Archived Announcements
Winter 2011 Newsletter (Dec 2011)
We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Click here to read our latest newsletter
"Collaborative Change" (KindleEdition) by Andrew Humphries & Richard Gibbs (Nov 2011)
In their second book Gibbs & Humphries look at how major trends come together in what they describe as Collaborative Change between and across the organizational divides.It addresses the underlying concepts and models that can be applied, but critically draws heavily on personal experience to shed light on how such change can be executed through high performing partnerships. This “experience” is related in many case studies which include operational duties in Iraq, team management on a husky sledge and virtual teams in the British Civil Service and many others. There is a wealth of academic rigour and thought in this book backed by many hands-on examples of how to manage change and partnering effectively. With contributing authors including Tim Barnsley, Tim Cummins, Andrew Downard, Graham Haines, Peter Hunter, David Hawkins, Anthony Kesten and Chris Markey. Only $11.54 from Amazon.com
"A field guide to strategic alliances and marketing partnerships" (KindleEdition) By Richard Gibbs & Andrew Humphries (Nov 2011)
In our book Strategic Alliances and Marketing Partnerships, we introduced the concept of different types or personalities of alliances and partnerships. Many of our students and clients have asked us to paint a picture for them of these types in a bit more colour and in a readily available format. Only $1.37 from Amazon.com
New E-Book by Richard Gibbs "Rock Stars, Spies and Scandals: The H-P Way" (Corporate Biographies) (Nov 2011)
In August 2011, the Wall Street Journal published a key article on H-P which included the following paragraph: "From former CEO Carly Fiorina's spectacular flame-out, and former chairwoman Patricia Dunn's illegal spying scandal, to Mr. Hurd's alleged sex scandal that apparently didn't involve any sex at all. This sort of dysfunction has become "the H-P Way". In this book, Dr Gibbs asks a simple question: what vestiges of the H-P Way, the cultural philosophy at the heart of H-P’s success, are present in the company today? In answering this question, he explores how the changing leadership styles and a series of critical events have impacted the company. Only £2.88 from Amazon.co.uk & Only $4.60 from Amazon.com
“Execution to Die For – the Manager’s Guide to Making It Happen” by Graham Haines (Oct 2011)
Is now available at Amazon.com at the highly competitive price of $24.95 plus postage. It’s the only book that has a total focus on overcoming the barriers to execution – and it sets out a blueprint for the total operational cycle from planning, implementation, monitoring and measuring to adapting and revising.
IACCM launch Accredited Qualification in Supplier Relationship Management (Oct 2011)
The International Association for Contract and Commercial Management (IACCM) has now launched of one of the world’s first internationally recognised and accredited qualifications in supplier relationship management (SRM). The first programme will begin in October 2011 and pre-registration is available now. Tim Cummins, CEO of the IACCM, said: “As companies become increasingly reliant on external partners, SRM is a critical discipline that can ensure successful, innovative and incentive-based relationships.” For more information contact Paul Mallory, VP Development and Training, +44 (0)759 553 4239
Autumn 2011 Newsletter (Sep 2011)
Welcome to our autumn newsletter. Please read for an update on the progress of important collaboration initiatives. Read
News from Down Under (Sep 2011)
Andrew Downard has been conducting Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Workshops behalf of the Australian Government. He has developed a simple excel tool to help businesses just starting out on supply chain risk assessment and addressing those risks. To download the tool and access a series of white papers on SCRM click here. For additional information contact Andrew.
BS 11000 News from BSi and PSL (Sep 2011)
Since its launch at the end of 2010 the first companies have now successfully achieved certification to BS 11000. These include EMCOR, Captia Resources, NATS, Raytheon Systems, Lockheed Martin, Pera, Babcock International and BT Global Services.
A number of MoD programmes have now started the process of certification which will include both MoD and seven of their industry partners. In 2010 Network Rail announced its plans to achieve certification and has recently endorsed BS 11000 as a collaborative approach to its supply chain through the Rail Industry Association.
