1. nexus
The magazine of the Warwick Business School Alumni Association Autumn 2001
teamwork in extremis
“why I was compelled to take part in the BT Global Challenge”

2. nexus
New dedicated website is forum for
WBS alumni
Warwick Business School has taken another major step forward with the launch of a new dedicated
alumni website, which went ‘live’ on 1st October, 2001.
contents
g Alumni News 03
The easy-to-navigate site has been constructed to provide more than just a news and information g New alumni achievement
base for alumni - important though this is. As WBS Webmaster Nick Kaijaks explains, “It will also be a awards 04
fully interactive site, empowering fellow alumni and Nexus readers to contact each other, network g Alumni on the move 04
together and exchange information. A further exciting stage of development - planned for early next
year - will be the launch of an on-line directory of all WBS alumni”. g £7 million investment sees
Warwick Business School
Among the features of the site are: development continue apace 05
Online updates / Use the site to give us on-line updates of your details - to ensure that we keep in g University website is in tune
touch with you. with the needs of business 06
Read the WBS news / Keep abreast of all that is happening at your business school. Check the
calendar of forthcoming events of the Alumni Association - and be the first to review an event that you g Alumni Views 08
have attended or read about. g Nexus Interview 10
Alumni notice board / Publish your own news (subject to site regulations) and use it to announce job
moves, business start-ups and other new ventures. Discover what networking groups are operating in g Planning for private medical
your own field of interest or location - or start up your own with the help of the Alumni Association. care in Saudi Arabia 12
Become a mentor / Use the site to share your knowledge by becoming a mentor to your fellow
g Bridging a management gap -
alumni. Register your area of specialisation and geographical location - with the confidence that your
the interim solution 14
details will not be divulged without your prior agreement. Alternatively, find a mentor - from a
database of experienced WBS alumni. g Does leadership make a
Read all about it / Sign up for the Warwick Business School Alumni Library Scheme - and gain access difference in organisational
to an excellent business database. performance 16
Get in touch / Coming early next year will be an on-line directory of all WBS alumni - past and
present. Use this service to search for former classmates and colleagues. g Noticeboard 20
The new website is all yours - visit it now at www.wbs.ac.uk/alumni/ g
Jill Dwyer
Editor
contacts
Emily Fay began work in September as the new
Alumni Relations Manager for Warwick Business
Emily Fay
School. "I am thrilled to be working for a top ranked
Alumni Relations Manager
business school," she said. Emily was the Alumni Alumni Office
Officer for Lancaster University for eight years and Warwick Business School
has spent the past twelve months working for the University of Warwick
University of California, Berkeley, in the United Coventry CV4 7AL
States. She is American, although she has lived in United Kingdom
the UK for 14 years and is a Lancaster University t +44 (0)24 7652 4176
graduate. "My goal for my first six months in post is f +44 (0)24 7652 3719
Jill Dwyer, Editor
to get an online database up and running to help e emily.fay@wbs.ac.uk
WBS Alumni to network with each other," she
explains, "with 10,000 Alumni the international Sue Cresswell
Alumni Assistant
network can be vibrant and I look forward to
working with you to achieve this." t +44 (0)24 7652 4396
e alumni@wbs.warwick.ac.uk
Nexus is the magazine of the Alumni
Association, Warwick Business School,
University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
United Kingdom t (024) 7652 4306
http://www.wbs.ac.uk/alumni
The views contained in Nexus are those of
contributors and not necessarily those of
Warwick Business School or the University
of Warwick. 09/01

3. alumninews
nexus | autumn 2001
Discover the diary dates
Entrepreneurial Spirit
The Alumni Association London Seminar on Thursday MBA Refresher
14-17 October
22 November will be an opportunity to meet people
who have set up in business on their own and know Dr Michael Lewis
the rewards and pitfalls. How do you get started? Lecturer in Operations Management
How do you turn your ideas into a structured Ken Bates
business proposition? Where do you look for funding Lecturer in Accounting and Finance
and how much will you need?
