Where do we need help and who can provide it? Competitive advantage, even survival can often depend on making the right decisions in relation to developing strategic partnerships.
We need to be clear what are the core competences to be developed in house and what complementary expertise we look to partner organisations to provide.
MRPC will work with you throughout the search, shortlist, contracting and implementation process to find suitable partners who will provide the right ‘fit’ for your organisation going forward.
Developing strategic partnerships-The Process
Through helping a number of clients MRPC has developed a robust process to find and appoint key partners: We define the needs of the organisation going forward on a 3/5 year timescale. We develop a Needs Matrix which is a template against which alternatives are evaluated, then search the market on your behalf (reserving the client’s name if required) and provide a shortlist to ‘meet the client’. Post-selection we support your contract negotiations and the development of service level agreements As required we continue to support you through implementation, including personnel and internal organisation issues.
Case Study (Developing strategic partnerships)
The Client: A major (+100k membership) Membership Organisation
Commercial activities: include magazine and book publishing (on-line and off-line), conferences and exhibitions for members and non-members. In part these services were delivered by outside suppliers, in part by internal operations.
The Brief: On a 3/5 year time-span, review and re- plan the contribution made by the commercial operations, including:
- Consideration of outsourcing v. in-house options
- Relative merits of multiple ‘niche’ suppliers v. single source/partner
- Membership objectives: contribute to growth of membership, increase membership participation in Institute events, deliver added value to existing members including innovation and excitement
Brand objectives: ‘make the news’, attract non-members, contribute to international growth
Commercial objectives: higher revenue, higher fees (linked to perceived value added), bear down on costs.
The Project: was driven by a major ‘search’ through the market place for potential partners for all commercial activities. In total some 40 companies were desk-researched and, of those, 15 were contacted for detailed discussion and assessment.
In considering our options (both of individual suppliers and possible supplier ‘combinations’) we looked at:
- commercial potential
- likely impact on membership and brand
track record (particularly with other Membership Organisations) - synergies and long-term impact on core competences
- culture ‘fit’.
The Outcome: The Membership Organisation has resolved the in-house/outsourced debate, and has ensured that the decisions have involved all relevant functions within the organisation (i.e. this was not simply a commercial decision). It has concluded long-term agreements with the chosen partners who have demonstrated their ability to deliver significant added value to the commercial operations and to the membership and to enhance the standing and status of the Membership Organisation as a whole.