Business Programme - Advance

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Network: 
ISME Skillnet
Duration 8 days classroom, 2 days mentoring, spread over 4 to 8 months
Comment Successful participants are awarded a HETAC Level 7 Special Purpose Award – Certificate in SME Management. Certification guarantees funding.
Number of Places 12
Course Fee €1,490
Subjects Taught Marketing, People Management, Communications and Negotiation Skills, Strategic Analysis, Strategic Planning, Policies and Procedures, Finance, Operations Management and Problem Solving.

Module Outlines
Management Practice and Principles
Introductory Module
• Programme introduction.
• Context setting.
• Identifying suitable management practices for your company
• Comparing managers with leaders
• Identifying your management and leadership styles and their impact on your business
• The importance of a balanced team

Strategic Analysis
• Complete a PESTLE analysis
• Use Porter’s 5 Forces model to analyse the competitiveness of your company
• Complete a SWOT analysis
• Identify areas of improvement and development
• Identify risks and challenges associated with possible development opportunities

Policies and Procedures
• Identify legal requirements under Health and Safety and Employment Law
• Implement essential HR policies, procedures and practices
• Create an Employee Handbook
• Current Industrial Relations norms

Financial Management
• Interpreting Profit and Loss statements and Balance Sheets
• Financial Ratios and their application.
• Managing Cash Flow
• Devising and using Cost and Profit Centres
• Revenue and CRO requirements of Company Directors

Operations Management & Problem Solving
• Identifying root causes of operational problems
• Using the key tools and techniques of Continuous Improvement Programmes
• Identifying and eliminating waste and non-value adding activities
• The principles of World Class Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management.
• Whether or not to outsource - the advantages and disadvantages

Marketing
• Linking marketing objectives to your overall business strategy
• The marketing process
• Your company’s unique selling point
• Developing a marketing plan
• Marketing on a tight budget

Effective Communications and Negotiation Techniques
• Identifying barriers to effective communication
• Aggressive, assertive and passive behaviour
• Personal communication styles
• Defining the conflict cycle
• Interventions to prevent the conflict cycle spiralling
• Preparing for a negotiation
• Getting what you want from a negotiation
• The importance of a win-win situation

Strategic Planning
• Identifying coherent strategic options
• Create an appropriate strategic plan
• Implementing the plan
• Evaluate and reflect on the implementation process
• Where to now
• Presentation on the strategic plan and its implementation

Enrolment and Start Dates Comment Starting in September 2013. Booking Required.
Course Content Training Aim
The overall aim is to equip owner/managers with a toolbox of management skills i.e. the interpersonal skills required to maximise the utilisation of their human resources through good leadership and management techniques, and the business planning and implementation tools needed to guide their companies in a competitive environment.

Programme Objectives
Specific and detailed learning content will be presented under individual module plans(details listed below). In general terms, participants will be able to:
• Carry out a reliable strategic analysis of their SME so they can develop a relevant strategic plan and prepare for its implementation
• Motivate and manage their staff for higher productivity and performance.
• Identify key financial performance indicators for their company and the factors that influence their behaviour
• Identify areas of waste or inefficiency and suggest a number of possible solutions
• Comply with Employment Law
• Develop and implement a marketing plan
• Use a range of best practice tools and techniques to improve the performance of their company.

Training Approach
A range of training techniques will be applied which will emphasise skill development. Course notes will support a mixture of group discussions, short trainer presentations, exercises and “mini action-learning” exercises. After each training unit the participants will be asked to practise one of the techniques within their own company. For example after the ‘Strategic Analysis’ Module they will be asked to carry out a SWOT analysis within their own company. Case studies and Scenarios will be used to permit participants to practise their skills in a business environment.

An integral part of the programme will be an “Action Learning” project which will have relevance for the participants company and ensure that the training received is transferred into practice. The participant may for example choose as their project to implement a Performance Management System within their organisation. This then becomes their “Action Learning” project.

Finally, as part of the Programme package, participants are supported by a mentor in groups and individually to ensure that their project is undertaken and implemented successfully. Projects will also be supported by trainers.

Entry Requirements Participants should be an Owner Manager or senior manager in and SME
Further Enquiries Liz Carroll
01 6622755
liz@isme.ie
Eligibility Many SMEs are owned and managed by people who have successfully harnessed their entrepreneurial skills. However, many of these same businesses are now facing internal and external challenges that need to be overcome to enable them to continue to compete.
Internal – After a period of rapid company growth many owner/managers find that they need to supplement their hard-working entrepreneurial skills with more people centred skills e.g. leadership, motivation, communication, and problem solving skills.
External – Globalisation, the expansion of the EU and competition from ‘low cost’ economies means that companies need to work smarter not harder, i.e. the ability to carry out strategic analysis, implement business plans and follow progress with performance management systems and financial data.

This particular programme has been designed to assist owners and managers by offering them concise and relevant information and learning and that is relevant to the challenges that they are facing.

Methods of Assessment To ensure participants get a return on their investment everyone completes a project on an area directly related to a current issue for their business as part of this programme. A written report on the project will be assessed for the purposes of certification.
Trainer Various
Location of Course Griffith College Dublin
Course Web Page: 
http://www.isme.ie/training-page45011.html#GFF
Available to Job Seekers: 
Yes
Certified: 
No