Media coverage of programmes at Aston University

Nigerian businesses need to align their strategies with their environment

PAUL BUTLER, Executive Development Director, Aston Business School, UK, in this interview speaks on strategic challenges facing corporate organisations in Africa and proffers lasting solutions to same. Excerpt:

What are the key strategic challenges facing African Organisations?

Strategy is about creating a unique position for an organisation, a winning strategy can be achieved when an organisation outperform rivals by establishing a difference that it can preserve. Organisations need to be able to align their strategies with their own environments and in so doing help them in achieving higher performance. African managers face many strategic challenges including globalisation and international competition, high political risk, tough operating environment characterised by weak institutions and limited infrastructure as well as inadequate capacity to develop and retain human capital.

How can Nigerian executives address these key strategic challenges facing African organisations?

In order to meet these challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth for their organisations African managers need to change their managerial approaches to cope with these increasing demands. They need to consider new leadership styles and competencies to become more efficient and effective, particularly in areas such as managing change, leadership for results, formulating winning strategies and performance management which our forthcoming executive development programme at Aston Business School in the UK will address.

From the training development point of view, what would isolate as the critical development issues that African countries need to address?

A major challenge for many African countries, including Nigeria, is the inadequate infrastructure. Many Sub-Saharan African countries lack a stable electrical grid, creating the need for scarce resources to be expended on inverters, fuel and generators. Some organisations will expend up to 25 percent of the revenue for these basic needs.  Rail networks for the transportation of goods and people are either moribund or ineffective in most African countries. The health care system is limited and unreliable, often resulting in quality health care being available only to those with financial or political influence. The large Gini coefficient (the gap between haves and have not) in many African countries contributes to political and personal insecurities.

Businessday

The key to turn organisational challenges to opportunities – Aston Business School chiefs

Paul Butler, Executive Development Director, Aston Business School, United Kingdom (UK); Dr Uwe Napiersky; and Professor Pawan Budhwar, Associate Dean, speak on the business school’s partnership with These Executive Minds (TEXEM) on an executive development programme holding next month. Butler speaks first:

What are the key strategic challenges facing African organisations?

Strategy is about creating a unique position for an organisation, a winning strategy can be achieved when an organisations outperform rivals by establishing a difference that it can preserve. Organisations need to be able to align their strategies with their own environments and in so doing help them in achieving higher performance. African managers face many strategic challenges including globalisation and international competition, high political risk, tough operating environment characterised by weak institutions and limited infrastructure as well as inadequate capacity to develop and retain human capital.

How can Nigerian executives address these key strategic challenges facing African organisations?

In order to meet these challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth for their organisations African managers need to change their managerial approaches to cope with these increasing demands. They need to consider new leadership styles and competencies to become more efficient and effective, particularly in areas such as managing change, leadership for results, formulating winning strategies and performance management which our forthcoming executive development programme at Aston Business School in the UK will address. More information about the programme could be found at http://texem.co.uk/programmes/leading-and-managing-human-capital.html

From the training development point of view, what would isolate as the critical development issues that African countries need to address.
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TEXEM, Aston Business School Partner On Human Capital Management

In a bid to achieve effective management of the human capital, a London-based company, TEXEM, is collaborating with Aston Business School to hold a special executive education programme, ‘Leading and Managing Human Capital’.

The programme, which will be held at Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK, between July 21 and 24 this year, will ensure that delegates benefit from interactions with leading academics and leaders of thought from the Aston Business School, and are empowered to overcome strategic challenges and enhance organisational performance.

The four-day programme (including a visit to a tourist destination) is targetted at senior executives who are responsible for providing leadership and formulating strategic direction, as well as human resources professionals, and will develop insight into how integrating human and strategic goals can enhance organisational performance.

According to the CEO of TEXEM, Alim Abubakre, this programme is timely because it addresses the disconnect between human capital and competitive advantage which is arguably one of the key issues facing many organisations in Africa.

He said, “Management of human capital is one of the key challenges facing companies globally. However, in the African context, given the shortage of skilled labour, understanding how to retain employees and harnessing their potential is particularly critical.”

“This programme would help leaders to develop clear visions and stimulate innovation for success in today’s and tomorrow’s dynamic and fast paced operating environment”.

WE ARE INTRODUCING A NEW CUSTOMISED PROGRAMME TO MAXIMISE POTENTIAL AND ENSURE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN ORGANISATIONS ACROSS SUB SAHARAN AFRICA.

