Research and consultancy services are been offered by the CTPD Management consultants for a great number of policy areas. These consultancy services provide a clear understanding on how the policy process works. Research and policy advice are the tools which are required to help the customer in pinpointing the main bottlenecks and finding solutions to their problems. Understanding of the policy process work depends on skills to map and fathom the problems. The clients are not only expecting a list of problems but it is more important to find out solutions to cope up with them, which can be done by research and policy advice.

1. PDISM
Project development and
implementation for strategic
managers
Tutor Name: Dr Pavlos Stavrakakis
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Table of Contents
1 Introduction........................................................................................3
2 The case of Business...........................................................................3
2.1 Research and consultancy as a new product........................4
3 Market Competitiveness....................................................................5
3.1 Competition and Regulations..............................................6
4 Marketing Strategies..........................................................................7
5 Evaluations and Monitoring..............................................................10
6 References..........................................................................................13
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1 Introduction:
Research and consultancy services are been offered by the CTPD Management
consultants for a great number of policy areas. These consultancy services
provide a clear understanding on how the policy process works. Research and
policy advice are the tools which are required to help the customer in
pinpointing the main bottlenecks and finding solutions to their problems.
Understanding of the policy process work depends on skills to map and fathom
the problems. The clients are not only expecting a list of problems but it is more
important to find out solutions to cope up with them, which can be done by
research and policy advice.
A comparative benchmark study is very important in acquiring the
knowledge that is necessary on policy issues, understanding and analysing it
and placing them in their context. The CTPD Management consultants use
experience when a policy analysis is done. They use the experience that is
gained in projects for governments and other institutions and in policy areas.
The CTPD Management makes use of the scenario for creating an image for
more distant future. The statistical data that is collected should be able to
follow and guide policies if the project is about monitoring. Policy research is
not only about taking stock or about looking back. The CTPD Management also
makes good founded proposals to create an image of the near or distant future.
2 The case of business:
Strategy and policy consultancy:
If an inadequate consideration is given at an early stage for the consideration
of risk and volatile environments, for the identification of measurable outputs
and consideration of risk of delivery machines, in such a case a well conceived
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policy concepts and even most sophisticated policy concepts and strategies will
also fall short. Many a times the strategy is limited by the inability to provide an
adequate evidence for quantitative supporting and also by lacking to see the
“Big picture”. This is particularly the case of decision that relate to many
strategic options of choice such as acquisitions and mergers or new policy
responses or strategic options for expansion in different markets.
2.1 Research and consultancy services as a new product:
The key strength of CTPD is its ability for strategic development and
implementation and also ability to provide research and consultancy services in
support of the policy. We have the ability to provide research and consultancy
services in support of the policy and implementation and strategy development.
We do have the capacity of providing certain skills such as major social and
economic impact analysis deploying both qualitative and quantitative survey
techniques and the skills also include detailed economic modelling for
feasibility studies and also may include stakeholders or softer facilitation
consultation skills (Coghlan and Brannick, 2005). Another ability of CTPD is
that it can support project implementation and support policy with help of
developing good communication and public relation skills. The CTPD is called
up regularly and it plays a negotiator or intermediately role if there is
requirement of resolution for any of the project development or complex
program issues. The CTPD has good skills in covering both content and
process. The increasing proportion of the work for the CTPD in particular is the
change management program for the public sector organisation, whether the
concern may be the outsourcing of government services or the concern may be
the privatisation or the concern may be because of the opportunity for
developing a new business the CTPD may help in providing their appropriate
experts for executing the task (Naoum, S. G., 2007).
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3 Market competitiveness:
The issue that may come across may be the urban regeneration field for a major
corporate client to make market entry and it may also range from initiation of
development of major public policy for the transport. The experience is used by
the CTPD Management and the consultants always use an experience for doing
a policy analysis and if the project is about monitoring than whatever data is
collected that is the statistical data should be such that it should be able to guide
and should also be able to follow the policies (Murray, R., 2006). The clients
always expect that the list of problems it is necessary to understand it
thoroughly and this understanding depends on ones skills and how it can be
mapped and then solved. Many a times a strategy set up is so that it fails to
provide a evidence and it is limited by its ability as it fails to provide a
quantitative supporting evidence and acquiring a knowledge in setting
benchmark that is necessary on policy issues and also analysing and
understanding the issues. Hence advices based on research and policies act as a
great tool that help the customers in pointing their bottlenecks and helping them
in solving their problems (Naoum, S. G., 2007).
The work areas include the following:
• Developing a master plan.
• Support of a management and also a management advice
• Assessing if any technical issues.
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• Developing a policy and also development of a strategy.
• Developing or building capacity and institutional development.
• Giving advice on networking and also advice on partnership.
• Developing a self-evaluation and evaluation.
• Experiences are to be exchanged.
• Developing a master plan for good strategy and policy.
