March 3, 2002

Ask virtually any chief executive what his or her priority is right now and chances are it’s people – how to attract, grow and keep them.

Outsourced or in-house, the call centre is increasingly the fulcrum on which organisations balance their all-important customer relationships.

Most businesses are fastidious about managing and tracking inventory. Few, however, pay the same attention to detail when identifying skill weakness or management potential among their staff. They can now.

The independence of the board should be cultivated according to the Canadians. Directors should develop a “cohesive culture” that facilitates independence of action. They should meet regularly – without management being present.

Who should serve on a board of directors? It’s time to shatter some myths about individual suitability and to move on from corporate monoculture.

The New Zealand Institute of Management has established a new global online partnership with its US counterpart, the American Management Association (AMA) and set up a link on its website.

When it’s all boiled down, how seriously should we take those political promises about our place in eWorld?

10 ways to build best practice accounting

10 ways to build best practice accounting

Who wins when economic theory and voter reaction collide?

Confronted with organisational change? Try building people into a taskforce for growth before resorting to slash and burn.

The senior executive job market is tightening up. But there are some simple rules good managers should follow to maintain their earning potential.

Creating outstanding products isn’t always enough to win a place on the world market. Sometimes the management strategy requires a little help from a strategically placed friend. This Christchurch developer of electronic aids for the blind hit the jackpot when Microsoft cast an eye in its direction.

On a personal and a national basis our managers must lift both their sights and their performance. The solution, ironically, is in their own hands.

Risk and politics are usually oil and water. But some occasions call for some oil on the water. This, for the Labour party, is one of those times.

Strategic alliances and epartnerships are becoming a hot new commercial item. The rewards of a happy union can be both substantial and satisfying. But, just like marriage, the failure rate is alarmingly high. Read on for some pointers to finding the ideal partner and keeping the relationship working.

For years business has been chanting the mantra – “nothing is constant except change” – why then is it such a big deal and why do so many organisations struggle with it?

Networking expert Robyn Henderson says the best way to grow your own business is to help grow other people’s. It’s not surprising, perhaps, that she gets some sideways glances. “Oh, come on,” people say. “We have to be focused on growing our own business first.”

Executive leasing has long since moved from the wings onto the main stage of the New Zealand employment scene. It is now considered an integral part of the structure and the practice of management and is growing at a healthy rate. Who’s choosing this option now and why?

More of us may be working from home but the office is still organisational heartland. Managing the process of finding or creating the “ideal office” is a tough call. Here’s why.

Is there some new economic thinking emerging from Treasury or, is it just a blip on the horizon?

Can it survive New Zealand Post’s boardroom battles?

Much ink has been tracked along much paper, 10s of billions of dollars have been invested in licences and infrastructure, and much hyper-anticipation has been generated for the coming advent

For the past 10 years Wellington has watched as corporate head offices pack up and leave town. But simultaneously the city is exhibiting all the signs of a new-found life. Even the weather has improved. Then last year Wellington was named the nation’s “Top Town” by North & South magazine. Is it good luck or good management?

Why are some people fabulously successful, while others never make it, no matter how hard they try?

Wireless technology is about to have a significant impact on the way we manage business processes. Minimising ‘plugs and cables’ can buy back time and create greater efficiencies right across the board.

New Zealand faces some pressing policy questions. Our politicians have a problem acknowledging the existence of those most likely to provide the answers.

Brian Young, Ross Hanning, Rillian Hearst The formation of Royal & SunAlliance Life’s new Strategic Partners business unit has seen three managerial appointments: Young is marketing support manager; Hanning has

John Maasland, Ian Donald, Gary Hitchcock Rotorua-based owner of Lockwood Homes, the La Grouw Corporation, has appointed Maasland (top left), Donald (top right) and Hitchcock to its new high-profile board.

Place To Space

New research by the Business Excellence Foundation suggests that New Zealand companies are responding to competitive demands and feeling better about the future.

Corporate mission statements are on the wane. And even less organisations are committing to a published business strategy.

How shareholders strangle corporations.

In a bid to foster relationships, companies are for ever seeking new and effective ways to wow clients, reward staff and build relationships. Appropriate ideas are the key.

A study by international consultancy Deloitte suggests finding, hiring and retaining people is uppermost in the minds of 55 percent of CEOs. Employee turnover is a problem for many reasons, not least of which is the escalating cost of getting them started once they sign on.

The Fonterra Co-operative Group officially opened for business this month. The fortunes of this $12 billion dairy products empire rest on the ample shoulders of its home-grown chief executive, 36-year-old Craig Norgate.

Hot Boardroom Property

Thinking About People

Role Models

The latest jokes, messages from mates or love bytes from a special friend – when does email become disruptive and what is “reasonable” personal use?

At 41, Elizabeth Coutts is one of New Zealand’s youngest public company directors. She sits on boards like Air New Zealand, yet her business profile is strictly low flying. She has made the transition from successful CEO to professional director without missing a beat. Who is this private but very influential woman?

The gene pool from which Government draws its politically appointed directors is too shallow and too narrow. But moves to replenish the traditional source of supply present other problems.

There was time, not all that long ago, when business hardly rated more than cursory mention in the mainstream media. Those days of corporate anonymity are gone. Our captains of

Our universities have traditionally turned out accountants by the kilometre, but market demand is changing. What qualifications set smart young graduates up for a fast track career now?

According to the American Institute of Stress, between 75 and 90 percent of visits to doctors are related to stress. Between 60 and 80 percent of work accidents are caused by stress, and stress at work is responsible for about 40 percent of staff turnover.

Feedback is valuable. Successful managers know how to turn what they learn into direction.

In the sporting world, team members are selected, retained and developed if they meet, and continue to meet, predetermined standards and expectations.

Successful leaders read. It’s just one of those realities of business and organisational life.

It’s not difficult to find articles about leadership on the web, deciding how relevant they are is another matter.

Prescription for managing a global drug company from New Zealand.

The national board of the New Zealand Institute of Management followed the work of the government-sponsored Knowledge Wave conference with intense interest. This was an opportunity and a challenge. A wake-up call not to be ignored.