Part 2 of the standard, which is about to be published, is available for public comment online and further information about BS 11000, certification and training can be found on the BSi website.
ICT Alliances - the 'Shocking Truth' (Jul 2011)
Tim Barnsley, CEO of Channel Dynamics Ltd has recently conducted a survey of top ICT company executives to understand their views on the reasons for alliance success and failure. Download a summary in slides.
Most say how important they are; “we can’t do it all on our own”, but the quality of both strategy and execution, remains highly variable. The results highlight several underlying problems which the industry needs to address:
Inappropriate Metrics
Very few companies employ effective metrics to measure the progress of alliances; revenue is the default metric and all it actually measures is the results of past activities, not the likely results of current or planned activities
Loose Joint Management and Accountabilities
Our experience is that getting two teams of stakeholders to assume responsibility for driving joint Go to Market plans poses more (and very different) challenges than the internal version of the same process.
Failure to follow-through on Joint Plans
Again, the tendency is for teams to revert to the day job and the best laid plans remain in play for a period, often protracted, until they become irrelevant.
Tim has written an excellent chapter on ICT Alliances in a book called 'Collaborative Change' You can call him on Tel: +44 (0)1494 730080, Mob: +44 (0)7771 647737.
Summer 2011 Newsletter (Jul 2011)
Welcome to summer. We continue to work to promote better relationship management and collaborative working. We have teamed up with some new partners and have been involved in a number of IT alliance and outsourcing projects. Our story with a message explores the 'control freak' syndrome where buyers attempts to exercise total control over their suppliers and inevitably the results are all wrong. Do you recognise this? Read
News from Down Under - Social Media (Jun 2011)
The online presence of SCCI Ltd and our associates continues to grow. In Australia Andrew Downard has just updated his company’s website to provide clients with access to tools and information. He has also started to publish a blog which covers a range of subjects around supply chain, procurement and relationship management. Add the use of Twitter (@adsupplychain) and you can see a concerted drive to use social media and the internet to engage with a community of people that share an interest in measuring and managing business partner relationships. Seth Godin in his book “Tribes” talks about the importance of people coming together around an idea, a shared interest and a way to communicate. Can we form a tribe around the idea of being able to “Measure and Manage” our Business Partner or Supply Chain relationships? Why not find out by joining our LinkedIn Group “Supply Chain Relationship Measurement and Management”. You might be the leader our tribe is looking for!
Spring Newsletter (Mar 2011)
This month our newsletter features another story about collaborative networks. It shows that unless you carefully think through your strategies when you are involved in networks of relationships, you may be surprised by the knock-on effects. In this case the customer company ended-up in completely the opposite situation that it intended and moreover, this cost it dearly. Read.
Henry Stewart Talks - Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (Feb 2011)
The latest issue in the Marketing and Management Collection. Presentations by some of the foremost experts on the subject who talk about how managers can behave decently and responsibly. A must read!
The Importance of the Commercial Role in Alliances and Partnerships (Feb 2011)
Traditionally the Commercial Officer has been seen as the 'bogeyman' in the management of alliances and partnerships. He or she has been very suspicious of flexible, collaborative approaches, fearing that they will undermine the contract and leave the sides open to opportunism and self-centred behaviour. Tim Cummins is CEO of the International Association of Contract and Commercial Managers. Read his chapter (free download) in our new book on Collaborative Change and immediately realise that enlightened commercial managers are essential to the success of effective relationship management click here.
Winter Newsletter (Dec 2010)
Read our latest! Click here.
BS 11000 Launch of the New Partnering Standard (Dec 2010)
The first UK Standard for partnering was formally launched at the House of Lords on 7th December. The event was hosted by Lord Berkeley, OBE and attended by over 100 people See the Press Release and the Product Guide. The Standard will provide a long-awaited framework for partnership working but, how will firms know if it has made any difference? PartnerLink relationship appraisal tools will benchmark your start position and then objectively measure progress and encourage continuous improvement. Read here how we will be an integral part of your BS 11000 certification.