Professor Howard Thomas
Professor of Management and Dean
Our panel of entrepreneurs will alumni who have started up on of Warwick Business School
address all these burning issues their own, including a venture
and more during the evening. capitalist with experience of Professor Leslie Willcocks
Grier Palmer, Assistant funding and advising start-ups. Arthur Andersen Professor of
Director (Training) of the Centre Panel members will share Information Management and
for Small and Medium Sized their own experiences of starting e-business
Enterprises at WBS, will lead an and building a new business and
interactive evening seminar, will address the issues raised by Professor Bill Weinstein
using live cases of real Grier Palmer and members of Professor of International Business,
entrepreneurs. Grier Palmer the audience. Henley Management College
works with SMEs in business The seminar will be held at
growth, entrepreneurial the King’s Fund in Cavendish
Professor Richard Ormerod
leadership, organisational Square, London W1 on
Professor of Management and
development, marketing Thursday 22 November. A buffet
Associate Dean of Executive
excellence and e-business. He will start at 6.15pm, giving an
To reserve your place contact Programmes
has a wealth of experience in oppor-tunity to meet the
Pam Barnes in the Alumni
training and advising smaller speakers, fellow alumni and
office. London Evening Seminar
businesses in the early stages as guests before the seminar starts
22 November
well as helping them move into at 7pm. Tickets are priced at t 024 7652 4396
second-phase growth. £49.99 for alumni and £59.99 e alumni@wbs.warwick.ac.uk
On the panel will be a for guests and include buffet and International MBA Refresher
number of successful WBS wine - see contact details g 21-24 January 2002
Professor Andrew Pettigrew
Professor of Strategy and
Organisation
Summer Ball 2001 Professor Leslie Willcocks
Arthur Andersen Professor of
Information Management and
e-business
A record number of new WBS arrival of two fire engines later
graduates and alumni attended in the evening could not Professor Jacques Nantel
the Summer Ball on 13 July. dampen! We were also very HEC, Montreal
Nearly 300 came together for pleased to welcome back a
the event held for the first time record number of alumni who Professor Louis Hebert
ever on campus. Those who had graduated in previous years HEC, Montreal
came back enjoyed reliving a and took the opportunity to
little of the Warwick magic in meet up again. Professor Fred Seidel
familiar surroundings. Thanks to all of you who EM, Lyon
The Dean, Howard Thomas, came to the Summer Ball and we
and his wife welcomed a look forward to an even bigger Professor Christophe Chaumont
number of prominent guests and better event next year. Let EM, Lyon
including the acting Vice us know your ideas and sugges-
Chancellor of the University and tions for next year’s event g
Women’s Group Seminar
some key corporate clients. A
February
large contingent of full-time Contact
MBAs 1999/00 arrived in very
good spirits - which even the e alumni@wbs.warwick.ac.uk
evacuation of the building and
03

4. New Alumni Achievement Award
Next year will see the inauguration of an entirely new annual award
by Warwick Business School. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity
for public recognition and celebration of those alumni judged to
have made the greatest contribution to business or society in general.
Entry for the new achievement award is open to all WBS alumni
regardless of their programme of study, current area of activity or
geographical location.
Announcing the new scheme, Vin Hammersley, WBS director of
communications said, “The concept of an achievement award has
been in our minds for some time, in part reflecting suggestions made
by alumni. We see the achievement award as a logical extension of
alumni involvement in school activity. It will serve a number of
purposes, including the building of a closer relationship with alumni.
Publicly, it will highlight the benefits of a WBS qualification and
show the sort of achievements in society to which such a
qualification can lead”, he continues. “We expect that it will provide
a role model for others, but perhaps its primary purpose will be to
create a forum to publicise and celebrate the achievements of
alumni”, Vin concludes.
The award - which will carry prestigious individual recognition -
will be assessed by a judging panel comprising WBS staff and
academics, alumni and external people such as board members.
Nominees must be former WBS students and should be
nominated for their contribution:
to their fields or professions, or
through exemplary service to WBS or the wider community, or
through outstanding service of a personal or humanitarian nature
locally, nationally or internationally.
Nominations should be made in writing (with supportive
information such as curriculum vitae, press cuttings, brief biograph-
ical notes) to the Alumni Office, Warwick Business School, University
of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL by Friday 16 November 2001.
For more information on the Alumni Achievement Award see the
web site www.wbs.ac.uk/alumni/ g
Alumni on the move
Graham M Winch (PhD 1998/92) has been appointed chair of Chris Boulton (MBA 1992/93) has moved to be director, 3i Asia
construction machinery management in the department of civil and Pacific in Singapore. Chris had been living in Japan since 1998 where
construction engineering at UMIST with effect from September, 2001. he was president of 3i-Kogin Buyouts, a joint venture with the
After running construction sites, he worked as a research fellow at Industrial Bank of Japan which was set up to develop an MBO
Warwick Business School with Chris Voss in the late eighties before business there. He is looking to make contact with WBS alumni in
taking up a lectureship at the Bartlett School, University College, Singapore as well as doing his best to help 3i meet its investment
London. targets in the region!
e g.winch@umist.ac.uk e Chris_Boulton@3igroup.com
David Bricknell (MBA 1990/91) has been appointed managing Jacque Langford (MBA 1996/97) has been appointed Sales &
director of the UK arm of the leading business-to-business e-purchase Marketing Director at leadership training organisation, The
provider, SynerDeal.com. With a client base that includes major blue Leadership Trust, in Ross-on-Wye. Jacque had previously spent seven
chip manufacturing and public sector organisations, the company is years in training and sales and management at BUPA before joining
experiencing substantial growth for its web-based sourcing services. PPP Healthcare. Jacque was part of the original team that set up PPP
e david.bricknell@synerdeal.com Lifetime Care plc in Stratford upon Avon, before taking the major
step of going back into education. In 1996 she embarked on a full-
Dr. Gary Stockport (MBA 1986/87) has been appointed professor in
time MBA at Warwick Business School. Jacque said, “It was one of the
strategic management and director of the EMBA programme at the
best years of my life. I developed a real interest in strategy
University of Western Australia, Perth. Gary also runs his own
development and practice, and discovered a love of marketing. I also
consultancy company called Western Australia Strategy Consultants
found that the MBA gave me the confidence to apply my learning
and has a growing blue chip client base throughout Asia. He is also a
across the business when I returned to work at PPP Lifetime Care.”
