analysis, learning processes, brainstorming for necessary changes as
well
as
consulting
and
coaching
in
the
process
of
project
implementation.
Setting benchmarks proved to be a weak point, since the success of all
subsequent phases depends upon its requirements, upon the reality of
its achievement, and upon the possibility of successful business
performance due to its realisation. The following factors turned out to be
barriers to developing benchmarks:
o
Limited willingness to disclose positive experience under fear of
competition
o
Scepticism about experience from other industries or other
regions in terms of their applicability in ones own company or
region.
Hence, several conclusions described below should also be considered by future
users while implementing their own innovations in case of working under
comparable conditions. According to the different target groups and project
activities, we developed specific sequence patterns described below that are
regarded as inspiring examples to follow:
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Diagram 1: detailed flow chart depicting the implementation of the
bench-effect method in East Brandenburg
(left column: IHK FF/O, middle column: bbw FF/O,
right column: DAA FF/O)
German version
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Diagram 1: detailed flow chart of the realisation of the bench-effect
method in East Brandenburg
(left column: IHK FF/O, middle column: bbw FF/O,
right column: DAA FF/O)
Schrittmacher OderSpree
bench-effect® Methode
bench-marking
bench-effect® method
benchmarking
Firmencheck
benchlearning
benchlearning
Phase 1
Phase 1
(Workshop, Beratung, Stammtisch)
(workshop, consulting, regular meetings)
Bedarfsanalyse
Assessment of needs
Individuelles Angebot
Individual training programmes
Training/Coaching
Training/Coaching
Bedarfsanalyse
Assessment of needs
Seminarangebot
Seminars offered
Training/Workshop
Training/Workshop
Lerngruppe
Learning group
Phase 2
Phase 2
(Workshop, Beratung, E-learning, Stammtisch)
(Workshop, consulting, e-learning, regular
meetings)
Projektphase
Project phase
Begleitete Umsetzungsphase
Guided implementation phase
Erfahrungsaustausch mit anderen
Exchange of experience with other
KMU
SME
Lösungsansätze entwickeln
Developing approaches to solve the
problem(s)
Fachgruppe
Troubleshooting group
bench-effect
bench-effect
Phase 3
Phase 3
(Unternehmensreise)
(Business trips)
Umsetzung des Gelernten im eigenen
Implementation of the acquired
Unternehmen
knowledge in the companies of
participating entrepreneurs
Auswertungsworkshop
Assessment workshop
Aktionsgruppe
Implementing group
Firmencheck
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Diagram 2: Detailed conceptual design of the project phases for
the activities of bbw Frankfurt/Oder (middle column
in diagram 1)
German version
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Diagram 2: Detailed conceptual design of the project phases for
the activities of bbw Frankfurt/Oder (middle column
in diagram 1)
bench-effect® Methode
bench-effect® method
Phase 1
Benchmarking
Phase 1
Benchmarking
Beratungs- und Analysephase
Consulting and analysis phase
Firmencheck
Bedarfsanalyse
Assessment of needs
Initiativgruppe
Initiative group
Phase 2
Benchlearning®
Phase 2
Benchlearning®
Trainingsphase
Training phase
Individuelles Angebot
Individual programmes
Training / Coaching
Training / Coaching
Seminar / Workshop
Seminar / Workshop
Lerngruppe
Learning group
Phase 3
bench-effect®
Phase 3
bench-effect®
Begleitete Umsetzungsphase
Guided implementation phase
Zielstellung und Aufgabenplanung
Setting objectives, planning tasks
Erfahrungsaustausch im Team
Exchange of experience within a team
Erfahrungsaustausch mit anderen KMU
Exchange of experience with other SMEs
Lösungsansätze im Team entwickeln
Developing solutions in a team
Gemeinsam Lösungsansätze entwickeln
Developing solutions together
Fachgruppe
Umsetzung der Ziele und Aufgaben im eigenen
Implementation of the objectives and tasks
Unternehmen
within the company
Unternehensreise
Business trip
Auswertungsworkshop
Assessment workshop
Firmencheck
Aktionsgruppe
Implementing group
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During the project implementation, easy flow models have helped to show
participants a path through the project leading to a solution in a flexible but
systematic and purposeful manner. These flow models worked well in spite of
individual problems in the SMEs and various access barriers to participation.
The primary objective was to find a way that facilitates a specialized and almost
individual approach and - at the same time - allows mutual learning even in the
most diverse groups. This objective had to be achieved while working with and
for individual SMEs, on the one hand, and supplying standardized elements for
problem solutions with the greatest possible generality, on the other hand.
Accordingly, all training centres developed a range of education programmes
that were designed for special target groups: groups, which were similar
enough in one or more parameters, so that we could plan and guide their way
to improvement in groups. The choice of the training centre approach itself
shows that groups were formed according to the content-related criteria of
business success. This approach was fine-tuned within the single training
centres according to needs of the participants.
Not all the attempts to develop problem-oriented programmes for groups
proved to be successful. (In some cases, the presumed problems had not been
clearly defined, and sometimes the advertisement of the programmes was not
sufficient enough, etc.)
Overall, this strategy proved to lead to the desired results.
Training programmes were developed for target groups based on:
ownership structure,
enterprise size,
branches of industry,
common interests for the solution of location problems,
common health problems,
common targeted markets/countries for new businesses,
common business problems
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The
following
sequence
of
the
tasks
and
their
transformation
in
the
corresponding organisational forms proved to be practicable for the long-term
project tasks:
Initiative group:
We clarified specific interests, defined problems, and planned possible solutions
with participating individuals and decision makers from SMEs. This approach
often defined the first contact during the acquisition of participants.
Workshop proved to be a good organisational form for this initiative work. In
some cases, more than one workshop was needed.
Learning group:
If a certain knowledge deficit was detected during the workshops, the first
phase of the course of action planned was to try to solve the problem in a
learning phase. This was basically available to all participants, not only to that
of the initiative group.
Hence, the composition of the learning group was seldom identical with the
composition of the initiative group.
The typical organisational forms of the learning phase were: classical seminar,
training based on different methods, work shadowing and internships.
Troubleshooting group:
Troubleshooting groups are composed of representatives of SMEs and other
individuals. The objective of such a group is to find solutions to problems that
they had identified jointly. Troubleshooting group meetings are characterised
by an intensive exchange of experience. Different forms of systematic
benchmarking can be integrated optimally into the work.
These troubleshooting groups are open for all participants of the project.
The organisational form is usually one or more workshops.
Implementing group:
The objective of the implementing groups is to put the identified solutions into
practice. In some cases, the group focused on exchange of experience and
readjusting the developed solutions: if e.g. the solution had to be put into
practice by an individual, or if an extra group was set up (within a company or
organisation, etc.) to implement the solution there.
The organisational forms were: workshops, training on the job, and work
shadowing.
Although we had developed a certain sequence of phases that are logically
interrelated
but
clearly
distinguished,
it
occurred
rather
seldom
that
participants followed the described order of phases. Groups worked parallel, in
some cases, however, the cycle could not be completed.
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Hence, the theoretically ideal model displayed below, was applied rather rarely.
Nevertheless, it served as an essential lead for those in charge, since it showed
which elements of the bench-effect process had to be realised.
Initiative group
Learning group
Troubleshooting
group
Implementing
group
A more flexible concept that allows the simultaneous application of different
phases seems to be closer to reality.
Initiative group
Learning group
Implementing group
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The required practical flexibility can best be reflected by a model consisting of
different module types. The single elements of the modular system - or several
elements put in a logical order - can be applied depending on the task,
expectations and willingness of the participants to be engaged in intensive
forms of the EQUAL programme. It may also be practical to select single
elements (as it occurred in the practice, indeed). In this case, we started with
the final element: the implementing group which detected a certain knowledge
gap. This gap lead to the setting-up of a learning group.
Modules
Initiative group
Learning group
Implementing group
We developed different programmes that had been custom-tailored to the
situation and objectives of the companies. These programmes were used in inhouse seminars and concrete qualification, consulting and coaching projects.
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Example: In-house practice of the training centre "Strategy and
Market" (TFH- Technical University of Applied Sciences
Wildau, Bad Saarow branch):
Stable business ties have been established. Result and tool: in-house seminars.
Necessary requirement: enterprises really practice the "bench-effect principle".
This principle represents the unity of deficit and opportunity analyses, further
training, assistance in developing innovative transformation concepts, and their
implementation.
Example No. 1: Complex location for consulting services
Six months intensive contacts until June, 2007. Companies with different offers
based at the same location were pooled into a single project activity.
Additionally, customers of the addressed enterprises also attended the
seminars. Hence, the seminars helped to stabilise and expand existing
customer relationships. The aim and result of the project was to develop
practical ideas and measures for an improved design and marketing of the site.
Example No 2: Medium-sized construction and service providing company
6 months intensive support including aim-targeted seminars; closing discussion
on the achieved changes; a continuation is desired. The seminars served both
the qualification of young professionals and "core employees" of the company
and
was
specifically
integrated
into
the
company’s
human
resources
development.
Example No. 3: Travel and Tourism business
Personal contacts, analysis of the needs of individuals and companies, company
support and monitoring for three months. Tools and results: staff training,
practicing the complex marketing concept developed by the management,
followed by six seminars for employees on the implementation of the concept.
There is a demand to continue this procedure according to the changing
conditions and experiences. Among other improvements, some obvious positive
changes have been observed in employees behaviour towards customers.
Example No. 4: Enterprise with several ice cream parlours
The company was under threat of insolvency (fact revealed by a management
consultant), which could obviously be prevented only through fundamental
changes in the company. The aim was to increase sales in order to improve
liquidity in the short term. The main instrument was the information of
employees about the problem, which increased their motivation.
Twelve seminars for employees were conducted on specific business problems
(service, conflict management, etc.) in a period of more than six months. One
of the fist results was an increase in revenues by 17 to 30 per cent compared to
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the corresponding months of the previous year. This result improved the
perspectives to save the 14 jobs at risk.
Shorter activities including two-day seminars (supported by previous research)
in form of workshops and brainstorming conferences were developed to address
specific problems. They were followed by a guided self-study, the observation
of changes in the management or the participants’ behaviour, including
coaching up to specific changes. This was possible, because many seminar
participants took advantage of the training programme several times and
reported corresponding changes in their business activities. Approximately ten
per cent of the programme participants attended more than five seminars. This
indicates that many SMEs used the programme systematically, and fitted the
seminars into their human resources development plans. Based on the
company size of the participating SMEs, we can assume that the training of
employees at such a high level would not have been feasible without this
training centre project.
Conclusion:
The project sequence proposed at the beginning of the project was the
following: It began with acquisition and as-is analysis and setting-up
benchmarks based on this analyses, followed by a learning phase,
problem solving and brainstorming in troubleshooting groups, and ended
with the implementation of the solutions found by the coached
implementing groups in the company.