3.1 Competition and regulation:
There are many questions that are to be kept in concern when competing in
market. A well and good planned strategy always does have a competitive
approach in market. It is always necessary to keep in mind that how the rules of
competition influence the market opportunities of individual firms. Hence these
rules play a vital role in market competition for these individual firms. It should
also be in concern that, can one plan for an acquisition or can plan for a merger
or would it be prevented by the authority of the competition or whether it would
be a position that is dominant in the market. It should be of a great concern that
how can the performance be regulated to be improved in markets (Murray, R.,
2006). These are the issues that confront the policy makers and the corporate
organisations regularly So as to remain competitive in the market. The
organisation or firms have to regulate their performances and should have a
good planning strategy. As the organisations or the policy makers are
confronted certain policies of competition and certain rules of competition of
state of the art knowledge are required to be addressed and also the economic
analysis is required to be addressed to be confronted (Coghlan and Brannick,
2005). The analytical skills of CTPD Management cover the services of full
range from studies of pricing policy to that of the competition analysis and
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services from the analysis of sector market and mergers proposals for their antitrust analysis. The knowledge of the CTPD Management helps in offering a
better understanding of regulatory regimes of member state and also in
understanding of SADC. The state of the art knowledge is providing a better
understanding of the legal developments and also in understanding the most
recent economic development in policy regulation (Naoum, S. G., 2007).
The areas of work of CTPD Management include the following:
• Evaluation of mergers and the proposals anti -trust analysis
• Analysis of the performance in the market
• Supporting of the policy regulation
• The dominant positions are abused
• Regulatory economic analysis
•
vertical restraints
• Collusion and cartels
• Analysing the market competitiveness
4 Marketing Strategies:
Financial and marketing advisory services:
There exists a substantial risk uncertainly for all the private individual
investors, contractors and public authorities and for all the stakeholders for the
development of the infrastructure project or in development of a real estate and
this substantial risk is similar for all of them. These risks could be limited by
presenting a clear distribution and identification of the uncertainties and across
all partners interest, the reward and the risk should be balanced. The financial
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products with that of growing range could be a great offer as there is a
diversification and internationalisation of financial sectors (Murray, R., 2006).
There should be a detailed and complete understanding of the partner and a role
of each contracting partner when it comes to matching these financial products
with that of the project. The financial solution that are tailor made are said to be
the order of the day (Coghlan and Brannick, 2005). The CTPD Management
could provide a full finance risk assessment and can also give advices on
financial packages that are customised and assessment of risk to infrastructure
sponsors, to the developers of real estate and also to the corporators. The
corporators and the investors are assisted in the assess management. The CTPD
management also do provide certain “in-house” complementary services in
legal advices, management, marketing and communicational services (Naoum,
S. G., 2007).
The areas of work for CTPD Management include the following:
• Study based on feasibility
• Study based on marketing
• Measurement of performance and measurement of benchmark
• Planning required for strategic actions
• Operational guidelines and operational policies
• Study based on financial sector
• Privatisation of the financial sectors and restructuring of the finance
• Strengthening of the institutions and its assessment
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• Engineering of financial sectors and financial modelling
• Making deal with the financiers depending on their identification
• Allocation/ weighting and analysis of the risk
• Structuring, organising and implementation of PPP’s
• Tendering and financial concession assessing the management
Realisation and management of program:
Public and the corporate agencies are looking forward increasingly to the
third parties to provide them management services so that they can be able to
control the risk and can introduce ”learner” project or the product delivery. The
companies that are capable of deploying product or sectoral knowledge and
management skills provide most effective response and they also help in
covering the inception to evaluation of the whole project or the program cycle
(Murray, R., 2006). The CTPD Management have various expertises that could
deliver the management services which will be in direct support of program and
projects. The consultancy and the research experiences are heavily drawn in the
fields of formation of a policy, its implementation and then the evaluation. The
proposal and feasibility stage of the project sponsor at the time of initiation are
supported from the CTPD Management range of services(Coghlan and
Brannick, 2005). This may include drafting terms of applications or references
for a financial support to managing a full multi annual of a complete program.
The organisations that are undergoing project funding could be helped by the
CTPD Management by the selections of contractors and by the selection of
executive agencies and consulting specialist. It also supports for example: in
managing many of the technical assisting programs for the commission of some
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parts of the African union. The funding of the private and public sources are
also secured and advised by the management (Murray, R., 2006).
The CTPD management provide ongoing management and wherever
required they also act as project managers if there is a requirement of
multiagency partnerships. The CTPD management is involved in almost all
stages of the process for example: monitoring of the contractors, enduring
targets, terms of references are drawn and achieving the outputs (Naoum, S. G.,
2007).
The areas of work for the CTPD management include the following:
• Selection of the project and its appraisal
• Project management and development of the project
• Assessment and management of calls for applications
• Funding sources allocation and funding of the project.
• Management of the program and also project
• Management of the budget and the finance
5 Evaluation and monitoring:
In an increasingly dynamic environment are the projects, programs and
policies delivered. An essential tool for early warning is the monitoring of the
need to adjust and to fine tunes may this be in regards to staff establishment,
working methods, fundamental objectives or budgets. Similarly it has been
recognised by the organisations that there is a increasing need on evaluation.