visiting professor at the University of Witwaters and in South Africa.
e gstockpo@ecel.uwa.edu.au
04

5. nexus | autumn 2001
£7 million investment sees
Warwick Business School
development continue apace
The future of Warwick Business School continues
to develop, as a £7 million investment in the
construction of more prestigious facilities for
students, staff and visiting delegates takes shape.
As the second stage of an
ambitious four-phase expansion
plan, the new WBS building will
add office space, lecture theatres
and seminar rooms, further
enhancing what is already
recognised as a world-class
facility. It is being constructed in
the same striking style as phase
1, with white external rendering
and will contain many
innovative features. These
include a circular dean’s meeting
room and a communal lounge
that opens into a courtyard for
use during fine weather.
Professor Howard Thomas
said, “Enhancing and improving
our facilities is a requirement if
we are to maintain our position
as one of the world’s leading
business schools. Our courses
draw candidates who are senior
managers in industry, commerce
and from the public sector. Such
people rightly expect to carry out
their studies in a pleasant and
high quality environment”.
Completion of the new Construction continues on the new state-of-the-art facilities.
building, which is set in an
attractive lakeside location on
the edge of the Warwickshire
countryside, is expected during
the early weeks of 2002 g
05

6. business@warwick is a new interactive website that will ‘open up’
access to the skills and services offered by the University of Warwick
and improve communications with the local and global business
community. Due to go live in mid-Autumn, its design is influenced by
the findings of focus groups held early this year, in which the Midlands
business community was invited to express its views freely about what
it needs in the two-way communication process with the University.
University website
is in tune with the
needs of business
06

7. nexus | autumn 2001
Database-driven
The new business@warwick site
is supported by a central
resources database holding
details of the expertise, services
and facilities available within
the University and enabling it to
be fully searchable. This
So, why a new website at all? searchable facility allows visitors
business@warwick is
“There are several reasons, not to discover the numerous ways
accessible to users in general.
the least of which is the of working with Warwick, from
There is also a registration
influence of government’s drive staff development programmes
facility through which users can
to encourage universities to to student and graduate projects,
sign up for specific mailing
become closer to the business consultancy and sponsored
groups and personalise the site
community and to be generally research projects.
to reflect their own categories of The Warwick web link
more commercially aware”, says interest.
Justine Pedler, Project Manager Searchability is the key There is a strong Warwick link
in the Research and The new site empowers visitors with bit 10, the company
Autumn launch programme chosen to develop the new
Development Office at the to search in three ways:
News of the new website will be website. It was founded by two
University of Warwick. Under a specific resource.
broadcast through a series of Warwick graduates in computer
“Obviously, there has been a Within pre-defined business
events and activities throughout systems engineering, Ben King
website here for some time, but categories.
the autumn. These include: (1994/98) and Alex Craig
it was designed with the needs By key word.
A Midlands Technology (1992/95). In the Deloitte &
of academics and students in “The powerful search engine
Network event to be held at Touche Fast Fifty ratings, bit 10
mind and was somewhat allows the system to be accurate
Warwick on Wednesday October was judged first in the Midlands
impenetrable to external yet flexible”, continues Justine
10. Guest speaker Robert Lindsey and seventeenth nationally g
organisations. When a business Pedler. “The categories are
of Jungle.com will deliver a talk
logged on to the Warwick site, it broader, couched in business
entitled What does it take to grow
wasn’t always easy to see where language and deliberately almost
your business? And there will also Contact
to go to find the right over-classified to provide an easy
be representatives of 3i, Pera
information. Moreover, we also route to extra information. w www.warwick.ac.uk/business
Technology and Warwick.
lacked the means to track “We’ve also commissioned
Coverage in many internal
whether or not an enquirer new case studies of how the
and external university
received a satisfactory response”, University has worked with local
publications.
she explains. small and medium sized
Reciprocal links with other
The new site has been enterprises (SMEs). This is
websites such as Coventry &
wholly redesigned to pull presented in a succinct and
Warwickshire Chamber of
together scattered information business-oriented way and
Commerce and CBI, West
on the services and facilities that focuses directly on improve-
Midlands.
Warwick can offer to the ments such as innovation,
The launch of the Warwick
business community. It also quality improvement and profit.