This idea has proved itself in principle. It corresponds to the bencheffect methodology.
However, during the realisation of the project, major adaptations to the
specific conditions and improvements were carried out successfully.
These were the following:
o
The interdependence and thus, simultaneity of different phases
such as: acquisition, as-is analysis, qualification, the work of
troubleshooting groups, efforts to find solutions to problems and
subsequent
action
which
aimed
to
achieve
practical
improvements, increased during the project.
o
The
seminar
programmes
were
qualified
and
are
being
increasingly applied as a modular system according to the
analysis results and the change needs of the clientele.
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o
Necessary
specific
contents,
processes
and
methods
were
developed and implemented within the respective fields of
learning to initiate the measures required to qualitatively improve
applicability, skills, abilities of the employees as well as their
health. These measures, however, were not aimed at complex
changes in the company’s management.
Different elements as repeated several times. These elements are:
training, self-study, implementation tasks, workshops aiming to review
results and generate new ideas. These activities represent the basic
requirements for continuous individual and team learning. and enable
the
implementation
of
independent,
strategic
and
operational
controlling, even after the completion of the project - in terms of
sustainability and upon the principle of "helping others to help
themselves", which was consistently pursued during the project.
The
unity
of
analysis,
learning,
exchange
of
experience,
and
implementation applies to in-house seminars in particular. Thus, the
phases of the bench-effect method are realized here in different time
frames, with different budgets, and without a scheduled sequence.
The quality of seminars improves even in case of one-day or two-day
seminars, if the bench-effect principle is applied deliberately. Problem
identification and benchmarks setting take place at the beginning of the
seminar. These initial activities are followed by experience exchange and
brainstorming. By the end of the seminars, participants jointly come to
conclusions regarding practical work in companies, personal activities
and
behaviour
(e.g.
applications
of
unemployed).
If
required,
participants are subsequently offered follow-up measures such as
individual consulting or coaching; they can also get support for the
implementation.
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4.4 Networks as the objective of the method
SMEs in East Brandenburg often work in isolation. They know the local market:
their consumers (customers), their suppliers (if they are engaged in a
manufacturing process), as well as their competitors.
However, their level of knowledge and economic capacity (size) is not sufficient
for regional activities, leave alone international transactions.
It is not a very common approach to overcome these limitations by cooperation: SMEs in East Brandenburg seldom participate in work-sharing
networks.
This situation is the reason for the fact that SMEs in East Brandenburg obtain
far too few suggestions for deliberate and systematic comparison with others.
The situation described might also promote the modesty observed.
Hence, projects based on the bench-effect method aimed to promote
networking among the participating SMEs.
We have succeeded with it on several levels, however, the structure of these
information and support networks is always loose, and their level
of
institutionalisation remains rather low or is completely absent:
between
long-term
education
centres
projects
or
and
on
participants
more
than
who
one
participated
project
in
(indirect
institutionalization with the training centre occurs during the project in
case the co-ordination capacity is appropriate,)
between
the
single
education
centres
(There
is
a
degree
of
institutionalization and formalization. Due to the project co-ordination,
there is even an organisational centre for the time of the project
implementation)
between
unemployed
(young
adults
and
people
over
50)
and
entrepreneurs
entrepreneurs’ meetings which aim at networking
location-based networks (e.g. "Haus der Beratung" Schloss Diedersdorf House of Advise)
setting-up of regional collaboration networks with the aim to place all-inone offers in the market.
first experience of simultaneous involvement of companies and their
customers in an EQUAL project. (That promotes customer-oriented or
demand-oriented
improvement
in
the
corporate
policy,
and
a
customer-oriented behaviour of employees in a "supplier enterprise".)
Some of the resulting networks will last even beyond the duration of the
EQUAL II project. SMEs that build collaboration networks are going to be forced
to conduct intensive networking because of the technology they apply.
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However, all experience indicates that the continued existence of the network is
at risk if no (preferably) neutral organizational and co-ordination capacity is
available.
A certain level of institutionalization of the network activities – in which form
ever – should be formulated as the next objective to aim for.
This applies also and especially to those institutions which assume the role of
the organiser. The very fact that IHK, HWK, DAA, and bbw Wildau jointly
participated in the development and application of the demand-oriented and
practice-oriented bench-effect method is regarded as a significant success.
Regardless of the continuing competition in the training market, and partial
overlaps in the range of education programmes and in the target clientele, a
genuine development partnership has been created for the benefit of the
participants:
The offer of the overall project led to mutual marketing support.
Contrary to the tendencies of a predatory pricing, the ever-increasing
knowledge of the potentials and specific strengths of the partner
reinforced co-operation and the division of labour.
Thereby, we achieved an important but still expandable progress in the
exchange of customers and tutors as well as in the adjustment and
co-ordination of the range of our education programmes.
Training centres sometimes compete with each other in the use of bench-effect
method. Thus, it is important for a trustful and sustained co-operation to
recognize and take into account the objectively and subjectively reasonable
limits of the networking of training centres in the interests of co-operation
efficiency and the quality of the applied measures:
The need to develop long-lasting and trustful relationships between
participants of the training programmes and the training centres
presupposes that a particularly close bond should emerge between the
companies and individuals to one education centre.
The complexity of the problems of many target persons and companies
indicates that they cannot really benefit from the competence of several
training centres. What they really need is support from one source.
The participating institutions have to perform specific social tasks, for
example through their memberships in the IHK or in the HWK or through
the long-term co-operation of the DAA and the bbw, or through the
research tasks of the TFH.
It is obvious that each education centre wants to secure its own
sustainable existence.
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These, too, were strong reasons for a modification of the original concept that
aimed to offer "neutral" support to the participants based on the co-operation
of training centres:
o
The trend toward in-house seminars requires both at the same
time: target-oriented holistic approaches of the bench-effect and
the support of an "institution of trust".
o
Long-lasting trustful relationships are a prerequisite to successful
bench-effects. Project managers in training centres tend to have
that confidence and specific knowledge about the companies.
o
Tutors that have worked with the education centres for a
long time proved to be good project liaison managers.
o
Specific objectives of the measures within the project
require
specially
qualified
trainers,
consultants
and
coaches. Accordingly, projects on entering new markets in
foreign countries (e.g. the trips of the entrepreneurs to
Spain, Finland, Poland organised by the Chamber of
Commerce) require a liaison manager who knows these
markets, the applicable law as well as the manners and
customs of the respective countries.
o
The motivation of training centres is stimulated by their
interest to increase customer loyalty and to ensure a solid
funding also beyond the official end of the project. Hence,
project participants can be sure that they can expect
consulting and coaching even on the long run.
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5
Conclusions and recommendations
5.1 bench-effect – more necessary than ever
The SMEs in East Brandenburg are small and micro enterprises. Even those
enterprises that have successfully established themselves in the market, suffer
from limited resources. Normally, they do not review their economic activities
strategically, and lack planned procedures for continuous improvement.
In many cases, the company management do not know how to bring about
improvement processes and they even lack the awareness that these processes
are essential.
External advice is far too often seen as financially unviable or it is rejected on
principle as an alleged sign of ones failure.
The described situation has not changed sufficiently since we started our work
within the bench-effect project. A few hundred entrepreneurs and individuals
who wanted to improve their chances on the labour market through training
have changed their attitude in the course of the project. They represent the
potential of employed people who are ready for changes and committed to work
for improvement in a goal-oriented manner. We hope that their success will
have a positive effect on thousands of people that still have their concerns
about the project. Up to now, many East Brandenburg SMEs will not realise the
necessity of continuous improvement before poor profit figures forecast the
failure of the company.
If these SMEs are to be saved for economic reasons, and they have to, and if
the region does not want to lag behind the economic development in Germany,
then they have to be offered external support. The optimal goal should be to
create conditions that help companies to generate an interest in external
support.
As the project implementation that lasted for two years in East Brandenburg
has clearly shown, the bench-effect method is suitable, to be applied precisely
to the above mentioned problems and to help to achieve that
SMEs look beyond their daily tasks and start to plan their future
strategically,
people begin to follow standards that represent best practice,
companies seek external consulting to analyse specific problems and
barriers to development,
SMEs engage in developing long-term learning pathways and business
plans with the support of external consultants, or as a result of the
organized exchange of experience,
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a demand for learning and training programmes is generated since the
reasonability of these training measures is not being questioned any
more due to the close contact and trust developed between training
centres and the enterprises,
the implementation of improvement processes is discussed in internal
groups within the SMEs or in heterogeneous groups composed of several
SMEs,
the awareness increases that networking and co-operations can help to
better secure the economic future of enterprises.
Multiple signals confirm a sustained effect to the participants (companies and
individuals). These are the following:
Determined improvements in company’s situation: increasing sales,
efficiency gains as well as improving employee motivation,
Verifiable improvement of the job seekers chances on the labour market
and the increase of the employees capacity,
Enquiries about further and subsequent measures at training centres.
5.2 Flexibility – methods, timescale, topics, participants
The training programmes should be designed with the utmost flexibility in order
to cover different aspects. These are among others: the diversity of reality, the
choice of methods, the optimal training time as well as the issues of practical
importance like the actual time that participants spend with programme
activities compared to their regular work time, the learning contents as well as
the number of participants.
Under the heading "flexibility" we shall record the following facts and general
experience which have proved useful:
Methods
Analysis
- Unstructured interview,
- Structured interview,
- Group inquiries (interview or written),
- Enterprise evaluation (EQUAL II, von-Gut-zu-SpitzeUnternehmenscheck - "from-good-to-top enterprise evaluation"),
- SWOT analysis,
- Standard problems analysis,
- Business excellence evaluation and quality management,
- Objective functional analysis (evaluation of economic indicators)
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Consulting
- One-on-one interviews
- Group discussions in a company,
- Establishing long-term initiative groups working within one
company or with employees from several companies
Learning
- Seminars,
- Self-study,
- Internships,
- Establishing long-term learning groups working within a company
or with employees from several companies
Training
- Workshops focusing on practical processes,
- Training on the job,
- Establishing troubleshooting groups that work within the longterm programmes in a company or with employees of several
companies who benefit from each other by sharing experience
Coaching
- Coaching of individuals
- Coaching of small groups
Process support in change management
- By coaching
- By a series of workshops
- Establishing implementing groups that work in the long-term
within a company or with employees of several companies who
work in the field of change management
Time Schedule
exploratory discussion
1 hour
presentation at a road show
2 hours
consulting individuals or small groups
up to 4 hours
seminar/training in groups
4 hours and more
mostly 1 to 2 days
in-house programmes
total time: up to 6 months,
actual training time: up to 12 days
topic-oriented programmes
(e.g. developing foreign markets, health)
total time: up to 1 year,
actual training time: up to 20 days
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Topics
The programme used an extraordinary diversity of subject matters. All
education centres have tried and explored the needs of potential participants
and have developed corresponding offers. The five participating learning
centres agreed to cooperatively divide the work, and defined their own learning
fields. Virtually all of the respective thematic emphases were put into practice.
