Global Competitiveness Rankings
Switzerland is once again ranked number one on the Global Economic Forum's latest international competitiveness rankings. Sweden, rising to number two, is also joined by Finland, the Netherlands, and Denmark in the top 10, making the Nordic countries one of the most economically competitive regions in the world.
The Global Competitiveness Report compares countries on the strength of such measures as infrastructure, institutions, labor market efficiency,
education and training, technological readiness, and innovation, in addition to a poll of more than 13,500 business leaders in 139 economies. The goal is to give policy leaders a picture of their competitive strengths and weaknesses.
The United States fell two places from 2009 to 2010 (placing fourth behind Singapore). According to the report, the downward slip in U.S. competitiveness reflects concerns for the strength of U.S. public and
private institutions, as well as its financial markets.SOURCE: The Futurist - Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011: World Economic Forum
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Micro Strategic Planning using the Systems Thinking Approach® ...Based on over 50 years of scientific research.
 For small business owners, nonprofit boards, major functional area teams, project / work group teams.
When you don't have the time or staff to develop a comprehensive, detailed strategic plan, this one-day Micro Strategic Planning exercise will help you focus your thinking and put a plan in place that provides a roadmap to your future desired state.
What you get....
> The ABC's of Strategic Thinking: The Systems Thinking Approach®
> The System of managing strategically: day-by-day, year-by-year
> Two facilitated half-day sessions which cover three of the five Phases of Reinventing Strategic Planning™
Phase A: Vision, Mission, Values
Phase C: Critical Issues
Phase D: Key Strategies and Actions
> Micro Strategic Planning Template
A full day of strategic planning for up to 10 people. During this day, you will learn how to...
> Integrate strategic thinking, strategic planning, and strategic change for your organiation, department units, or teams.
> Develop, implement, and sustain a customized and integrated Strategic Management System and Cycle for your organization.
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> Increase your level of employee engagement, trust, and productivity throughout your organization.
> Deliver a higher level of customer value for your entire organization on a focused and consistent basis.
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Tip #4 - Understand your current situation.
How knowledgeable are you and your staff about the social media tools? Who will be using these tools and to what purpose? Will you rely on one person or department to handle all the social media marketing? Will you outsource the process? Will you do it yourself?
Do an evaluation of your staff's current strengths and weaknesses relative to social media use, as well as your competition. Know which of your competitors might be ahead of you in the social media networking arena and which are still sitting on the sidelines.
You also need to look at where your new competitors might be springing from two or three years down the road. The world is changing so fast and new opportunities are being created daily that didn't exist a year or so ago. You need to be reviewing these trends on a quarterly basis to stay ahead of the game and be ready to act when the opportunities present themselves.
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Strategic Thinking Tip
Scanning the Environment:
Using the Haines Centre SKEPTIC Model.
One of my favorite tools is the SKEPTIC. It stands for Socio-Demographic, Kompetition (sic), Economics and Ecology, Political / Regulatory, Technology, Industry and Customers / Citizens (or Stakeholders).
This tool can be used two ways. I favor starting by putting myself mentally at the date I desire the outcome to occur. For example, if I want a new line of business to grow from zero to $1 million a year in three years, say June 30, 2012, I pretend it is that date and then consider what is going on around my business at that time. What trends are affecting me then? Not now. Am I still in a growth market or a mature market? All in the context of addressing those seven letters in SKEPTIC.
My first pass is superficial, based on what I know now, my second pass is supported by research into the future and my third pass is based on looking hard into what futurists and my mentors can provide. And it doesn't stop there. I schedule time to visit each letter with a little more rigor, say once a month. If I were to manage a team or organization, I'd assign folks to the letters. This keeps them involved and helps them build expertise about something related to my business.
My other use of this tool is to focus on what is happening now. I start with the future because it works better for planning for that future. If I have a good plan I can affect the outcomes for the future. A scan to today's environment deals with a lot that has already happened and I can't change it nor react to it. But the intelligence I gather from a disciplined SKEPTIC scan of the current state of my business does help me make tactical adjustments for the short term and possibly correct some mistaken initiatives that are not helping me as much as they could.
A personal corollary to this is one such as PITO. Personally (body, mind, spirit), Interpersonally (family, friends, colleagues), Team (associations, communities, departments) and Organization (job, career, wealth, enjoyment, satisfaction).
Scanning each of these in a similar fashion as the SKEPTIC, with discipline and rigor helps stay focused, adjust to make sure I stay physically and mentally healthy, allow time for family (close and extended) and to address my hobbies.
Speaking of which, I find it useful to remind myself from time to time that recreation is less about a beach-side lounge chair and a tropical beverage and much more about RE-CREATING, so my hobbies, sailing and cycling, have me fully engaged mentally and physically.
What do you think?
When you make a mistake of adding the date to the right side of the accounting statement, you must add it to the left side too.
Accountant's Maxim
Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility.
Ambrose Bierce
Nothing is illegal if a hundred businessmen decide to do it, and that's true anywhere in the world.
Andrew Young
I think any man in business would be foolish to fool around with his secretary. If it's somebody else's secretary, fine.
Barry Goldwater
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.
Bob Hope
There's no reason to be the richest man in the cemetery. You can't do any business from there.
Colonel Sanders
Big business never pays a nickel in taxes, according to Ralph Nader, who represents a big consumer organization that never pays a nickel in taxes.
Dave Barry Source: www.smallbusinesshumor.com
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