Regional Business Club on
answers the need for business to “Despite its name, the site
November 21. The aim is to
navigate the site easily and to also includes information
provide a series of meetings
receive a prompt and user- relevant to non profit-making
addressing topical business
friendly response. organisations and the
issues for a selected audience of
It includes regularly updated professions, such as the NHS
local senior executives. Topics
news and announcements from and education,” she concludes.
will be chosen to reflect key
the campus and an events diary. strategic interests and research
One of its most innovative activities at Warwick, which
features is a new Ask the Experts resonate with critical business
on-line enquiry facility. Visitors issues of the day - designed to
to the site can pose a question, encourage business to interact
to which a member of Warwick’s with Warwick on an increasing
academic staff will respond. scale.
07

8. alumniviews
The dotcom - where
Decide your brand’s core
values
Use the results of the previous
steps to describe completely the
personality of the brand - and
did it all go wrong? not just as a list of words. If it
helps, place a face or a
personality to it.
Develop your product to
Simple, says former Warwick MBA John Nicola, now a management match your customer’s needs
Determine the offer that will
consultant with VEO Ltd (Virtual European Office) and a member of both satisfy the needs of your
customers and differentiate you
the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Writing in the institute’s journal from your competitors. Make
Marketing Business, he says that most dotcom failures can be sure that it can be delivered
effectively over the internet.
blamed directly on a deviation from the basic principles of And consider customer service
marketing. and logistics.
A brand is not just a company Can a virtual brand be built Know your customer
Get the site design right...
name and logo - it is something quickly and compete with Be clear about the needs,
A well-designed site is crucial: it
that encompasses a customer’s established physical brands? characteristics and expectations
should reinforce the brand and
entire experience with your Should building a virtual brand of customers as every activity
be easy to use and navigate. It
business or organisation. be any different to building a and process should flow from
should enable your customers to
Defined simply, the brand is the traditional brand? According to this. In this sense, the virtual
access your products quickly and
immediate image, emotion or Jez Frampton of Interbrand company is no different from
easily. Remember - the brand
Shut Down...
message that is experienced
when a person thinks of your
organisation and its offer.
We all know that an
effective brand is key to gaining
market share and creating
customer loyalty. This is
particularly true on the internet,
where timescales are short,
competition intense - and
mistakes costly. With the
introduction of the web came
the hype. We all heard, “the
Interactive, “Brands really exist
in people’s minds. The
difference between online and
offline branding is therefore not
the brand, but the way in which
it is created. Too many online
experiences lack the
distinctiveness required to create
powerful brands”.
Can a virtual brand
successfully change behaviour?
There are some brands - notably
Amazon.com - that have
the physical one. How will you
enhance your customers’ life?
Which needs do you wish to
fulfil? What problems will you
overcome? Unless you have
concrete answers, you may need
to go back to the drawing board.
Know the competition and
the market place
Analyse the competition and its
positioning - a unique brand
cannot be built without this
encompasses the entire user
experience. (Take the
unfortunate case of Boo.com -
one factor contributing to its
failure was its extremely slow
website download time).
....and the marketing
Tell your customers who you
are, what you offer, the needs
you satisfy and your
differentiator. Do not
communicate too many
internet will re-write the rule effectively achieved this. It not awareness. In my company’s
messages in one campaign as it
book - you need to build the only had first-mover advantage experience of rolling out US
can cause confusion. Think
brand quickly!”. but it also applied to the web internet companies into Europe,
about your customers’ behaviour
Some internet marketers fell traditional marketing principles there are varying degrees of
and develop your media plan
under this spell, spending vast of satisfying customer needs in market knowledge, irrespective
accordingly.
sums on brand-building areas such as range, price and of the size of the company. A
Be creative and innovative
campaigns, some of which were customer service. Other case in point is Netscape’s
using relatively low-cost
not very successful. Marketers examples of successful internet European launch of its
methods such as PR and viral
felt they had ‘escaped’ from the brands include America Online, NetCenter portal. Initially
marketing. (Microsoft’s hotmail
restrictions of the off-line Yahoo!, Netscape and Excite. intending to launch one portal
gained a high customer base
companies and wanted to do Although online brands for all countries, Netscape finally
effectively using viral
things differently. Creativity, have to work harder, essentially decided to launch eight different
marketing). The use of highly
freedom and urgency overtook the brand-building process is the localised portals, each reflecting
targeted publications can be
sound business practices. same. Even so-called ‘new’ local market variations, whilst
more effective than television.
methods like viral marketing* maintaining core values.
Develop integrated campaigns
and CRM have their foundations
incorporating both online and
in the traditional principles of Know yourself
offline branding.
loyalty programmes and direct Establish your intended
Finally, never become
mail. In light of this, how do positioning, competitive
complacent as it will be
you build a successful online advantage and core competence,
necessary continually to refresh
*A marketing phenomenon that brand? as well as your vision and
and re-energise the brand - it
facilitates and encourages people to mission. Why should a customer
must remain dynamic g
pass along a marketing message. choose you, rather than the
Hotmail is widely cited as the first competition? Be objective: put
example of viral marketing. yourself in the position of the
John Nicola is a freelance
customer. At some point, we
strategic marketing consultant.
have all thought that, because
we are passionate about our Contact
product and services, our
customers must also feel the e jmnicola@aol.com
same way.