(See section 1.5 Learning fields, pages 11 to 13.)
Participants
- Owners and managers of SMEs
- Individual participants who aim to start a business or pursue selfemployed occupation
- Employees of SMEs as individual participants or in groups
- Individual participants who are jobseekers and are preparing for a
new employment
5.3 Working with learning paths and action plans
The objective of the theoretical model for the bench-effect method was to
negotiate with enterprises that have declared their interest in participating in
EQUAL II, to conclude an agreement on an approach that starts with the
problem analysis and ends with the solution of the problem.
One of the essential tools for the implementation of the approach agreed upon
was a set of specific plans. The exact content of these plans were to be derived
from interviews conducted with the decision makers of SMEs during the analysis
phase.
Plans that were based on the process of learning were denoted with the term
"learning path". We used different terms in those cases where the task was to
find ways to change the practical economic activities within the participating
SMEs. The terms used in the course of the project, were: business plan,
change plan and action plan.
It has been observed that the willingness of potential participants for long-term
co-operation was initially rather limited. The reason given for this reluctance
was often related to the presumption that the companies did not have enough
time for it.
However, it has appeared in the course of project implementation, that the
participation in long-term programmes depended on the degree of trust
participants had in the organisers.
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We have found out that companies that already had contacts with the
respective training centre, or had participated in projects within previous
programmes were more likely to agree to long-term learning paths or action
programmes than newly acquired companies and their employees. This is also a
recognition of the quality of the training measures that had been offered and
implemented.
Ultimately, the idea of the possible individual customer orientation (as it is
defined in the bench-effect method) was established in practice.
The seminar and training programmes of the development partnership
were based on an accurate knowledge of the needs of potential
participants and on the expectations expressed by them. Hence, it was
possible to pool individual problems and to work on them in groups.
If the total time scale of the programmes was relatively long, the
development partnership invested considerable effort to acquire those
companies and their employees that fit the content of the programme
best. This applied for example, to programmes that aimed to prepare
companies for co-operation and new markets, or to programmes on a
health promoting working environment, etc..
After a thorough analysis of the market, we developed a programme
framework. Subsequently, we identified and addressed companies
whose individual problems matched the programme framework. In the
course of project implementation, the programme framework was
adapted more precisely to the needs of the participants. This approach
proved successful.
In-house activities constituted the third way that confirmed that longterm learning pathways and action plans are successful tools.
After the initial contact to and the subsequent analysis of a particular
enterprise, it was detected that this company needed a long-term
support.
Individual
learning
paths
and
action
programmes
were
developed for this particular company and we worked with its employees
for a longer period of time.
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5.4 Composition of groups: heterogeneous vs. homogenous
The composition of the groups during the project implementation has always
been crucial for the success of the single measures.
The following criteria seem to be appropriate:
•
the
previous
business
knowledge
of
the
interested
parties
(professional qualification, work experience),
•
the
branch
of
industry
or
division
of
the
participants
(in
tourism-related activities: hotels and hostels, event service providers
such as boat rentals, swimming pools, golf and miniature golf courses),
craftsman and SMEs that offer material goods (construction, bakers and
butchers, etc.)
•
type of performance: services or material goods. Contrary to the
trends of the German economic structure, numerous further training
programmes still focus on crafts that produce material goods and
neglect the growing importance of services outside of the insurance and
banking
sector.
The
service
sector
is
often
conceptually
underrepresented in the scope of training programmes.
We observed that three interdependent factors were critical to the success of
the measures. These are:
Personal attributes:
especially factors, such as attitude to training activities, knowledge, ability and
willingness to work in a team
Personal interest:
could be based on the participant's personal interest in education, from his/her
professional plans, or on peer effects.
Economic pressure:
Based on the economic indicators, this motivation level could be identified to
only a limited extent. Only the combination of the expectations of the affected
participants and the general character of these expectations revealed the basic
structure of a differentiated pressure.
This psycho-social conditions of the targeted group work proved to be
important for the success of the project compared to other group forming
indicators, such as branch of industry or business size.
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personal
attributes
optimal
group composition
economic
pressure
personal
interests
The more homogeneous a group was according to this psycho-social criteria,
the more satisfied were the participants with the results in general. The group’s
work was at risk if the differences were large. Under certain circumstances, the
planned approach could not, or could not completely be implemented in the
intended way.
It was sometimes extremely useful, if a group that was relatively homogenous
regarding these psycho-social factors was rather heterogeneous concerning
other factors.
Even joint workshops for entrepreneurs, unemployed young adults and
jobseekers aged 50 or more led to surprisingly positive results.
Many participants found out about the specific motivations and interests of the
participating groups for the first time, and they learnt to understand and accept
each other’s interests. Due to this special group composition, some participants
were offered internships and some jobseekers found employment.
Concerning learning groups and troubleshooting groups, a group composition
based on the current problems and responsibilities of the participants proved to
be beneficial.
Concerning learning groups and troubleshooting groups, it proved to be
beneficial if the group composition was based on the current problems and
responsibilities of the participants.
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The following composition of groups based on thematic foci, and the training
programmes design derived from it, proved to be appropriate in this context:
A. Managing Director and senior executives of existing SMEs in different
current business situations and the resulting priority objectives:
Problem No. 1: The primary objective is to increase sales and revenue in
companies with the following characteristics: the capacity utilisation is not
satisfactory, the capacity cannot be reduced in the medium term or it cannot be
reduced at all, and the resulting fixed costs are not affordable.
Problem No. 2: The primary objective is to reduce costs due to the relatively
steady demand situation with a flexible capacity of assets.
Problem No. 3: The primary objective is the diversification of services provided,
since the existing capacity is not fully utilised either generally or seasonally and
since the demand in the core area of the current range of services is not at all
or only slightly expandable.
B. New entrepreneurs
Problem No. 1: The primary objective is to examine the likely economic viability
of the business idea and the personal strengths and weaknesses of the new
entrepreneur with regard to the implementation of the business idea.
Problem No. 2: The primary objective is to develop a business plan with
external and internal orientation of its informative content and its presentation
and implementation.
Problem No. 3: The primary objective is to support the first steps of a business,
tailored to the specific week points of the respective entrepreneur with regard
to marketing, supplier relations, financing and cash plan, accounting and
income statements etc.
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C. Family members, employees, employees of SMEs
who conduct defined activities as employees, but who should be trained to
substitute senior staff on a temporarily.
Problem No. 1: The primary objective is to impart basic knowledge on the
specific tasks that the participants will have to perform in their companies.
Problem No. 2: The primary goal is to exchange experience on the same or
similar tasks and problems in different companies.
5.5 Recommendations on the organization of the bench-effect
method
The success of each idea and each project depends crucially on how strong and
reliable the organisation of their practical implementation is. The bench-effect
method is a very comprehensive and methodologically diverse approach to
support SMEs.
The method requires a significant organizational work with regard to both the
quantitative and the qualitative aspect. In order to meet these organizational
demands, five educational institutions that specialised on certain educational
fields agreed to collaborate. This co-operation proved very useful. The task to
coordinate the overall processes was taken over by the sixth project partner.
Due to this fact, the organisational form of the project received a specialised
and well designed structure.
The role of the project liaison manager:
During the design of bench-effect method, the development partnership
assumed that if companies and individuals participate in a single project for a
longer time, they will need a permanent contact person at the organisers’ side.
This person should act as an interface between the single training centres.
These employees are called "project liaison managers". It is their task to liaise
between the training centres and the companies even if the companies need to
go to another centre to acquire specific education or consulting.
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The project liaison manager was to perform several tasks:
The liaison manager should support the acquisition of participants. The
liaison managers of single training centres should be introduced at
acquisition events (in person or by image and CV).
The project liaison manager conducts the initial interviews with
interested companies. He/she carries out the company assessment or
analyses the evaluation questionnaires that were previously filled in by a
participant. He/she prepares recommendations for the training centre on
the practical approach which can suit the needs of the interested
company after the initial meeting. (The learning path recommended by
the liaison manager is adjusted to the educational focus and the
financial means of the respective education centre.)
The project liaison manager negotiates with the interested companies
about the company’s further involvement in the project (learning path).
He/she remains the contact person of the acquired company, even if the
company (during the execution of the recommended learning path)
conducts activities in a training centre that is not the employer of
respective project liaison manager.
The liaison manager remains the contact person of the acquired
company as long as it is engaged in the project. It is the liaison
manager’s task to actively help the enterprise to achieve the agreed
project objectives.
The project liaison manager prepares a minute of all meetings and calls
with the company, and hands them out to both the company and the
respective training centre.
At the end of his/her assignment, the liaison manager reviews the
results of the company with the company’s representatives and records
them in an appropriate way. (minutes, and if required, a new enterprise
evaluation or a final work-shop)
The project liaison manager evaluates his/her own activities with the
company and makes his/her findings available for the generalization in
the bench-effect method.
In practical implementation of the project, the liaison manager did not get such
an extensive function as planned.
The idea that many companies will use the services of the EQUAL programme,
to work a long time on many different issues, with external support, in several
training centres, proved to be too optimistic. Those companies that were
interested in complex projects with a long-lasting engagement have put their
trust in the employees of the training centres.
These employees have almost assumed the function of the project liaison
manager. However, an activity across different training centres remained a rare
exception.
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Prerequisites of the work of the supervisors of the project:
If the bench-effect method is to be applied in the future, it is useful to create a
set of operating conditions before the project starts. It could lead to significant
delays or even discredit the content of the project if these preconditions are not
met at the beginning of the project.
Relevant experience of the project supervisors:
An external consulting for SMEs requires that the representatives of the project
organiser are credible in this function. The should meet comprehensive
preconditions in terms of:
Business management know-how,
Personal management experience,
Teaching skills,
The capability to inspire confidence.
It is true, that all participating parties can learn and have indeed learnt a lot in
all respects during the project. However, there is usually only one opportunity
to address a potential participant about the project.
The success of any project depends on the substantive components of the
project idea, and on the credibility of those people that promote the
participation in the project in particular.
A database of potential participants:
We
suggest
all
development
partners
to
use
a
common
address
file
(enterprises, and individuals) during the preparation and implementation of the
acquisition phase.
We did not determine any geographic or sectoral restrictions or limitations
neither for the single training centres nor for the acquisition efforts. Hence, we
needed an intelligent database in order to avoid that companies are addressed
more that one time.
