Ross Bentley announces the results of our e-business masterclass
competition and attends the first of the Leadership and E-commerce
courses
A fantastic response to our recent Leadership and
E-commercecompetition caused much soul-searching at the Computer
Weekly office last week, as we struggled to choose a deserving
winner.
Eventually, Wendy Thorley, head of information systems at the
RSPCA in Horsham, West Sussex, was chosen. Then, the Imperial
College of Management, impressed with the quality of candidates,
made another sponsored place available on the course. This went to
Jacquetta Gregory, systems manager at the Bible Society in Swindon,
Wiltshire.
Throughout the duration of the course, Computer Weekly will
follow both candidates as they attend masterclasses and workshops
designed to enable small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) managers
and directors to create sustainable competitive benefits from
e-commerce.
As the winners take their place alongside the other delegates,
it is hoped that we will end up with a practical diary of the
issues facing SMEs as they embrace e-commerce.
About the course
The programme comprises 10 masterclasses including one with
well-known "troubleshooter" John Harvey-Jones. There will also be
visits to e-business-based organisations. Among the topics covered
are: developing winning e-commerce strategies, leadership skills
for the new economy, management of IT in the 21st century, Web site
design, marketing and selling on the Web, virtual working practices
and and an overview of emerging trends and technologies.
The candidates
In her entry for the Leadership and E-commerce competition,
Wendy Thorley wrote, "I am the head of information systems at the
RSPCA. You are probably aware of the RSPCA's work as the leading
animal welfare organisation in the world, but for further
information, visit our Web site at www.rspca.org.uk.
"Hopefully, you will have taken my direction to our great Web
site and will understand why I would dearly love to be considered
for the place on the e-business masterclass. To explain further, I
am troubled by a potential lack of convergence between our public
Web presence and our potential to exploit our knowledge and
information through a sound e-business infrastructure.
"I need to be able to direct the organisation knowledgably along
a strategic route. By participating in the masterclasses, I feel I
would be able to put substance and credibility behind my own
thoughts and enable the RSPCA to move into the 21st century with an
Internet strategy to guarantee its survival and continued supremacy
as the world leader in animal welfare. I have recently completed an
MBA via the Open University, which included knowledge management,
so I have a good business grounding. I'm hoping the masterclass
will give me more of a 'nuts and bolts' view of e-commerce without
the distortion of sales hype."
Jacquetta Gregory, systems manager, Bible Society, Swindon,
Wiltshire
Jacquetta Gregory wrote, "I work for one of the UK's major
charities, the Bible Society, in the role of IT manager. We are a
publisher with our own warehouse and a fundraising/ campaigning
organisation rolled into one. This gives us a unique set of
requirements (no other charity trades and fundraises as a single
entity). In addition, we are linked to an international network of
Bible societies with more than 140 working in over 220
countries.
"Generally, charities are very cautious in their adoption of IT
strategies. We are always working to very tight budgets and we must
be able to prove that a strategy will bring long-term benefits to
the organisation.
"I strongly believe that the Internet as a means of
communication, and e-commerce as a means of selling products and
fundraising is not only cost-effective but will give us many
benefits in terms of efficiency and relationship development.
"I am attending this course not only to increase my knowledge of
the area but to develop my leadership skills to take the
organisation forward.
"I would also like to support other charities to do the same in
the future."
The tutors
Over the past 20 years Monica Seeley has successfully mentored
and coached numerous board-level executives using her innovative
Executive Lifestyle IT Fitness approach.
She is a visiting Fellow at Imperial College Management School
where she has a grant from the Department for Education and
Employment to work with SMEs to enable them to create winning
e-commerce solutions. She is currently establishing a centre for
leadership and e-commerce at the college.
Seeley formed the Mesmo Consultancy in 1989, and has held senior
positions with NatWest, British Gas and several international
software houses.
Her book, Using the PC to Boost Executive Performance, was
published in March by Gower Ashgate.
The other speakers and instructors will include: Jim Norton,
head of e-business policy, Institute of Directors, John Browning,
co-founder of the First Tuesday Club, Ray Hinchcliffe, Department
for Education and Employment , Alan Hooper from the Centre for
Leadership Development, Exeter University, Colin Chandler of
Vickers, Rolls-Royce and Steven Domb, business consultant.