08

9. nexus | autumn 2001
Don’t lose Food website
your head to is top of the
the hunters menu
What happens on the day that Head hunters should qualify A Bedfordshire company which BigBarn has developed what it
the head-hunter calls you up? their interest in you to show has set up a ‘Virtual Farmers claims is an innovative website
You may think that it is the day that they understand you. Avoid Market’ to allow consumers to for both producers and customers
that all the sweat, toil and being drawn into a meeting buy direct from their local alike. Simply by logging on and
money that you have devoted without first obtaining details of independent food producers has typing in their postcode, users see
to career preparation will start the role in writing. Too often, won a major accolade at one of a map of their area displaying
to pay you back. But is it? It agencies will simply pull you in the region’s most prestigious icons representing different
pays to be prepared in the with a view that you might be business awards. producers and the type of goods
jungle of the jobs market, suitable for several positions. BigBarn Ltd, based in Great they sell. Individual updateable
suggests Alistair How (MBA, Interviews are time consuming Barford, received the Eastern websites are linked to icons and
1995/96), now of Reuters Ltd., and tiring. Association of Enterprise recipes, food articles and shops
London.
Find Open
Firstly, is the call from a
genuine head hunter or merely
a search and selection agency?
Head hunters don’t tend to
publicise themselves. If you’re
emerging from business school
in your late twenties, it is
unlikely that head hunters will
be calling unless you are a
specialist - or, at least, you have
achieved a level where the jobs
pyramid begins to narrow.
When you do take up the
head hunter’s proposal,
remember that you have started
the clock ticking. Changing jobs
is not just about the immediate
opportunity but needs to be
considered as part of your whole
career development.
Since you have not
instigated the approach, an offer
may take you by surprise - and
not give you time to think
clearly. So, avoid being bounced
Agencies Award for Dot Coms at
the Business Link High Growth
Start-Up Awards. The £5,000
prize was presented by BBC Look
East presenter, Susie Fowler-Watt.
BigBarn director Anthony
Davison (MBA 1998/99) believes
that he has found an online
solution which suits both
producers and customers. “Due
to heightened public awareness
of food safety, customers have
become increasingly demanding
appear beside the map.
“Our website is something that
farmers desperately need to
improve their incomes and a
growing number of consumers
desperately want easy access to
local produce” continues Anthony
Davison. “Worried by so many
food scares, millions are rallying to
the ‘local is best’ flag. Local means
produce which is accountable,
fresh and above all safe.
“This award will help raise
Too often, your name has into a new role simply because it in their expectations. At the awareness of BigBarn and our
been culled from an MBA is available. Ask for time to same time, producers have 2,900 registered producers and. in
directory and is simply one of think and put out some feelers - wanted to reach these customers turn, make a real contribution to
many called. The genuine head if only fully to understand the directly, to receive a better price the rural economy”, he says.
hunter should know a lot about context. This will help you to than is available to them What does the future hold?
you, including your current role make an informed and through normal trade outlets”, Anthony was delighted to
and career ambitions. Don’t feel considered decision. he says. explain, "We have just agreed a
afraid to be cool to the Finally, when you do get the This market place has grown sponsorship deal with the NFU
approach - too much offer, recognise who the head rapidly over the past four years, and will be on the back of 5
enthusiasm can imply desire to hunter is working for. You are from just one outlet in 1997 to million Jordan's cereal packets in
move and weaken your not the client, but the prey g the three hundred today. the spring" g
negotiating position.
Contact
w www.bigbarn.co.uk
09

10. nexusinterview
Imagine leaving work at the BT Wholesale corporate headquarters office Apart from this, the selection
process was much the same as it
near St. Pauls Cathedral and - instead of joining the customary throng home was for the core crew. My
introduction to yachting was two
on the Central Line - stepping aboard a 72ft state-of-the-art yacht as a four-day weekends where we
went to sea to learn everything
member of its crew for the toughest leg of the toughest yacht race in the there was to know about the
boat. This was not just about
world. This was the challenge that Warwick MBA Caroline Watson was sailing, but also about teamwork.
A file is opened with details of
stimulated to accept - and which would prove to be the greatest adventure of every member, and the skippers -
who had by this time been chosen
her life. - selected what they thought were
balanced teams.
why I was
Although I had a preference to
do the southern ocean leg, I
didn’t have a choice. I was
allocated that leg through the
crew selection process and was
compelled to take joined by fellow ‘legger’ Peter
Stewart from Compaq.
Nexus / So, you were now a
member of the crew?
part in the BT
Caroline / Well, not quite. BT
stipulated as part of the selection
criteria that each BT ‘legger’
would first have to raise at least
£7,500 for the race charity Save
Global Challenge the Children. For me, this was a
big task. I decided to approach it
through a mix of both corporate
and personal sponsorship.