The purpose of the programme could have been damaged if the complexity of
the programme was contradicted by the fact of a repeated approach of
potential participants.
Established instructors and consultants:
In the implementation of single projects all training centres had to work with
external instructors and consultants.
The project’s success depends to a considerable extent on the people who
establish the first contact to the participating enterprises. The same applies to
the instructors and consultants acting on behalf of project organisers.
Usually, their skills can not be tested before the project starts. Hence,
appointing new instructors and consultants is always a risk.
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That is why we recommend to future project organisers to include project
partners who have relevant experience in this field. They also have to make
sure that these partners have enough seasoned instructors and consultants
who can be deployed by the whole partnership during the entire project.
About the funding of the bench-effect method:
The ESF EQUAL programme provides a unique advantage for the beneficiaries:
the costs of the participants are fully covered by the programme.
In spite of this fact, the participation implies a considerable burden. The
entrepreneurs, their employees or other participants spend time on the
programme and they are not available for their usual duties during this time.
This time can be considered on the short-run as a loss of profit opportunity,
even if long-term profit opportunities are improved due to participation in the
programme. In practice, this lost opportunity is credited to the participant as a
virtual contribution to the financing of the programme.
This contribution is essential also for the project organisers. It is subject to
reporting and is also important for the financial management, since it provides
information on how many participants attend the project and for how long they
do so. The total
project
spending is subject to compliance with the
pre-approved relation to the financial resources of the participants.
This funding model leads to the intended broad effect of the ESF programme to
offset adverse effects of development.
The only factor that limits the involvement of potential participants in the
programme is time.
Fortunately,
that
means
that
this
support
programme
really
reaches
disadvantaged participants. However, it also leads to a situation in which
enterprises and individuals who do not have any available factors other than
time are more likely to participate in the project.
Due to this riskless benefit, quite a number of participants make their decisions
with levity and thus, endanger the stability and internal engagement in the
activities.
Hence, we suggest reducing the available support by requiring a financial
contribution of the participants in order to ensure the high quality of the
activities.
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5.6 Conclusion in form of seven questions
Question No. 1: Has the method proved successful?
The above-defined principle and the components of the bench-effect method
have proved successful without a doubt. They comprise the analysis of the
current
situation,
the
comparison
of
industrial
sectors
and
regions,
brainstorming workshops, the identification of benchmarks, and the derived
learning processes and change processes.
The realisation of these components intended to be an integrative process that
can be repeated if necessary. However, a rigid and chronological order of the
modules in form of subsequent phases proved to be unrealistic and ineffective.
Question No. 2: Has the combination of acquisition and enterprise evaluation
proved successful?
In principle, the combination of acquisition and first SWOT analysis is essential
for both steps: attracting the interest of potential participants and ensuring an
optimal design for the measures. The initially proposed complex enterprise
evaluation (see Appendix 1.2) had to be reviewed, despite its positive effects to
generate interest. The enterprise evaluation was partially replaced by more
specific tools, since:
o
They were too complex and unspecific to enable valid estimates.
o
They were too comprehensive to motivate clients to a serious
involvement before the beginning of the project.
o
They had sometimes led to improper or incorrect, and thus,
demotivating
conclusions
about
the
condition
and
the
management of the respondents.
Question No. 3: Has the designed sequence of phases "acquisition and
evaluation of the current situation - objectives - qualification - search for
solutions in so-called troubleshooting groups - change management in so-called
implementing groups proved successful?
The designed phases have fully proved to be indispensable modules of the
project implementation. However, their realisation as successive phases,
proved to be appropriate only in exceptional cases.
It is important that the participating training centres know the necessary
components of the bench-effect method and their methodically correct
sequence. They are less interesting for the benefiting companies and
individuals. For them, it is the effect that is essential.
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Question No. 4: Has the quality of the network of the participating training
centres improved in a desired way?
The joint development and general acceptance of the method led to better
understanding and better co-ordination between the participating institutes.
Through the joint project implementation, the centres learnt more about each
other’s potentials and limits. This partially enabled the qualified division of
labour, as well as the exchange of trainers and participants. Whether the
networks will be sustainable and whether, as sought for by most participants,
their collaboration will be further intensified, depends in our opinion on the
following factors:
o Will it be in the interest of the training centres- primarily because of
mutual synergies - to represent not only themselves but also the joint
projects according to methodological basic idea of the bench-effect
method?
o Are common programmes of several training centres and institutions
going to become more important in the future?
o The current network emerged because regulations on spending of aid
funding required it. Have enough connecting elements been generated
to keep networking profitable for single providers?
o Can the performance of each partner be clearly formulated and
described in future projects too?
Question No. 5: Did we manage to achieve improvements in the co-operation
and exchange of experience among the participants of the single measures?
The method enforced an objectively more intensive experience exchange.
Discussions aimed to find ideas for specific changes. In-house seminars with
the participation of clients and co-operation partners of the directly affected
enterprises have lead to an intensified exchange of experience as well as to a
significant improvement of the co-operation of providers of complex services
and an enhanced "customer care".
Question No. 6: Has the set of tools for educational measures and change
management been significantly expanded?
The applied tools of the single training centres were available for other training
centres within the development partnership. An important lesson is: tools and
methods that come "from outside" (e. g. through methodological support) are
used only to a very limited extend, even if they had often been applied
successfully in further education. The contents and tools used in the training
programmes should correspond to the objectives and problems of each specific
measure as well as to the experience of the instructors and consultants, and
tailored for the participating enterprises and individuals.
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Question No. 7: Are there any expectations about the sustainability of the
success achieved and the application of the method legitimate?
We believe that the above-mentioned "philosophy" of the method is going to
have a sustainable impact on the practical work of the participating institutions,
since it has proved useful and successful. According to our expectations, the
improvements in the division of labour and co-operation between the
participating institutions will be sustainable and are going to improve the
quality of offers in the long run, since the mutual knowledge of the potentials of
the institutions increased. However, there will always be a certain conflict
between the competition and the interest in co-operation.
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6
Appendix
Appendix 1:
Enterprise Evaluation Questionnaire - Version 2
COMPANY PROFILE
How long has your company been in business?
1 year or less
1 to 3 years
3 to 5 years
5 to 10 years
more than 10 years
What sector of industry does your enterprise operate in?
manufacturing
crafts
trade
service
How many people do you employ?
none
5 or less
5 to 19
20 to 49
50 or more
Where do you distribute your products and services?
locally
regionally
in Germany
in Europe
worldwide
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Customers and markets
1. Do you conduct market research?
a) No, our own experience in purchasing and sales suffice.
It is essential to know your market. Making your own experience is indispensable,
indeed. Solely own experience is always limited in more than one respect. Obviously,
you would like to know not only your current customers but also the potential ones. That
is why we strongly recommend you to learn more about your market by using new
sources of information. There are numerous tools available to increase your business
intelligence. Many of them are inexpensive in fact. Anyway, we suggest that you first
specify what kind of information you need for what purpose.
b) On special occasions, we collect data in the market situation by means of a customer
survey.
It is essential to know your market. You are not satisfied with sporadically obtained
information, but actively conduct market research on certain occasions. However, it
would be even better if you do it on a regular basis in order to remain up-to-date. There
are numerous tools available for market research, which you could use depending on
your budget. Anyway, we suggest that you should first specify what kind of information
you need and for what purpose.
c) We use market research tools on a regular basis (visit trade fairs, evaluate information
found in magazines, and the like)
It is essential to know your market. You have recognised the important role of
systematic market research. Systematic market research gives you a competitive edge
and an advantage in knowledge compared to your competitors. You could probably
consider whether your market research you conduct is systematic enough. If your
company has reached a certain size, it might be useful to entrust an expert with this job
or even set up a separate market research department.
d) We conduct systematic market research using relevant tools.
It is essential to know your market. You are among the few enterprises that conduct
market research extensively. You have a competitive edge and an advantage in
knowledge compared to your competitors.
2. How do you conduct marketing?
a) We do not need special marketing.
Marketing is not a luxury. It is essential for every enterprise. Marketing implies more
than advertising. It comprises all methods and tools that you need to be active in the
market. You should carefully consider and plan all your steps in this regard. As a result,
your will develop a marketing concept based on specific measures which should be
implemented and monitored consequently, indeed.
b) We advertise every now and then.
Advertising is an important part of marketing. However, it must be planned carefully.
Without a marketing plan, advertising is merely a matter of luck. A marketing plan
should be a part of an overall marketing concept. A marketing concept comprises all
methods and tools that you need to be active in the market. Such a concept also defines
how to implement single steps and monitor their success.
c) We organise our marketing activities according to a marketing plan.
Not limiting your marketing activities to single measures is a good approach. You could
integrate your marketing plan into an overall concept. A marketing concept comprises all
methods and tools that you need to be active in the market. Such a concept also defines
how to implement single steps and monitor their success.
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d) We have a detailed marketing concept. It includes a plan for each measure and defines
ways to implement it successfully and monitor it regularly.
Well done. Such a marketing concept is a precondition of using all chances for effective
marketing. Nothing will get in the way of your success if you manage to implement your
concept and plans consequently.
3. How do you compare your products and services with those of your competitors?
a) We receive reports from our customers occasionally.
Comparing is a smart thing to do. Occasional reports, however, would definitely not do
the trick. Being content with this situation is just as dangerous as flying blind. This is why
we suggest that you should pay more attention to your competitors. Thus, e.g. you
should actively collect information about your competitors’ products (brochures,
advertising material, trade fairs and online enquiries).
b) We search the Internet for relevant information.
Comparing is a smart thing to do. You have taken the first step towards active
information procurement. The Internet is indeed an abundant information source and it
can be used easily. You should, however not limit your efforts to the Internet. Trade fairs
and exhibitions offer a more specific and up-to-date information about the products of
your competitors. Moreover, you can gather additional information during conversations.
c) We search the Internet for relevant information and visit trade fairs and exhibitions.
Comparing is a smart thing to do. You are using several tools to compare products. You
gain a lot of information on the products of your competitors by going to trade fairs and
searching the Internet. To use the acquired results to the full extent, you should process
the information appropriately and integrate it into your marketing concept. It is also
advisable to check regularly whether your information is up-to-date.
d) We use all available product-comparing tools and document our results in writing.
Comparing is a smart thing to do. Carefully observing your competitors will give you a
substantial knowledge edge.
4. How do you find out what your customers expect from your products / services?
a) We get some indications from our customers occasionally.
Occasional information provided by customers can serve at least as a rough guide.
However, it is seldom representative. You can increase the quality and quantity of
feedback if you approach your customers proactively. Customer survey is a proven
method used to generate feedback. The information gathered should be captured in an
appropriate way and evaluated in co-operation with all of the relevant employees (sales,
marketing and development department).
b) We capture customer remarks and requests.