Latest Supply Chain Management Expert Talks Series (Nov 2010)
Henry Stewart Talks has just released ten online seminars offering a comprehensive overview of the latest issues facing Supply Chain Managers, including expert analysis and practical solutions. Leading experts under Series Editor Martin Christopher, Emeritus Professor of Marketing and Logistics at the Cranfield School of Management provide a comprehensive view of the latest issues facing Supply Chain Managers, analysis and solutions. For more information click here. Andrew Humphries contributes a presentation on Managing Partnerships. To experience a sample of this fascinating talk click here.
Richard Wilding Award Wins European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2010! (Nov 2010)
Congratulations to Richard who received the prestigious Individual Contribution Award. Following nominations from the industry, readers of "Logistics Manager" voted him the leading practitioner who has made an outstanding contribution to supply chain excellence over the last 12 months. He is known as one of Europe’s leading “gurus” in the Supply Chain Management field. For more information click here.
Achieving Change Through Collaboration (Nov 2010)
Andrew Humphries and Richard Gibbs latest book is now available. Several leading experts in their field have contributed excellent chapters on diverse aspects such as 'sewing' international logistics organisations together into a viable supply chain during the 1st Gulf war and managing major IT industry alliances. To buy a copy, click here To catch up on the latest developments and read a further sample chapter, click here.
Autumn Newsletter (Oct 2010)
Read our latest newsletter and find out about BS 11000, the new collaboration standard, presentations, publications and news from Thuta on doing business in Cambodia, China, Malaysia and Myanmar.
SCCI Ltd Changes Direction (Oct 2010)
In the last year we have concentrated on working with consultant associates who can deliver a complete change programme to clients. This means that PartnerLink now forms an integral part of a number of offerings, including marketing and logistics, to different sectors. We are continuing to work with academia to extend the science underpinning our expertise. Read our new flyer
Chartered Management Institute - National Conference Sponsorship (Sep 2010)
We are proud to say that we have provided a 'brick' in the CMI sponsorship wall for their National Conference on 14th October in London. Check it out!
Partnership with Click On Logistics (Aug 2010)
SCCI Ltd is pleased to announce a new partnership with Click On Logistics a well known and established Supply Chain Consultancy run by Kevin Zwolinski. For further information about the LVT and our partnership click here. Kevin's “Logistics Value Tracker” (LVT) initiative is the subject of a 3 page article in the August CILT Focus magazine. To download a copy click here.
“Plans to Reality – why things don’t happen and how to make sure they do” (Jul 2010)
Graham Haines has finally submitted his long awaited book to his publisher. It is inevitable that an increasing number of businesses will be reviewing their strategic plans in the light of the changes in the external environments in which they operate. “I finally ended up with 36 barriers to implementation, 13 relating to planning, 14 relating to implementation, 6 relating to monitoring and measuring and the remaining 3 to the revision of the original plan.” Click here to download Graham's Business Planning Barriers.
Welcome to our Summer Newsletter (Jun 2010)
Despite the economic situation and the recent change of government in the UK, interest in improved partnership working continues to increase. A key element of collaboration is improved forecasting whether this is sales, project timescales or stock in the supply chain. Our salutary stories this time are on this theme and highlight the cost implications of getting it wrong. Click here.
Spring 2010 News Letter (April 2010)
Welcome to our spring newsletter. We have had an action packed quarter which proves that our recession-hit clients are looking for new areas of value. Our special relationship with Channel Dynamics Ltd has generated a lot of interest in the IT industry. Our parable this quarter will make you smile and is based upon some work we did at the end of last year. We're sure you have all met this situation.