The corporate bit was
surprisingly easy. What is the point
in being in a large organisation if
Nexus / What exactly is the BT Nexus / You’re not a you can’t leverage personal
Global Challenge? yachtswoman, so how did you come contacts and raise sponsorship in
Caroline / It is a yacht race to participate? this way? On a personal level, I
that is staged every four years. It is Caroline / Three years ago, I saw it as part of the challenge to
led by Sir Chay Blyth and has knew that I was planning to do something that I could not
been sponsored by BT for the past graduate from Warwick with my normally do. So I decided to learn
two races. It is a unique race in MBA in July 2000, so I asked to run - which I found very hard -
which twelve boats, each with its myself an important personal with a view to completing a real
own corporate sponsor, question - ‘what do I do next?’ In challenge - a triathlon. This led
circumnavigate the world. It my studies, I had covered all the me to entering the London
differs from professional yacht theory about organisations and Triathlon with two teams, raising
racing in two ways. First - unlike how they work, so I saw Global over £2,000 for Save the Children.
the Whitbread, it is for amateur Challenge as a novel way to put As part of the training for this
yachtsmen. And second - it goes this theory to the practical test. and the BTGC, I put together a
round the world the ‘wrong way’. I wanted to do something small team to do the Three Peaks
Nexus / The wrong way? different. So, what really inspired in 24 hours. This raised over
Caroline / Yes, the route it me when I read about the race in £4,500 - and anyone who
takes is against the prevailing a BT publication was the concept remembers me at Warwick during
winds and currents, which means of accepting a challenge in which my last MBA module will know
Caroline Watson that you are constantly beating you cannot anticipate how you that they got stung for support! In
against the winds and big seas. will respond to it - how you will all, I have raised over £18,000 for
This makes it even more get on. It was also different from the charity.
challenging. my work, yet was supported by it. Nexus / Let’s move on to your
In 2000/2001, the race took Nexus / What was the selection fellow crew. What were they like as
ten months to complete, covered process for crews? a team?
thirty thousand miles and was Caroline / Each of the boats Caroline / My first impression
divided into seven legs. These had a skipper and a crew of was that the crew of Compaq
were from the start at seventeen. Two of these crew Non-stop were all enormous -
Southampton to Boston, Buenos members would be ‘leggers’ and mostly well over 6ft tall,
Aires, round the Horn to would join the boat for just one of compared with my 5ft 3in!
Wellington, Sydney, across the the seven legs. In the case of my
southern ocean to Cape Town, La boat, Compaq Non-stop, the boat
Rochelle and back to sponsor had decided on one BT
Southampton. person and one from Compaq as
their ‘leggers’.
10

11. The core crew on my yacht nexus | autumn 2001
ranged in age from 25 to 59. It
included a couple of relative
youngsters who really weren’t sure
yet what they wanted from life.
There was also a lovely lady of 52 Courtesy of Team Compaq at BTGC
who ran a bed and breakfast in
Devon and was taking part
because her children said she
couldn’t do it and she wanted to
prove that there was life in the old
girl yet!
One of the first things we did
was to arrange a team-building
session where we looked at the
capabilities within each of us to
determine how we thought we
were going to work together.
Those with sailing experience
would control tactics and the rest Nexus / What were conditions
of us had to formulate how we like in the southern ocean?
were going to work together to Caroline / I have to admit
make the boat go fast. That’s the that I was hoping for a few days
critical factor in a race of twelve grace for us to get our sea legs
identical boats - it’s all about how before we met any rough weather.
the crew work together as a team. But, on the day we left Sydney,
In the March, we all went we hit a storm in the stretch of
away together for a week’s water where, you may recall, six
bonding, physical training and people were lost in the Sydney to
communication techniques. We Hobart race in 1998.
also carried out assessments of We hit force 10 winds and
ourselves to determine what type 30ft waves that caused severe
of characteristics we had. We casualties on another boat, with
found that we had a lot of two crew members needing to be
‘shapers’ and not many ‘finishers’ airlifted ashore. That same first
- which meant that we would night on deck, our watch leader
have to pay particular attention to literally flew over my head and
making sure that tasks were broke two ribs. How he didn’t
finished. take me with him, I will never
know. You can imagine my Nexus / What were your You find out what your
We held social events for
feelings - he is experienced and I feelings when you finally sailed into strengths and weaknesses really
further team bonding, as well as
am a novice: this is the first day - Cape Town? are when you are pushed to the
qualifying sailing days in which
and there are another 39 days to Caroline / My initial thoughts limit. You learn how to deal with
the core crew worked out
go! that morning, as the mist rose people that you may not choose
programmes in conjunction with
Altogether, we hit four storms over Cape Point, was that I had to deal with normally - but you’ve
the ‘leggers’. Peter and I knew
of this severity but the rest of the been to hell and back and that I got to work together. You have to
that we would join the boat at
time wasn’t plain sailing either. couldn’t wait to get my feet on get beyond the personal issues
Sydney, when it had already
Average winds of 35 to 40 knots dry land again. and learn to trust them - and they
travelled half way the round the
and 60ft waves meant that it was Then, I realised that this was you.
world. By then, things would
pretty rough all the way through. the end of the adventure in which Nexus / To what extent do you
inevitably have changed and it
Nexus / How would you assess I had invested two years of my life think the whole experience has
would be hard for the new
the performance of the crew? and six weeks of intense activity. changed you?