It is nice that the feedback of your customers is not inconsequential. Capturing it is a
good idea, indeed. You can increase the quality and quantity of the information if you
approach your customers proactively. Customer survey is a proven method used to
generate feedback. The communication and co-ordination between different
departments (service, sales, marketing and development) play an important role during
the evaluation of the data and the determination of consequences.
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c) We carry out customer survey regularly and evaluate the captured information.
Regular customer surveys increase the chances that your products and services satisfy
the expectations of your customers. Communication and co-ordination between different
departments (service, sales, marketing and development) play a crucial role during the
evaluation of the data. You may probably wish to see whether you can involve your
customers in the development of your products and services. This could increase
satisfaction and loyalty of your customers.
d) We actively involve our customers in the development of our products / services.
Involving your customers into the design of your products/services is an optimal
solution. It can help you to achieve a particularly high level of customer satisfaction and
loyalty which will give you a competitive edge your competitors can hardly catch up with.
5. Which strategy do you pursue during your conversations in the B2B business?
a) We do not need any strategy.
Having a strategy is essential for professional business sales talks. The strategy does
not only serve you as a guideline it also helps you to evaluate the situation within the
conversation. The strategy is also useful to take a common line within your company.
We strongly recommend dealing with this issue.
b) We try to find out what the best sales arguments are.
Collecting your best arguments is essential if you wan to be successful in sales.
However, you should plan your strategy more systematically. In the B2B business, it is
particularly important to evaluate your offer from the customer’s perspective. For this
purpose, you should identify the decision criteria of your customers and learn as much
about their value adding processes as possible. The more you know the better you will
manage to display the value-adding contribution of your products.
c) We try to follow the customer’s logic and see our products from their perspective.
To be able to evaluate your offer from the customer’s perspective is particularly
important in the B2B business. It is essential to learn the decision criteria of your
customers and analyse the customer’s value-adding processes. The more you know the
better you will manage to display the value-adding contribution of your products.
d) We analyse the value-adding processes of our customers and adjust our offers
accordingly.
You are indeed up-to-date if you pursue this value-oriented sales strategy. The more
you know the better you will manage to display the value-adding contribution of your
products. You increase your chances during sales conversations considerably, if you
are not regarded as a salesperson, but considered as a value-adding partner.
6. What tools do you use to draw your customers’ attention to your products /
services?
a) We do not have to use any tools because our customers know us well.
It looks like you have been dealt a bad hand of cards in the game of attracting attention.
If you want to attract new customers, you have to make sure that they take notice of
you. You can choose from a broad range of solutions depending upon your needs and
budget. Having corporate website and maintaining it regularly is considered a standard
nowadays. Basically, it is advisable to embed all activities into a marketing plan. In
addition, you should first consider what target group your products / services are
appealing to.
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b) We provide corporate and product information upon request.
Maintaining your company’s presence in the market is essential in the struggle for
attention. You should do more to make sure that your corporate and product information
reaches your target group. You can choose from a broad range of solutions. Having
corporate website and maintaining it regularly is considered a standard nowadays.
Basically, it is advisable to embed all activities into a marketing plan. In addition, you
should first consider what target group your products / services are appealing to.
c) We provide corporate and product information and have a website.
You do not wait until your customers find you by chance. Your website has become an
indispensable tool for drawing attention to your products / services. It is of vital
importance that you maintain and regularly update you website. However, a website
cannot substitute your presence in the market and participation in trade fairs and
exhibitions. In addition, if your company has reached a certain size, you should
systematically create a positive public perception of your company within the region of
your target groups.
d) We provide corporate and product information, have a website and we do public relation
and press work systematically.
The combination of product information, advertising and PR ensure that you gain an
advantageous position in the struggle for attention. These three elements complement
and reinforce each other. For this purpose, these tools and activities should be better
coordinated within the framework of the marketing plan.
Co-operation
7. How important is co-operation for your company?
a) We do not need any partners.
You are missing out the advantages of co-operation. A mere occasional exchange of
experience can provide you with information and help to establish contacts. You can
benefit from the experience and knowledge gained by other companies. As for a joint
venture or joint offer, these forms of co-operation virtually bring advantages that are
even more objective. Finally, the highest level in the development of co-operation could
be the establishment of a common subsidiary aimed at the realisation of mutual
projects. Anyway, we highly recommend that you actively and selectively search for
partners and opportunities in order to benefit from the advantages of co-operation.
b) We are not yet involved in partnerships but we would be interested to join one.
It is absolutely positive that you are open to co-operation. A mere occasional exchange
of experience can provide you with information and help to establish contacts. You can
benefit from the experience and knowledge gained by other companies. As for a joint
venture or joint offer, these forms of co-operation virtually bring advantages that are
even more objective. Finally, the highest level in the development of co-operation would
be the establishment of a common subsidiary aimed at the realisation of mutual
projects. Put your interests into practice and target at partners and opportunities in order
to benefit from the advantages of co-operation.
c) We are cooperating with companies from your region.
You have taken the decisive step and established or joint a partnership. Depending on
the type and content of your partnership, there are always various possibilities to
develop it further. That is why it is reasonable to consider new perspectives such as
regional expansion or intensification of your co-operation, e.g. via formation of a
common subsidiary aimed at the realisation of mutual projects.
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d) We cooperate both with German and European companies.
You have made the decisive step from the mere idea towards its realisation. However,
there must still be ways to intensify your co-operation. Partnerships often lead to new
perspectives. An alternative possibility for growth could be the geographic expansion of
your co-operation, not for its own sake, but according to your company’s objectives and
markets.
8. Do you attend entrepreneurs’ networking events organised by associations,
chambers and the like?
a) No, we do not have the time to.
It is disappointing that you do not use the opportunity offered to you in this field.
Attending such events requires a certain amount of time, indeed. However, these
meetings offer plenty of information, contacts and other benefits that you have no
access to otherwise. We would like to encourage you to check the wide range of offers.
b) We attend entrepreneurs’ networking events occasionally.
Entrepreneurs’ networking events are important tools to make contacts, to introduce
yourself and your company, and to keep yourself up-to-date concerning the latest
developments. In addition, there are plenty of other advantages, for e.g. further
education. We recommend you to catch up on these opportunities regularly.
c) We attend events organised by trade associations regularly in order to obtain
information, learn about further education courses, maintain contacts and advertise our
company.
You are regularly using diverse advantages of entrepreneurs’ networking events. You
have probably made some contacts to some other companies. These business
contacts, could give grounds for consideration whether you should set up a network in
order to use some special services jointly. Such services may include the provision of
information acquisition on current developments, staff qualification as well as special
consulting services for company divisions. Networking can help you to gain a
comparative edge in regard to costs, know-how and knowledge, etc. This is what some
sectoral and inter-sectoral initiatives and support programmes launched in Brandenburg
are earmarked on.
d) We attend events organised by trade associations regularly and participate in a network
of companies actively.
Both attending entrepreneurs’ networking events and networking with other companies
provide your company with a competitive edge regarding costs, know-how and
knowledge. Concerning the development of your network, you can seek professional
support. This is what some sectoral and inter-sectoral initiatives and support
programmes launched in Brandenburg earmarked on.
9. Does your company initiate business partnerships / networks?
a) We might join an existing partnership. However, we would not initiate any.
There are plenty of enterprises that are generally interested in partnerships, but they
have a wait-and-see attitude. However, nothing will change if you do not dare to take the
first step. Besides, in many cases, it makes more sense to take the initiative yourself
than just to join an existing network. If you initiate the partnership/network then it is you
who decides upon the shape of the partnership / network and you can choose the
suitable partners that meet your needs the best. Actually, Brandenburg offers a wide
rage of support for those enterprises who decide to take the first step.
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b) We would initiate a partnership / network if we had the right partners.
In many cases, it really makes more sense to take the initiative than just to join an
existing network. If you initiate, then it is you who decides upon the shape of a
partnership/network and the choice of partners. It often takes more effort to find the right
partners. Nevertheless, there are plenty of companies, which are willing to co-operate in
principle. You are surely going to find some in your region as well. Brandenburg offers a
wide rage of support for enterprises searching for suitable partners for their initiative.
c) We initiated a partnership / network. However, our expectations have not been fulfilled.
It is disappointing that your partnership / network fall short of your expectations. In any
co-operation, eventually, mutual success also depends on your partner’s activity. To be
vital, your co-operation or network needs regular maintenance. Otherwise, it exists only
on paper and is of little use. You should not slacken the reins but try to detect
weaknesses and identify potential improvements together with your partners.
Brandenburg offers a wide range of qualified external expertise to assist you.
d) The partnership / network we have initiated perform well.
It is good to hear that you initiative has been successful and your partnership / network
does not only exist on paper. You must have gained a lot of experience due to your
present activities. However, your partnership / network might have reached its limit in
the existing form and you would like to expand it. For this purpose, it is advisable to
seek contact to other successful groups and, thus, exchange experience. This exchange
might help you to intensify or extend your partnership or network even beyond the
borders of your federal state. You can seek qualified external support to further develop
your initiative.
Business management
10. Do you have any c long-term development concepts for your enterprise?
a) No, we do not, since development primarily depends more in the market and not on us.
The idea of company’s long-term development is by no means senseless. You need to
have an objective at least for the next several years: Which markets do you want to be
active in? How large shall your company become? Which products or services do you
intend to offer? Without a plan, you company will drift aimlessly. We highly recommend
becoming more active in long-term planning.
b) We do not have any concept yet, but we are going to address this issue as soon as our
day-to-day business allows to.
You need to have an objective at least for the next several years: Which markets do you
want to be active in? How large shall your company become? Which products or
services do you intend to offer? It is good that you have recognised the significance of a
long-term development planning concept. You should not shelve this issue in deference
to day-to-day business. Finally, long-term strategies are not an end unto themselves,
but tools to improve your day-to-day business.
c) We have long-term ideas, but we have not specified them in writing.
It is rather common that long-term objectives, even though they are set and discussed,
still lack stipulation in a written form. As a result, these ideas do not manifest in thought
and action and thus, cannot be properly communicated. Besides, there is hardly any
possibility to make a strict performance review. This limits the chances to develop your
company according to objectives.
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d) We have been and still are developing long-term concepts and have specified them in
writing.
You do not leave your ideas for occasional discussions but specify them in writing.
Written records are an important tool that is indispensable to targeting at your business
objectives as well as to your internal and external communication.
11. How do you plan your corporate strategy?
a) We do not need any corporate planning.