UK Pork Industry Pilot Project (March 2010)
We have just completed a successful pilot project sponsored by BPEX, a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. BPEX is responsible for enhancing the competitiveness, efficiency and profitability of English pig farmers and abattoir companies and driving demand for English pork and pig meat products in Britain and globally. The project, which used the PartnerLink Partnership process, appraised the performance of a UK premium pork products supply chain. The organisations involved deemed the results to be extremely valuable. BPEX is now considering the strategic implications of using a tool that has the capability to provide performance metrics as well as detailed improvement recommendations on the full breadth of a supply chain relationship.
Delivering performance in food supply chains (January 2010)
We wish to announce the publication by Woodhead Ltd of this book in January 2010. We have written the first chapter on the fundamental role of relationship management in supply chains. Read the Chapter. This book, with expert contributions from leaders in their fields, provides the latest thinking on delivering performance in food supply chains. It provides understanding of the different approaches in supply chain management to explore alternative methods and develop more effective systems. Book blurb. Buy a copy
Winter Newsletter (December 2009)
Our latest newsletter provides updates on SCCI developments including an amusing topical vignette on the woes of a supply chain partnership. To read it click here.
Strategic Alliance and Marketing Partnerships (December 2009)
A review of Andrew and Richard's successful book features in the December issue of the Australian Supply Chain Review. To read the article click here.
Governance in Collaborative Business Relationships (November 2009)
Andrew Humphries presented to the IACCM (International Association For Contract and Commercial Management) Conference on 4th November at the offices of Baker & McKenzie in London. About a hundred members heard him say that there was confusion about methods and tools in the management of partnerships. A joint approach based on Enterprise Relationship Management using professional staff is essential. The use of SCCI's Partnerlink tools is the key to objective performance management and long term continuous improvement.
Autumn Newsletter (October 2009)
Catch-up with our latest news including recent publications, timely advice from 'down-under' and our latest, amusing, relationship management story containing a useful message! Click here.
'Taking Great Strides Together' (September 2009)
Read the article by Andrew Humphries and Richard Gibbs about identifying what sort of partnership you have with suppliers as the first step on the road to more profitable and more productive collaboration. Published in the Summer edition of CPO Agenda - a Journal of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
A Standard for Collaboration - PAS 11000 (August 2009)
The British Standards Institute is planning to issue the world's first standard for the relationship management of collaborative business relationships. It sets out a framework, based on the unique CRAFT methodology designed by PSL, that enables an organisation of any size and sector to apply good practice principles to its own ways of working and has wide applications for public, private and not for profit organisations on how to manage valuable business relationships. A pilot certification programmes involving a number of major companies is currently underway. We will publish progress updates on this site as PAS 11000 moves towards full BSI Standard.
Summer Newsletter (July 2009)
The news from 'Down Under' covers our our participation by Richard Wilding and Andrew Downard in the prestigious Supply Chain Conference SMART 09. Graham Haines has written an article that puts Customers 'on the spot'. This month our amusing story is set in the Construction Industry and is based, as usual, on our experiences as Relationship Management experts. Enjoy!
Dynamic Supply Chain Alignment - a new book by John Gattorna (July 2009)
This imaginative book published by Gower explores how to create and sustain multiple supply chains with a level of flexibility and responsiveness that allow you to respond to opportunities and threats; at the same time aligning with your suppliers, your partners and your customers. For a 35% online order discount, enter promotional code G9AXZ35 when you follow this link. Richard Wilding and Andrew Humphries have written Chapter 3 - 'Building Relationships that Create Value' Click here to read it.
Excellent Book Sales of 'Strategic Alliances & Marketing Partnerships' since Feb launch (June 2009)
An exciting and innovative new management book by Andrew Humphries and Richard Gibbs. Classify your important business relationship into one of the G+H Partnering Types and you will immediately understand what you need to do to improve their chances of success. This book shows you how.
PartnerLink Spring Newsletter (April 2009)
Our latest newsletter includes an amusing but salutary story about alliance communications. It will thus make you smile and think. Click here to read