The stakeholders are no longer accepting the crude ratios of accounting as a
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measure of achievements (Murray, R., 2006). The CTPD Management
understands the nature and scale of the problem and based on this
understanding it responses to the need. The specific problems are targeted by
using various research techniques and they offer a carefully structured menu of
analysis, information and recommendation (Coghlan and Brannick, 2005).
Each assignment is done by carefully selecting appropriate methods and
instruments such as forecasting methods, sophisticated models, organisational
mapping, cost benefit analysis, questionnaires and much more. Even the
relevant data is stored in extensive databases and the management can act as a
valuable source for assignments.
1) Monitoring:
The evaluation and monitoring is one of the most important stages in a project
and independent viewpoint could be provided by the management for the
impact of interventions and the performance and also wherever it s needed. The
CTPD management consultant companies use research, monitoring and
evaluation tools and understand the policy and answer the clients about why
and how the work is doing well or not doing well and the reason behind it and
why the work and things are as they are. The clients have many questions as
how is the project doing...? And will the project work...? And what difference
is been made....? Etc. This may be due to several of things such as an action
plan, may be due to the project, due to the entire funding program, may be due
to the policy or due to a strategy, whatever the reason may be the CTPD
Management can draw a experienced step and can develop a approach that
meets the need of each individual situation and their particular needs (Murray,
R.,
2006).
The
management
is
often
asked
to
formulate
certain
recommendations on the basis of their findings and use of their findings by the
clients to inform their future work.
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2) Evaluation
It is also an essential stage in a project. There are many different forms of
evaluation. These different forms of evaluations may be such as interim
evaluations, ex-post evaluations, spin-off studies that are specific, and studies
based on impact. The evaluations in general have two goals: using past
experiences and learning from them, justifying the expected expenditure and
the expected results to the stakeholders.
Each type of evaluation varies based on the project. Ex-post evaluations are
used for learning and for justifying; Ex-anta evaluations are used mainly for
adjusting execution. The reliability of the findings of the management and the
validity of their analysis are useful and they provide a well founded
recommendations and useful and specific conclusions (Murray, R., 2006). The
quality of the work is always dependent on the relationship between the
interested parties and the management and they go hand in hand which involves
executors, target groups and policy makers. The result of the work been done is
always discussed interactively, in this the interest of the organisations are kept
on track for those organisations who want that their work should be done as
effectively as possible. Until the real effects of activities or policy are clear the
management continues with their activities and find a better way to reach the
targets that are set (Coghlan and Brannick, 2005).
3) Auditing:
Auditing is directly related to evaluation and monitoring and it comes in
different shapes such as organisational audits, quality audits, financial audits
etc. Unlike monitoring, audit is also a management instrument. The key is the
connection between input and output in auditing and the CTPD Management
offers many of the auditing services. Depending on auditing the aspects of
processing is also taken into account. With the help of “in-jouse” research
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program, the CTPD management are developing various research techniques
and they also maintain a good working relationship with the research
departments of different institutions, many different universities and various
organisations that are present worldwide(Murray, R., 2006). The management
is now able to provide more sophisticated and latest methods, ideas and
techniques to the clients and also exchange their experiences and knowledge
(Coghlan and Brannick, 2005).
The areas of working include the following:
• Research that is comparative and benchmarking
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Working on market research
• Study based on behaviour and organisational studies
• Assessing the needs and study based on feasibility
• Applied analysis and research work
• Qualitative and quantitative surveys are done
• Reviewing and analysing the data
• Projections, building scenario and forecasting
• Modelling
• Managing the research of international networks
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References:
Coghlan, D and Brannick, T. (2005). Doing Action Research in Your Own
Organization. London: Sage Publications, ISBN 1412902479.
Drucker P F (2000) — Harvard Business Review on Decision Making (Harvard
Business School, 2000) ISBN: 1578515572
Hart, C. (1998) Doing a Literature Review. London: Sage Publications, ISBN:
0761959750
Kovacic B (1994) —New Approaches to Organizational Communication (State
University of NewYork Press,) ISBN: 0791419185
Little S, Quintas P and Ray T (2001)— Managing Knowledge: An Essential
Reader
(Sage Publications,) ISBN: 0761972137
March J G — Primer on Decision Making; How Decisions Happen (Free Press,
1994) ISBN0029200350
McKenzie J and van Winkelen C (2003) —Understanding the Knowledgeable
Organisation
(Thomson Learning,) ISBN: 1861528957
Murray, R. (2006) How to Write a Thesis.Buckingham: Open University Press,
ISBN 0335207189.
Naoum, S. G. (2007) Dissertation Research and Writing
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Preston P — Reshaping Communications (Sage Publications, 2001) ISBN:
0803985630
Quirke B —Communicating Corporate Change(McGraw-Hill, 1996) ISBN:
0077093119
Stewart T A — Intellectual Capital: The New Wealth of Organisations
(Nicholas Brearley Publishing Ltd, 1998) ISBN: 1857881834
Welch D — Decisions,Decisions: The Art of Decision Making (Prometheus,
2001) ISBN: 157392934
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