You can do without many things but you definitely need a corporate strategy. Without a
plan, you have neither any objectives to aim for nor any idea how to use your financial
recourses. We highly recommend you to introduce at least the simplest form of
corporate planning: an operative annual planning that allocates funds to single
objectives.
b) We do not have any corporate strategy yet. However, we would like to introduce
corporate planning as soon as possible.
Without a plan, you have neither any objectives to aim for nor any idea how to use your
financial recourses. We highly recommend you to introduce at least the simplest form of
corporate planning: an operative annual planning that allocates funds to single
objectives.
c) We do plan, but we do not plan continually.
It is good to hear that you have started corporate planning. This serves you as an
essential tool for reviewing your performance and success. Nevertheless, it is essential
that you really use this benchmark. Furthermore, it is necessary to check in regular
intervals, if the selected/chosen indicators are still up-to-date. You should also monitor
the implementation of your corporate strategy.
d) We have a strategic plan that includes short, medium and long-term objectives as well
as ways to achieve them. We implement this plan consequently.
Your strategic planning is optimal. Corporate planning and especially its consistent
implementation, give you a competitive edge in the market. Congratulations! There is no
better way to do it.
12. How do you monitor the success of your business activities?
a) We do not need any monitoring due to our good order situation.
It is true that a good order situation is the basis for good sales. However, it does not
necessarily lead to success. Turnover is just one of many indicators. However, there are
other ones too. What about your profit for example? What are your future objectives?
Are they the same as they were last year? How many new costumers or clients do you
wish to win, and how do you intend to acquire them? We highly recommend you to
define your objectives based on these and other criteria in order to be able to evaluate
your success.
b) We assess our business success by using different economic indicators.
You do not rely on vague impressions or on a single economic indicator if it comes to
the assessment of the success of your business activities. You get a differentiated
overview of your results by using a combination of relevant indicators. Besides, it is
important that you compare your results not only with the performance figures of the
previous year but also with your objectives. Indicators enable you to monitor the
development of your company and react to expected changes at an early stage.
However, you should not use indicators as the only criterion of your company’s success.
Qualitative information provided by customers serves as an important complement to
the above-mentioned tools.
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c) We assess our business success by using different economic indicators and customer /
client feedback.
You already use a combination of quantitative and qualitative information to evaluate the
performance of your enterprise; you can monitor whether and to which extent you have
achieved your corporate objectives. You could react much faster to expected changes if
you monitored your performance on a regular basis. Up to now, you have only
compared your results internally. In order to be able to assess your performance, you
should also compare your results to those of your competitors. (benchmarking)
d) We assess our business success by using different economic indicators and the
customer / client feedback. Additionally, we learn from successful competitors and try to
outperform them.
By using the three above-mentioned tools, you have created the prerequisites for
preparing a detailed and objective assessment of the situation of your enterprise. In
addition, you have developed the ability to learn from your competitors. This is a good
basis for continuous improvement.
13. What management accounting systems / processes do you have in your
enterprise?
a) We do not have any controlling systems.
Having no controlling system in the company is a serious shortcoming of your business
management. Management accounting includes the whole process of setting objectives,
planning and controlling activities and spending. Collecting, processing and analysing
economic data of a company regularly and systematically create a basis for an
integrated system of objectives. Based on this system, financial resources can be
allocated to single measures that are necessary to achieve corporate objectives. Thus,
companies can make rational decisions and react on expected changes. It is obvious
that the scale and intensity of controlling depends on the size of the company. We highly
recommend you to introduce at least a simple form of management accounting.
b) We carefully consider our spending.
Cost control is an important element of controlling. However, it is only one of the
necessary elements. Management accounting includes the whole process of setting
objectives, planning and controlling activities and spending. Collecting, processing and
evaluating economic data of a company regularly and systematically create a fundament
for an integrated system of objectives. Based on this system, financial resources can be
allocated to single measures that are necessary to achieve corporate objectives. Thus,
companies can make rational decisions and react on expected changes.
c) We have our own cost accounting system.
Cost accounting is not the same as management accounting. By setting up your cost
accounting system, you have at least generated an exact database for management
accounting i. e. for strategic panning and controlling. The data collected will also have to
be processed and analysed. Based on this system, financial resources can be allocated
to single measures necessary to achieve corporate objectives. Thus, companies can
make rational decisions and react on expected changes.
d) Our management accounting system is an integral part of our strategic planning and
controlling.
You are using a management accounting system which is worthy of this appellation.
Compared to your competitors, you have created a basis that helps you to assess your
performance, make appropriate decisions and react to expected changes at an early
stage.
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14. How do you maintain high quality in your enterprise?
a) We do not have any quality problems in our company.
If you know that you do not have any quality problems even though you do not have a
quality assurance system then you must be a very lucky entrepreneur. However, you
might have quality problems you are unaware of, since quality is not checked in your
company. You can be sure that your customers will detect those problems. However,
most probably, they will not be willing to act as quality control personnel. We
recommend you to introduce an active quality assurance system in your enterprise.
b) We have a final inspection system.
Final inspection is the last opportunity to secure the quality required by the customer.
This process enables you to find out if anything has gone wrong during the
manufacturing process or the rendering of the service respectively. It is advisable not to
wait until you finished your product or rendered your service but start quality
management at an earlier stage i.e. through clearly defined and standardised
processes. As a second step, it might be advantageous to have your processes certified
depending on the size of your enterprise and on the competitive situation.
c) We use defined and standardised processes.
Standardised processes assure the required quality during business processes. You
have taken the first important step towards an active quality management by
standardising your business processes. As a second step, it might be a advantageous
to have your processes certified depending on the size of your enterprise and on the
competitive situation.
d) Our processes are certified to a quality management system.
After you have had your processes certified to a quality management system, you are
best prepared to maintain high quality. You are among the best in this field now.
Products and services
15. Do you know what competitive advantages your products / services offer? Do
you use these advantages?
a) Sales figures suffice as indicators for us.
Sales figures alone are not reliable indicators of competitive advantages. They do not
tell you why your products / services sell. We recommend you to investigate what your
most important trumps are. This analysis will also show you in which direction you
should develop your products / services and how to communicate this development to
your customers.
b) We have not analysed the competitive advantage of our products / services yet, but the
issue might be important, indeed.
It is of great importance, indeed, to identify what exactly the competitive advantages of
your products /services are. We highly recommend you to carry out an analysis. The
results will show you what issues you should focus on while developing your products /
services and communicating this development to your customers. As a next step, you
should then try to strengthen the leading edge achieved, since this is, at the same time,
the best strategy to maintain it.
c) We know why our products / services sell so well and we continue to make efforts to
maintain our competitive edge.
It is good to hear that you are aware of the competitive advantage of your products /
services. This means that you know what issues you should focus on while developing
your products / services and communicating this development to your customers.
However, we suggest you should go a step further and strengthen the leading edge
achieved, since this is, at the same time, the best strategy to maintain it.
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d) We analyse our competitive advantages systematically and strengthen them by targeted
market development.
You are doing the right thing. Those who do not strengthen their competitive edge may
loose it any time soon.
16. Are you aware of your core capabilities?
a) We know our strengths.
Knowing your strengths is essential for the further development of your products and
services further. However, it is not enough that you know what your strengths are. You
should emphasise your strengths to your customers, employees and co-operation
partners. What is more, it is also important to know that not all strengths are equally
relevant. We suggest you should investigate if there are any capacities in your
enterprise that other companies do not have or can hardly copy. These capabilities
represent your core competences. They can refer to the field of technology, human
resources management, organisation or administration. This is where you should try to
build sustainable competitive advantage.
b) We know our strengths and use them actively when dealing with our customers.
It is good to hear that you know your strengths and use them when dealing with
customers. It would be important to use your strengths in relation to your employees and
co-operation partners as well. What is more, it is also important to know that not all
strengths are equally relevant. We suggest you should investigate if there are any
capacities in your enterprise that other companies do not have or can hardly copy.
These capabilities represent your core competences. They can refer to the field of
technology, human resources management, organisation or administration. This is
where you should try to build sustainable competitive advantage.
c) We are aware of our strengths and communicate them to our customers and employees.
It is good to hear that you know your strengths and communicate them to your
customers and employees. What is more, it is also important to know that not all
strengths are equally relevant. We suggest you should investigate if there are any
capacities in your enterprise that other companies do not have or can hardly copy.
These capabilities represent your core competences. They can refer to the field of
technology, human resources management, organisation or administration. This is
where you should try to build sustainable competitive advantage.
d) We have analysed our core capabilities, develop them systematically, and communicate
them to our customers and employees.
The fact that you know your core capabilities, communicate and develop them makes
you a rather tough competitor. One of the reasons for it might also be that you have
recognised that core competence may change or become irrelevant and that core
capabilities have to be adjusted regularly. If not, you can still find improvement potential
in this field.
17. Do you modify your products /services regularly?
a) Our products do not need any modification.
Your competitors will be grateful if you do not modify your products. There is no
guarantee that your products / services will sell well in the future, too. Everything is
changing all the time: customer needs, technological progress as well as the offer of
your competitors. No one can elude this rule.
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b) We modify our products / services every now and then.
It is a good idea to modify your products / services. After all, everything is changing in
your environment: customer needs, technological progress as well as the offer of your
competitors. You should become more flexible in this regard and determine what needs
to be changed at regular intervals. Sometimes even minor modifications might suffice to
increase your market opportunities.
c) We adapt our products and services regularly to the requirements of the market.
It is good to hear that you regularly adapt your products / services to the requirements of
the market. This clearly shows that your product strategy is flexible. This strategy
considerably increases your market opportunities. You could take a further step and set
the benchmark instead of merely react to changes in the market.
d) We adjust our products and services systematically to the requirements of the market
and actively work on product development.
You not only react flexibly to market demand but also take the offensive by following an
active product strategy. That will give your competitors a hard time, since now they will
have to react to your actions.
18. Do you look for new ideas?
a) Our business is good.
It is disappointing that you are not interested in new ideas. This fact does not add
anything positive to the future of your company. However, your competitors will be glad
about it. We highly recommend you to reconsider your attitude before it is too late.
b) If I find a new idea by chance, I adopt it.
New ideas are too important to leave them to chance. We suggest that you lend chance
a hand in this regard. There are plenty of possibilities to find new inspiration to improve
your products or optimize your value-adding processes. All you need to do is to keep
your eyes and ears open. You should urge your employees to do the same.
c) I check up what is new from time to time.
It is positive that you do not leave new ideas to chance but actively look for them.
However, you should do it on a regular basis. It will increase your prospects of success.
You should urge your employees to do the same.
d) I look for new ideas systematically and regularly.
You are a real candidate for innovation because you are actively and regularly looking
for new ideas and do not leave it to chance. There might still be some untapped
potential in this field. Employees are quite often not involved in this process sufficiently.
