Merger Update
June 2, 2009 · SCIP
June 2, 2009
Dear SCIP Members and the CI Community:
On behalf of the SCIP Board of Directors, I would like to keep you abreast of the next stages of our merger process. As noted in our update of May 18, we began an internal process of all of the SCIP processes, functions, and services to prepare for discussion with our merger partners.
Beginning June 3, 2009, we are holding departmental meetings with our partners on financial strategy, research, CI content, event integration, website, outreach to related communities, sales/sponsorship, and global expansion. In each area we will seek opportunities to improve or develop new opportunities for efficiencies or expansion. When options are developed they will be vetted to ensure that they meet SCIP’s member’s needs on all levels of our membership stakeholders whether they are practitioners, vendors, academics, or students.
On June 5, 2009, the SCIP Executive Committee comprised of Martha Gleason, Eduardo Flores Bermudez, Scott Leeb and Joe Goldberg will meet via teleconference with David Frigstad to begin devising the overall integration process.
As noted earlier this strategy will evolve over months not weeks. The challenge for all of the individuals involved is to maintain a focus on the current schedule of classes, webinars, and events, such as the Euro Summit in Amsterdam, as well as publishing the CI magazine and providing member services, while looking to change the structure of the organization.
The Board of Directors had previously reached out asking members to communicate with them directly if they had questions or areas of interest that needed further discussion. On Monday a very thoughtful letter addressed to the entire board and SCIP staff was received from August Jackson:
I am writing to you in response to board member Eric Glitman’s invitation to reach out to the SCIP board following the recent membership vote to support the SCIP - Frost & Sullivan Institute merger. While I do not claim to speak for any others, I do know that in sentiment if not in detail I am of the same opinion of many other members of the society. I welcome a frank and open discussion with the staff, board and membership at this time of challenge and opportunity.
Through the past five years I have been an active volunteer for SCIP, including as chapter chair, author, presenter, program committee member and conference vice-chair. I hope that these activities have sufficiently established my “pro-SCIP” bona fides. I have also spoken publicly in support of the SCIP - FSI merger in multiple venues public and private, voted in favor of the merger and am genuinely glad that the membership voted to support the merger.
Today I want to articulate the specific steps, strategies and options that I hope the board and staff will take at this time of opportunity.
I will be brief in this letter, and I am happy to discuss these ideas in detail with any member of the board or staff. I welcome your response.
1. In-depth analysis for all SCIP stakeholders and a clear articulation of the relevant value SCIP intends to deliver to each of these groups. Practitioners, vendors and academics receive different value from membership and participation in the society, and SCIP’s strategic plan must recognize these distinct communities.
2. Active engagement of the Competitive Intelligence and related communities through new media, including outreach to members via LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning and other social media. All organizations that intend to engage communities today need to go to where those communities are. The vast majority of the community WILL be understanding, forgive you if you make mistakes and admire thoughtful attempts to evolve.
3. A coherent information technology (IT) infrastructure and governance strategy. The potential from shared services and IT insight from FSI was the main reason I voted for this merger, and my expectations are very high here. For starters SCIP’s board should develop an IT strategy in collaboration with the staff and qualified volunteer members (I humbly volunteer). Some of my suggestions for consideration include preference for hosted solutions that avoid up-front capital investment, open data formats, open source and low-cost software, application programming interfaces (APIs) and solutions that offer clear migration frameworks and technology roadmaps. The purpose of an IT strategy is to ensure the ability to deliver cost-effective flexibility for innovative revenue-generating offerings to members.
4. Diversification of SCIP’s revenue model. I am excited to hear about the possibility of a conference in Asia-Pacific. This is a great first step to move the society away from reliance on the annual conference. I strongly encourage SCIP’s board and members to lay out a diverse set of options to deliver member value and generate revenue for the society. One option that leaps immediately to mind is certification, which is something I believe our profession sorely needs.
5. Transparent governance, including publishing of minutes from Board of Directors meetings, open meetings that coincide with national conferences and regular participation by board members and senior SCIP staff in a variety of social networks and the SCIP blog.
I welcome any comments or questions in response to these suggestions.
Any member of the board or staff should feel free to e-mail or call me.
Sincerely,
August Jackson
In his letter, August asked some very relevant questions with regard to SCIP stakeholders and a value proposition for each of those stakeholders. To provide a broader view of this topic, I would ask each of you to review the SCIP Strategic Plan that was developed from an extensive member survey in 2007and 2008. It was finalized by the board of directors in August 2008 for implementation for the period of 2009-2013. The entire board noted when the opportunity of the merger arose, that the options presented by the merger gave SCIP the very best opportunity to implement this strategic plan and expand on the possibilities defined in the plan.
Additionally, August asks for active engagement through social media and an improved IT infrastructure. Again, this is one of the strong suits our member partner brings to the table and I believe we will see the results of this change of structure in the near future. August makes one other very diplomatic and humble point in volunteering to add his specific expertise in this area. Not only is this commentary appreciated, but we will find a way to integrate August and his expertise in the process.
The fourth point asks for SCIP to diversify its revenue model. Again I would point to the strategic plan that defined that very point. While we all recognize the need, the opportunity to act on the diversification will be significantly aided by the merger. As noted, we have already begun discussion of an Asian conference, are in the process of expanding the Euro Summit, and the certification committee, in conjunction with the education committee, has its second meeting scheduled for June 17, 2009, to deliver stage one of the process.
The letter is closed in asking for a transparent governance process and for staff and board participation in the social networks and the SCIP blog. The board is very conscious of this process. The intention is to publish open letters such as August’s in SCIP’s communication vehicles and a response such offered in this letter. Additionally, SCIP will use the same communication vehicles to keep all members updated on the merger process and developments.
The board and the staff are in unison in asking for the feedback and the commentary. The Society is built to serve the membership, and the involvement of our members through our committee structure or as individuals is critical to the success of the Society. Your participation is very much appreciated.
Regards:
Ken Garrison
CEO SCIP
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I agree with the need for certification. I feel having a certification would give those hiring consultants or employees more confidence that the person they’re hiring knows the field. I would also love to see certification or CI 101, etc classes held in NYC. As a small business owner, I pay for my own classes and travel so have a limited ability to travel to distant locations for training.