‘leggers’ to bond. This was a bit of
Caroline / Well, the boat My part of the challenge was over Caroline / Having completed
trepidation for us, so we were
finished the whole race second and I knew I would miss the both my MBA and the BT Global
determined to talk to the ‘leggers’
overall, so the team were comradeship of the guys on Challenge, I felt that I had
from previous legs to see how
obviously doing something board. Now, when I think back, I changed quite a lot as a person
things had changed - in the hope
collectively right. This is all about really did enjoy it - it was the and that I now needed to push
that we would hit the ground
taking the right navigational challenge that I wanted both my career on. In fact, I was very
running.
decisions and making the right sail mentally and physically. But the lucky to come back to a new role
Nexus / Did things work out like
changes at the right time. only way I could exorcise the in BT.
that?
There were downside empty feeling in Cape Town was As Executive Assistant to the
Caroline / We joined at the
moments. We worked four-hour to stay with the support crew until CEO of BT Wholesale - the largest
start of the longest and toughest
shifts by day and three hours at the boat sailed on to the La part of BT - the nature of my role
leg of the race, where teamwork
night. Imagine having to get up at Rochelle leg. Then it really was is to support the CEO in the
would be absolutely vital. I confess
3.00am in a storm and having to over. business and in the decision-
that, for the first day, Peter and I
do a sail change. Needless to say, Nexus / Now you’re back in the making process.
stuck together. But, once we
there were a few words said at office at St. Pauls, what did you This work means that I can be
knuckled down and got involved,
this time in the morning! learn about teamwork? influential in the making of those
the crew realised that we could
Having said that, we had to Caroline / I learned a lot decisions, although not
play a major role. We found a
plan things before we went on to about teams, as this type of team responsible for them. Effectively, I
niche where we could make a
the foredeck where you can hear building is very different from that am shadowing everything that
difference. Perhaps our business
little except the sea anyway. in corporate life. You appreciate goes on in corporate
training helped, making us a bit
Planning and using simple, the value of people and the headquarters. My new challenge
more flexible in how we were able
straightforward commands was camaraderie. for this year is to get to
to deal with people.
the rule. A couple of sail changes understand how big organisations
did go wrong and one of these work and to learn from people
was actually caught on film - we who are highly qualified.
will put that one down to a Everything that I have done in
training exercise! the MBA is coming to life g
11

12. “This should include data on
demographics, epidemiology
and morbidity. Once the data
has been collected, a financial
and risk management modelling
profile needs developing to
ensure that there is a robust
The Saudi government has provided free healthcare for generations. Both business case for sustaining the
project,” he concludes.
Ministry of Health hospitals and military hospitals were developed rapidly The stages for strategic
planning are:
in the post oil-boom years of the seventies and eighties. Since then, the
country has had to contend with a reduction in oil revenues and an Data gathering
Analysis of healthcare needs
expanding population. With the provision of free healthcare putting and uptake, both regionally and
pressure on finances, the government is encouraging an enlarged private nationwide.
Review data from sources such
medical market. as the Saudi health ministry and
the World Health Organisation.
Assess potential with local
Planning for
business, multinationals and
insurance companies. Include
price comparison.
Evaluate competition, both
current and potential.
private medical Establish the components of a
marketing strategy.
Market analysis
care in Saudi
Analyse gaps in the market.
“With its location near other Establish the primary services
Gulf states such as Bahrain, that determine business volume.
Qatar and the United Arab Establish likely patient
Emirates, both the nationals of numbers - by type and
Arabia For over twenty years,
healthcare in Saudi has been
rapidly developed through a
large public sector supported by
these countries and expatriate
workers are within the
catchment area for advanced
medical treatment”, he says.
An unusual aspect of the
speciality.
Project indicative market
share.
Assess potential hospital
revenue from patients.
a much less significant private Saad project is its sheer scale for
one. Many large hospital a privately owned facility. The Financial and risk modelling
projects of 500-plus beds were only other private hospital of Estimate capital cost of the
built for the Ministry of Health, similar size to be completed project.
particularly in the larger, recently is in Buenos Aires, Estimate assumptions of
“To establish a new western cities of Jeddah on the Argentina. operating costs.
Red Sea coast and Riyadh, the Saad’s new outpatient clinic Determine a three, five and
commercial hospital, capital - leaving the east of the ten year financial projection of
was opened in 1995 and
particularly one that country less well served. extended in 1997. Three years revenue and costs.