Employees
19. How much do your employees know about corporate objectives and strategies?
a) We inform our employees about corporate objectives and strategies to an extent that is
necessary for their work.
According to your answer, you keep a relatively tight rein on your employees. Because
of your policy, it might happen that your employees do not fully understand the
connections. This policy is a clear obstacle, which prevents you from exploiting the
potential of your staff fully and, thus, from attaining your objectives. We recommend you
to reconsider your communication policy.
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b) We inform our employees about corporate objectives and strategies on a regular basis.
Informing your employees about corporate objectives and strategies leads to better
understanding and increases the employees’ willingness to contribute. You can fully
exploit the potentials of your employees if you involve them in the definition of your
objectives and strategies.
c) We inform our employees about corporate objectives and strategies on a regular basis.
In certain fields, we also involve our employees in the definition process.
To utilise the competence of your staff in the definition of your objectives and strategies
in certain fields is a good approach, indeed. You might consider whether you could
apply this management style to all processes that aim to hammer out corporate
objectives and strategies.
d) We involve our employees in the planning and developing of corporate objectives and
strategies right from the start.
You fully exploit the capabilities of your employees by involving them in the entire
process of the definition of corporate objectives and strategies. By doing so, you do not
only utilise their knowledge but also increase their motivation to implement the corporate
strategy.
20. How do you assess the working atmosphere in your enterprise?
a) The working climate among our employees is not really good.
If you regard the working atmosphere as not good, then you should do something to
change it as soon as possible. A negative working climate demotivates your employees.
Additionally, it might cause serious communication issues in das-to-day business.
b) Our employees treat each other in an objective and neutral manner.
An objective and neutral working atmosphere is a minimum requirement to avoid
unnecessary communication issues. However, you should not aim for the minimum. We
suggest you to find ways to create positive a communication environment in your
company.
c) The working climate is good in principle, but certain stressful situations have a negative
impact on work environment.
Stressful situations put the working atmosphere to a severe test. They show how strong
the team spirit of your employees really is. If you notice that work pressure leads to
problems, you should train your employees to better cope with stressful situations.
Professional coachers and tools can help to improve the situation.
d) The working climate is good and our employees like to work together. They discuss
controversial issues objectively. Some of the employees are friends and spend part of
their leisure time together.
The working atmosphere described above is simply perfect. Working in your company
seems to be fun. You should nourish this climate in order to maintain it. Bringing some
of the common leisure time activities into your company might be a good idea.
21. Do you conduct regular appraisals with your employees?
a) No, we do not need something like that.
Appraisal is an essential tool for personnel management. This is the only way to tell your
employees where they stand currently and thus, it is an indispensable source for
achievement motivation. These meetings are also important, because they improve the
efficiency of communication and help to increase loyalty.
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b) We conduct appraisals only in case of a problem.
It is good that you approach your employees at least as soon as a problem occurs.
However, you should do it on a regular basis for some problems might have turned
severe before the affected employee reports them.
c) We try to conduct appraisals. However, we do not always manage to do it regularly.
You should anchor appraisals in your personnel management as an inherent tool. Your
employees must be confident that you take their contribution seriously and that it is
worth dedicating themselves to work in your enterprise.
d) We conduct appraisals regularly.
It is very important that you conduct appraisals on a regular basis. Your employees will
get used to appraisals with time, and will prepare for these meetings soundly. This
activity is going to provide you with more information, and increase the level of
motivation and commitment.
22. How high is the level of your employees’ motivation?
a) The motivation of our employees is rather limited at the moment.
You should not shrug off motivation problems in your company, if there are any.
Otherwise, you might have to put up with severe loss of productivity. Try to identify the
reason for the demotivation and find a way to eliminate it. The best way to solve a
problem is to talk to your employees.
b) Our employees are motivated enough to carry out their work properly.
At least, there are no severe motivation problems in your company. However, you
should not settle for a work-to-rule attitude. We recommend you to find a possibility to
increase the motivation of your employees actively. You can expect more initiatives and
higher flexibility from your staff then.
c) The motivation of our employees is quite good but it could still improve.
You have achieved a lot if your staff is motivated. Therewith, you have already laid the
foundation of development, since highly motivated employees will actively support you
in your efforts to find potential improvements.
d) Our employees like to work with us, they are extremely motivated and accordingly, their
contribution is high.
Congratulations. There are only a few employers who can make such comments on
their staff.
23. Do you enable your employees to work independently?
a) That would not work in our company, since our employees need clear instructions all the
time.
It is rather ineffective if you have to tell your employees what they are to do all the time.
It requires an enormous co-ordination effort. You should try to accustom your
employees to work on their own step-by-step. This does not mean that you have to trust
them blindly. Working independently does not exclude supervision. This process is
going to be quite a change for you too. However, if you dare to take the risk, you can cut
costs considerably and tap unused resources.
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b) We define tasks clearly and, thus, create a rather restricted framework of responsibilities.
That is why our employees can work independently.
It is essential to define tasks clearly. If your employees are working within set
assignments limits independently, you might consider the possibility to gradually provide
your employees with more leeway in decision-making. This approach can help you to
reduce co-ordination efforts and exploit unused resources in order to increase the
expertise and motivation of your employees.
c) We set objectives and distribute responsibilities clearly.
The capability to wok independently becomes more and more important in most
branches of industry. You create an optimal framework to fully utilise the potential of
your employees by setting objectives and distributing responsibilities clearly. It might be
a good idea to align your entire corporate model to this philosophy. Obviously, it
depends on the required level of autonomy of single tasks as well as on the size and the
field of activity of the enterprise. You could adjust your corporate model by enhancing
teamwork and developing special concepts for single departments (centre and island
models). You are welcome to seek advice regarding the adjustment of your enterprise
according to the concepts mentioned. Our colleagues and experts will be at your
disposal.
d) Our enterprise model is based on teamwork, island and centre models, which enhance
independent working.
Your enterprise model creates optimal conditions to tap the potential of your employees
fully. Your company is at the leading edge in this regard.
24. How do your develop the skills and competence of your employees?
a) Our employees are responsible for the development of their own skills and expertise.
It is advantageous for your employees that you give them space to work independently
and develop their competence according to individual preference. However, you should
not leave things to chance. We recommend you to monitor the human resource
development actively in order to ensure that they go inline with the needs of your
enterprise. You should integrate the qualification of your employees into your corporate
strategy.
b) I talk to my employees about the development of their competence occasionally.
It is a good idea that you do not leave the professional development of your employees
to chance. However, you should influence their qualification even more actively,
because you know best what skills and knowledge your employees need to do their
work properly. This is why you should integrate the qualification of your employees into
your corporate strategy. Depending on the financial resources and the size of your
company, you should consider involving external experts in your trainings. They will
provide you with some extra input. We can help you to find the right trainer or
consultant.
c) We organise trainings regularly in order to develop the skills and knowledge of our
employees.
It is essential not to leave the qualification of your staff to chance. Regular training is an
indispensable tool for a systematic development of your employees’ competence.
Depending on the financial resources and the size of your company, you should
consider involving external experts in your trainings. They will provide you with some
extra input. We can help you to find the right trainer or consultant.
d) We use external training programmes offered by experts to develop the skills and
knowledge of our employees. These programmes are tailored to the employee’s field of
activity.
Your human resources development strategy is on a high level. You should maintain
this high level, since your employees are your greatest potential.
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25. Do your employees have any foreign language skills?
a) No, they do not. We do not need any foreign languages.
The lack of language skills is a severe disadvantage. Nowadays, foreign languages, or
at least English, are present in every branch of industry. You come across foreign words
everywhere: when reading technical manuals, searching international sources for
information, communicating with your customers and suppliers. We recommend you to
acquire at least basic foreign language skills.
b) Our foreign language skills are rather limited, but we would like to improve them.
Nowadays, foreign languages (or at least English) are present in every branch of
industry. You come across foreign words everywhere: when reading technical manuals,
searching international sources for information, communicating with your customers and
suppliers. For that reason, you should acquire the necessary foreign language skills as
soon as possible. We can help you to find the appropriate language courses tailored to
meet the needs of your company and your employees.
c) Our foreign language skills are good, but we would like to improve them.
It is encouraging that you are not lost when you have to read foreign language
brochures and business correspondence, and that you can communicate with your
foreign business partners. Your have put your language skills on a solid foundation, so
now it is time to apply and systematically improve them. There are plenty of language
courses at your disposal. We can help you to find a language programme and adjust it
to your needs, if necessary.
d) Our executives and core employees have good negotiating skills.
You are best equipped regarding foreign language skills. These skills enable your
company to act and react in a flexible and confident manner in international business.
For this reason, you have a competitive edge on the national scale. You might consider
searching for possibilities to further increase your head start.
Corporate structure and organisation
26. Do you manage to take enough time to deal with the strategic development of
your enterprise?
a) Dealing with strategic development would be a waste of time. We need our full capacity
for the day-to-day business.
Strategic considerations might seem a luxury in the hectic rush of day-to-day business.
However, you need to look at the bigger picture in order to be able to align your day-today tasks with your corporate objectives. You need to work out different strategies for
different scenarios to be prepared in case the current situation changes. Developing a
corporate strategy is worth the time, indeed. The results of the strategic planning will
save you more time and effort compared to the time you have to invest into it.
b) We would like to work on such a strategy, but we do not have enough time to do it.
As soon as you have realised the importance of long-term considerations, the lack of
time appears a rather unconvincing excuse. Developing a corporate strategy is indeed
worth the time. The results of the strategic planning will save you more time, costs and
effort than you have invested into it. Do not wait any longer!
c) We dedicate some time for strategic orientation but we would like to intensify our efforts.
You have avoided the time trap and recognised that it is up to you how much time you
devote to developing long-term strategies and making corresponding decisions.
Accordingly, you should take more time for these considerations.
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d) The management as well as responsible employees take time for long-term strategic
planning.
Your answer clearly shows that you are on the right track. You obviously manage to
reconcile day-to-day business with long-term planning and decision-making. You made
the right decision in favour of an active instead of a passive strategy. The time you
invest into strategic planning will pay off well.
27. How do you perform internal communication in you enterprise?
a) It is enough if relevant information converges in the management.
It makes sense. And what does your management do with all the information obtained?
How do your employees receive the information they need to be able to work properly?
Information flow should never be a one-way road. We highly recommend you to revise
your corporate communication policy.
b) The management passes relevant information on to employees.
It is understood that your employees must be provided with relevant information. The
information flow should not be a one-way road.
c) The exchange of information takes place between management and employees and as
well as among employees, if required.
You have recognised that the information flow should never be a one-way road. You
have developed ways of communication for proper exchange of information. The next
logical step would be to use this approach more extensively.
d) We ensure that our employees have an optimal level of information, and exchange
information regularly.
