October 2007 News
The impact of new technologies on the VCS
Come and discuss the impact of new technologies on the future of your VCO and hear a variety of thought-provoking presentations from a panel of ICT experts.
Exploring the topic of the moment, this afternoon seminar will focus on the impact of new technologies for the VCS. The emphasis of the seminar is on discussion and organisations will be invited to discuss the implications of new technologies for their organisation; exploring both the future challenges and opportunities.
The seminar will...
NCVO Political Conference 2007 - Building your Political Intelligence
Despite organisations spending much of their time campaign planning and shaping messages and tactics, issues can be won or lost on a single piece of information.
This year’s political conference will provide critical political intelligence to help you plan and implement high-level political lobbying campaigns to modify legislation, influence public policy or simply to move the profile of an issue up the political agenda.
Who is this event for?
This event is for people working in charities,...
Discover the secret of successful strategies
The Performance Hub are always good at providing organisations with practical tips and experience that will help improve their performance. One of their key areas of work is helping organisations develop their strategic thinking and planning skills.
These findings from the Performance Hub's action research project on how to form a good strategy are jam-packed with practical tips and learning from the experiences of five third sector organisations (TSOs).
The Performance Hub commissioned...
Ageing workforce and flexible working
The Department of Work and Pensions has just published a new report investigating how employers are responding to an ageing workforce and to the introduction of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. The research aimed to explore whether the attitudes and practices of employers might help or hinder Government policies that seek to encourage individuals to stay longer in work and employers to make better use of older workers, with an emphasis on encouragement, rather than compulsion...
The challenge of obesity
'By 2050 60% of men and 40% of women could be clinically obese. Without action, obesity-related diseases will cost an extra £45.5 billion per year'
The recent report on obesity from the Government's Foresight Programme has attracted a lot of press coverage. This four page summary (PDF) is an interesting read, with some interesting new perspectives backed up by some weighty research. The key messages for me were the concept of 'passive obesity' – the idea that Britons are getting...
Is the information society a community catalyst or a community liability?
In a publication on ICT and localism, Edward Andersson of Involve explores whether the information society is a community catalyst or a community liability. He believes that the internet represents a key resource for local participation and drawing from many local initiatives, has developed six key lessons which are worth thinking about:
- ‘localist’ is not the same as ‘local’;
- bridging online and offline participation;
- funding, support and training;
- local involvement;
- moving beyond ‘business...
Strategy on pay awards
One of the questions we are asked occasionally is what level should salary increases be pitched at for the next financial year? Now, this is arguably a financial/business planning exercise rather than a long-term, strategic planning issue, but some analysis of the wider labour market and its drivers should be part of any strategic plan.
The Labour market driver will address this broader issue, but in the meantime a few pointers might be useful. ONS reckons pay settlements (or, technically,...
Public attitudes to economic inequality
Economic inequality is a long standing feature of the socio-economic structure of the UK. Income inequality currently stands at historically high levels, and asset inequality has increased since the 1990s, with the top 1 % now owning nearly a quarter of all marketable assets. However, relatively little is known about public attitudes on this issue. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a new study with the key findings online which examines public attitudes to economic inequality, and ...
Voluntary Sector Strategic Analysis 07/08 published 15th October
On Monday 15th October we published the latest edition of our annual analysis of the changing operating environment and drivers for the voluntary and community sector - the Voluntary Sector Strategic Analysis 07/08.
The publication brings together discussion of key drivers and their implications in 'aspects' of the operating environment. The six aspects discussed in the 2007 edition are:
- Local governance
- Public services
- Attitudes towards individual and collective...
Strategy’s strategist: An interview with Richard Rumelt
Richard Rumelt is one of the world’s experts in the field of strategy. In this interview with The McKinsey Quarterly (free but registration required) he examines the key difference between strategic planning and business planning; in other words, what makes a plan strategic? Rumelt goes on to explain why a lot of strategic planning that goes on across organisations isn’t necessarily very strategic. He argues that most strategic plans have little to do with strategy and are simply three-year...