Signals had been sent out by later, the first phase of the Apply sensitivity analyses.
provides services such as the Saudi government that
+
hospital itself opened, with Calculate the key investment
legislation compelling the ratios such ROCE and ROE.
cardiac surgery, organ clinical diagnostic services such
significant expatriate population as radiology, laboratory and When positioning a new
transplantation and other to have private health insurance emergency room. In February private hospital in Saudi Arabia,
would be forthcoming. There this year, the first inpatients the scale of the market becomes
advanced medical was an expectation that such a evident. About twenty percent
were admitted and it is
techniques, needs ruling would come into force anticipated that two hundred of all hospital inpatient beds are
last November and, although beds will be in use by the end of in commercial hospitals,
strategic planning” this did not materialise, it is the year. although the proportion varies
considered likely to happen Local competition can be of according to location.
within the next year or two. extremely good quality, but the Several factors have emerged
Douglas McLaughlin. “Work started a few years services and treatments offered in determining the hospital
ago on the planning and invariably tend to be of a more position. These include the price
development of an ambitious standard medical level. The Saad and range of services, user-
500-bed private hospital in the hospital is aiming to develop friendliness, quality and staff
Gulf town of Al Khobar in the and sustain markets both in qualification and medical
Eastern Province”, reports these core services and with designated facility status.
Douglas McLaughlin, (Warwick additional specialities. “Establishing a successful
MBA 1992/95) and now director commercial hospital can be
of planning and development accomplished. The correct
for the project . “Known as The market entry can be sustained in
Saad Specialist Hospital, it will a competitive environment,”
ultimately provide a range of Douglas concludes g
services comparable with those
found in the larger urban
teaching hospitals in the UK.
12

13. International MBA Refresher - January 2002
Warwick is hosting the first international MBA Refresher staged by
the AEA Alliance of business schools. Key note speakers from EM
Lyon, HEC Montreal and WBS will team up to present this
stimulating three day MBA update programme.
Jacques Nantel from HEC Montreal, will develop the theme of e-marketing.
Louis Hebert, also from Montreal, will explore strategic alliances and mergers
and acquisitions. Fred Seidel and Christophe Chaumont, both EM Lyon
professors, will cover the issues of business ethics and knowledge
management.
Professor Andrew Pettigrew and Professor Leslie Willcocks from Warwick will
present their latest work on leadership and strategic e-business.
Priced at £2000 the Refresher from 21 - 24 January 2002. Don’t miss this
unique opportunity to meet MBA alumni from Europe and North America. On
behalf of our French and Canadian partners and Warwick Business School we
look forward to welcoming you to this groundbreaking event.
For more information and an application form contact Sue Philpott
t +44 (0)24 7657 2688
e schsp@wbs.warwick.ac.uk
020 7384 3092
However senior you are it always helps to have an ally in the wider market place.
We at Chapple work alongside you to help you establish your long term career
plans and, more importantly, to implement them successfully. We work across
industry and are often retained by organisations to find talent. We are currently
recruiting on behalf of clients in business process reengineering, law, corporate
communications and human resources. We also manage portfolio careers enabling
you to get on with the project of the moment. If you would value an exploratory
conversation or would just like a copy of our career check-up form then email me,
Suzannah Chapple, at syc@chapple.ltd.uk or ring me on 020 7384 3092.
syc@chapple.ltd.uk
13

14. The concept of engaging an So was born a new breed of
interim - or a temporary interim managers and
professional manager - is organisations specialising in or
generally assumed to have been adding these management skills
born out of the lean to their existing portfolio. The
manufacturing ethos of the primary skill they brought was
nineteen-eighties. Then, the ability to assimilate a
flexibility was king. Smaller, challenge very quickly and then
leaner teams were expected to place an appropriate temporary
embrace more advanced executive into the client
technology and, at the same organisation to fulfil a clearly-
time, to improve their business defined short-term assignment.
performance on a continuing The corporate crisis could
basis. have come from many causes -
Perhaps partly influenced by from bridging a sickness,
North American business recruitment or under-
culture, the search for flatter, achievement gap right through
more efficient structures led to to addressing wider business
the delayering of management. issues such as performance or
But, as many businesses found profit downfall, turning the
to their cost, this could have its business round, downsizing or
downside, too - it could lead to closing a plant, company
a loss of expertise. There would floatation, introduction of new
be times - caused mostly by technology and even preparing
crisis or by other catalysts for the whole business for sale.
change - when the leaner Whatever the problem, its
management team lacked the resolution will bring with it the
time or the wherewithal to deal need for change, to take some
with a new or unexpected hard decisions and often to
challenge. convey some bad news. Against
And, of course, at times like this, the interim should have
these, it is a paradox of business two considerable advantages.
life that the need for swift, The first is that he or she is
incisive management is at its quite unfettered by corporate
greatest. politics or machinations and the
second is that he or she should
be able to take a hands-on role
The concept of deploying an interim manager to fill a short-term with just one objective - to meet
a clearly defined brief within a
business need is not new one: it has been around for twenty years or defined time span.
more. But it is a weapon in the management armoury that is now
being ever more widely used. Acknowledgement of this trend has
now been made by the Institute of Management, which has set up a
new professional body for everyone involved in this specialised skill.
bridging a
management gap
- the interim solution
14