Your corporate information management is highly developed. You ensue that no
relevant information falls by the wayside. In terms of your information policy, you do
things in the right way. You might consider complementing your information
management system by a corporate knowledge database.
28. Do you arrange team meetings regularly?
a) No, we do not. We do things in a quick and simple way.
You can indeed work without team meetings. However, you miss out an important
management tool. There are companies that drive team meetings over the top but
managing off the cuff is not an optimal solution either. You refrain from using an
essential management tool and risk extensive losses in quality and communication. We
highly recommend you to consider your current management practice.
b) Team meetings only take place if problems occur.
Team meetings become indispensible, indeed, if a problem occurs. A team meeting can
help to correct mistakes in working processes that became obvious due to the problem.
However, it would be better, if you clarified the objectives, tasks and competence of your
team in advance. That would save both time and money. We recommend you to use
team meetings as a management tool.
c) We try to arrange team meetings. However, they take place rather irregularly.
Your approach is quite reasonable, if you arrange team meetings even if no problems
have occurred. You obviously use these meetings as a management tool. You should
make sure that these meetings take place on a regular basis. You might also bundle
questions that would have been otherwise discussed in-between and consider them at
team meetings. We recommend you to schedule team meetings and mark them in your
company’s calendar.
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d) Our team meetings take place regularly according to a schedule.
You have established an important management tool by introducing regular and
scheduled team meetings. Nothing can stand in the way of your team’s success in this
respect now.
29. What role do electronic data processing systems play in your enterprise?
a) Computers are not important at all. Our enterprise can do quite well without them.
You are poorly equipped, indeed, if you do not have any computer in your company. Do
you really write your invoices by hand, make calculations on a slip of paper and do not
use the Internet at all? That will not work well for a long time. We highly recommend you
to purchase a computer and learn to use it before it is too late.
b) We have a few computers.
Enterprises use different computer systems and structures in their day-to-day business.
It is worth the effort to consider in which fields you could save time and money by
introducing computer technology. Using a corporate network is the standard approach.
Such a network can reduce your communication effort between the single workstations.
Depending on the size of your enterprise and the kind of your working processes, we
recommend you to consider the implementation of system solutions. We can advise you
on relating issues.
c) There are certain divisions in our company that could not work without computers.
Your answer implies that you have introduced computers in some divisions. As a result,
you surely save time and money there. You should consider now whether you could
expand your computer system to other departments. You can rely on your own
experience in this field.
d) Computers play an important role in our company. Most of our processes are computerbased.
You are saving a lot of time and money ever since you introduced computer applications
to most of your processes. Depending on the size of your enterprise and the kind of your
working processes, you might consider tapping another potential and integrate single
island solutions into a comprehensive computer system. We can advise you on relating
issues.
30. Which means of communication do your use in your enterprise?
a) We use telephone and fax.
You use only a minimum of the available communication tools. We recommend you to
add e-mail to your channels of communication except if your company is very smallsized.
b) We use telephone, fax and e-mail.
You use the most common means of communication. However, you miss the unlimited
advantages that the Internet can offer. We recommend you to take the next step and
start using the Internet because it is an inexhaustible source of up-to-date information.
Additionally, you could attract the attention of your targeted group of customers by
setting up your own website.
c) We use telephone, fax, e-mail and the Internet.
You use the most common means of communication; besides, you have added e-mail
and the Internet both of which have become standard applications by now. We suggest
setting up your own website to present your company to your target group efficiently.
This is only a minor step to make, and we can advise you on the relating issues.
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d) We use telephone, fax, e-mail and the Internet and have our own website.
You are optimally equipped in regard to communication and information. You should
update your website on a regular basis. Regular updates serve as a technical
foundation for your external communication. Websites can be used in more ways, not
only for representation purposes. You might wish to add special features to your website
and turn it into an interactive communication tool or a sales platform.
_________________________________________________________
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[Introduction to the evaluation of the answers given in the questionnaire.]
Dear Participant,
the IHK-Projektgesellschaft thanks you for participating in our enterprise evaluation. You
will find the individual evaluation of your answers to our questions. This first feedback
shows you the current situation and position of your enterprise, the areas that need to be
changed as well as further development potentials.
[Summary feedback / alternatives]
green
The evaluation of your answers has shown that your company is in a good position overall.
Of course, there is always some potential for improvements. You might be looking for new
challenges, i.e. by expanding your business or entering new markets. The development
partnership „Schrittmacher OderSpree“ and its qualified experts offer you support
concerning information, consulting and further trainings. Contact us!
amber
The evaluation of your answers has shown that your company is in a good position in
certain fields. However, other areas of your business have some shortcomings, which
should be remedied as soon as possible. The development partnership „Schrittmacher
OderSpree“ and its qualified experts offer you support concerning information, consulting
and further trainings. Contact us!
red
The evaluation of your answers has shown that there are severe shortcomings in different
business areas of your company. You should try to remedy these shortcomings as soon as
possible. The development partnership „Schrittmacher OderSpree“ and its qualified experts
offer you support concerning information, consulting and further trainings. Contact us!
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Appendix 5:
List of problems for the assessment of the
qualification and consulting needs based on the
standard problem checklist
We suggest that you focus on three dependent variables:
market success (sales, turnover, market share)
corporate success (efficiency, cost-benefit ratio)
solvency
What shall constitute the basis of comparison?
We suggest setting the following benchmarks:
results on timescales (monthly, quarterly and annual reports and
forecasts, target-performance comparison),
peer companies (market leader, best examples),
Various services/ fields of activities of your enterprise and your
industrial sector
Example
baker:
bred
and
rolls,
cakes
and
cookies,
retail sales, peddling, delivering to hotels and restaurants,
example
hotel:
single
holiday apartments,
and
double
restaurants
rooms,
and
apartments,
coffee
bars,
seasonal prices, special prices, promotion programmes, etc.
Which models of comparison do we suggest?
We suggest
using a simple break-even analysis for the evaluation of success in
the market and operational result,
calculating operational results without interests, annuities, tax and
any extraordinary profits in order to be able to analyse the actual
profit and allocate financial resources. The resulting figures can be
complemented by a cash flow calculation.
calculating cash and solvency and
making a list of complementary and analytic indicators which are
tailored to the information needs of the respective company.
Internal indicators (for different periods of time and business segments) may
be based on a business assessment. Convincing other companies to provide
information is a precondition for a benchmark comparison.
Suggestions for regional benchmarks can be developed in workshops with
suitable
participants
(participants
active
in
the
same
industrial
sector,
participants with similar questions from different branches of industry, etc., see
the following section).
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Appendix 8:
Evaluation sheet for trainers / moderators for
the participant-oriented assessment of the foci
for one seminar or workshop
Problem
total
point per
points
participant
remarks
Increasing turnover
in the core business
Increasing turnover
by expanding the range
of products / services
Entering new market areas
Acquiring more information
about the market
Acquiring more information
about
the procurement market
(terms and conditions)
Learning customer wishes
and expectations,
purchase patterns
Improving marketing
(advertising,
public relations)
Finding the reasons for the
success and failure of
competitors
Cooperating with other
companies 1
(establishing partnerships
for joint offers)
Improving product and
service quality
Cooperating with other
companies 2
(Finding local partners
especially
in case of activities in
foreign countries)
Developing middle and
long-term strategies and
objectives
Overview of the most
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important indicators of the
enterprise
Regular targetperformance comparison
(sales, turnover, costs,
productivity and solvency)
Improving the exchange of
information within the
company
Improving the working
atmosphere
Commitment, independent
working style, reliability,
qualification of employees
Rationalising enterprise
structure and organisation
(processes, IT,
telecommunication)
Problems mentioned by the participants in addition to those probed for:
Appropriation of points:
• „very important“:
• „important“:
• „less important“:
• „it is not a problem at all“:
4
3
2
1
points
points
points
point
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7
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Bibliography:
Camp, Robert C.: Benchmarking. München/Wien 1994
Lamla, Joachim: Prozessbenchmarking. München 1995
Schreiterer, Ulrich.: Benchmarking, in: Anke Hanft (Hrsg.),
Grundbegriffe
des
Hochschulmanagements,
Neuwied/Kriftel:
Luchterhand 2001, S. 21-25
Doppler, Klaus; Lauterburg, Christoph: Change Management.
Campus Verlag, 2005
Trinczek, Rainer; Pongratz, Hans J. u.a.: "Veränderungen
erfolgreich gestalten - Repräsentative Untersuchung über Erfolg
und Misserfolg im Veränderungsmanagement", Zusammenfassung
einer Studie der TU München und der C4 Consulting Düsseldorf,
2007
Senge, Peter M.: Die fünfte Disziplin. Kunst und Praxis der
lernenden Organisation. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1996
North,
Klaus:
Wissensorientierte
Unternehmensführung:
Wertschöpfung durch Wissen. Wiesbaden 1999
Bengt Karlöf, Kurt Lundgren, Marie Edenfeldt Froment:
Benchlearning – Good Examples as a Lever for Development, John
Wiley & Sons, LTD, Chichester 2001
Modellversuchsbericht:
Zukunft
gestalten,
Erhöhung
der
Wertschöpfung der KMU durch effektives Wissensmanagement und
Lernkulturwandel (WISENT), IHK Frankfurt/Oder, 2004
Ostdeutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband: Tourismusbarometer
Jahresbericht 2004, Berlin 2004
Hans-Rainer Nau: Controlling-Instrumente (Buch und CD), Rudolf
Haufe Verlag GmbH & CO KG, Planegg / München 2007
Horvath und Partner: Das Controllingkonzept, dtv Frankfurt am
Main, aktuelle Ausgabe
Witt / Witt: Controlling für Mittel- und Kleinbetriebe, dtv München,
aktuelle Ausgabe
P. Womack / D.T. Jones: Auf dem Weg zum perfekten
Unternehmen, München 1996
U. Blötz (Hg.): Planspiele in der beruflichen Bildung (mit CD-ROM),
Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung, Bonn 2001
B. Högsdal: Planspiele in der Aus- und Weiterbildung, Bonn 1996
www.wirtschaft.brandenburg.de
Kurzportrait Brandenburg, in: Bertelsmann-Stiftung, Bundesländer
im Standortwettbewerb, Studie Gütersloh 2007
TC&T Consult und Training GmbH: QM - Systeme, Frankfurt am
Main 2007
Schrittmacher OderSpree: Den anderen immer einen Schritt
voraus, IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH, Frankfurt/Oder)
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8
Additional information:
The original report has been translated with the consent of the authors
and by the means of the Programme Lifelong learning – Leonardo da
Vinci- Transfer of Innovation.
Part of the Appendix has not been translated.
116

The Bench-effect Method

Transcription

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