People are the greatest asset of any organisation. A motivated, creative and trained workforce can drive an organisation to new levels of success. Human capital will become increasingly critical to organisational success as key economies across sub Saharan Africa move closer towards knowledge-based economies, which are heavily reliant on information, skills and knowledge.

However, too often companies neglect their employees and fail to realise the true potential of their workforces. In addition, organisations frequently view their human capital as a separate issue from establishing and maintaining competitive advantage. Not only does this lead to employee turnover and lower productivity, but it also constrains the ability of organisations to take advantage of new opportunities.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVES FROM AFRICA

By These Young Minds, Aston Business School World Bank’s recent research has acknowledged that sustained growth in the coming years would come from emerging countries. However, their research has also revealed that corporate governance appears to be the bane of many organizations in evolving countries, hence the urgent need for senior executives to raise their game via capacity development programmes on areas such as strategic leadership. It is in response to this that Aston Business School in collaboration with These Young Minds presents a four day executive education programme, scheduled to take place between 25th and 29th of June, 2012…

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVES FROM EMERGING COUNTRIES

Aston Business School in collaboration with These Young Minds presents a five day programme in June, specifically tailored for senior executives from developing countries…

SUSTAINED COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE PROGRAMME FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVES

An Aston Business School (ABS) sustained leadership programme for senior level African executives is being launched this June.

The four day course, developed in collaboration with These Young Minds is designed to develop eachdelegate’s capacity as a senior manager – in particular their use of innovative problem solving approaches within both public and private sector settings… 

ASTON BUSINESS SCHOOL, THESE YOUNG MINDS, TO OFFER PROGRAMME ON SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

As part of its drive to provide learning platforms for senior executives to grow their organisations by reflecting, renewing their passion to excel and challenging their assumptions, Aston Business School in partnership with These Young Minds, UK plans to offer a four-day programme on Strategy for Sustained Competitive Advantage.

The Sustained Competitive Advantage programme which will run from June 10th to 13th, 2013 at Aston Business School is unique in that it is specially customised to address the need to enhance the leadership capacity of African senior executives from the public and private sector, ensuring it reflects contextual nuances and adds measurable value for participants and their organisations…

THESE YOUNG MINDS

WE AIM TO ENRICH KNOWLEDGE OF TOP EXECUTIVES

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA AND FOR NIGERIANS – EDUCATION – NAIRALAND

Opportunities for Nigerian/African

NLNG LAUNCHES POST-GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME : The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has started an overseas post-graduate scholarship scheme aimed at supporting the emergence of indigenous experts.

Griffith University Tuition Scholarships for 8 African Students to study in Australia 2013 : Griffith University Australia offers 8 scholarship positions for Students from any African nation to study for undergraduate, postgraduate or research/PHD program in 2013 Courses offered at the University. Read more >>

TYM PARTNERS ASTON TO ADDRESS MGT DEFICIENCIES

An innovative social enterprise, providing learning platforms for business professionals, These Young Minds, TYM, has entered into a partnership with Aston Business School in the United Kingdom to address the dearth of qualitative management skills in both the public and private sectors in Nigeria and the rest of the African continent…

THESE EXECUTIVE MINDS (TEXEM) LIMITED

Alim, the founding Director of These Young Minds, has a proven track record in project management, consulting, stakeholder management and organising international conferences in the United Kingdom. Two years ago with a team of different multinationals, he conceived and organised the first student-led international conference on the global financial crises in the UK titled, “Managing in turbulent times”, which gained international media coverage due to its sheer success.

ASTON BUSINESS SCHOOL OFFERS EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Aston Business School and These Young Minds, UK, are partnering to offer a four-day programme on strategy for sustained competitive advantage. These Young Minds is an innovative service-based social enterprise that provides learning platforms for senior executives to grow their organisations by reflecting and renewing their passion to excel and challenging their assumptions.

PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME FOR AFRICAN LEADERS

Boosting workplace productivity and increasing foreign investment can be key concerns for many African businesses and organisations.

This four day specifically customised programme in collaboration with These Young Minds is designed to give senior executives in both the public and private sector the tools and insights necessary to improve organisational structure. Read more >>

TYM PARTNERS ASTON TO ADDRESS MGT DEFICIENCIES

An innovative social enterprise, providing learning platforms for business professionals, These Young Minds, TYM, has entered into a partnership with Aston Business School in the United Kingdom to address the dearth of qualitative management skills in both the public and private sectors in Nigeria and the rest of the African continent.