Dialling the Right Numbers the Growth of International CALL CENTRES
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UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE BUSINESS SCHOOL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007 University of Strathclyde Business PIONEER School Dialling the Right numBers THE growth OF internATIONAL CALL CENTRES NEW SIOM INSTITUTE STRENGTHENING UAE LINKS RESTAURANTS AND IT PLC AWARDS editorial Research Primed PLC awards reflect real achievement and ready Ñ Strathclyde Business School and for the past seven years SBS long-term. They are an excellent (SBS) ensured the success of academics have played a key role way for SBS to get even more Ñ Welcome to the summer the Scottish PLC Awards 2007, in setting the criteria for each involved with the local business issue of Pioneer. As mentioned Scotland’s leading corporate award category and assessing community, and to further raise in the last edition, major changes annual awards event, by eligible companies. our profile in Scotland.” have been afoot in Strathclyde setting the standards for Co-ordinated by Christine Speaking before the awards, Business School over winter participating companies. Reid, SBS business information Professor Susan Hart, Vice- and spring. I’m delighted that The awards were launched manager, the process is a Dean (Research), called for an our new structure is now firmly by Scottish Business complex, lengthy exercise open dialogue between the in place and rising well to the Insider magazine and involving around eight academics business school and business challenges of our increasingly PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1998, interviewing key staff from community. She commented competitive marketplace. around 10 companies. on the characteristics of the Our newly formed “The detailed research and winners, which had learning and International Division, headed analysis of all 70 Scottish innovation at their core. But, by Professor Colin Eden, plcs carried out enhances in response to recent calls for continues to thrive and secure the overall credibility of the greater levels of competitiveness us a strong presence in the awards process,” she said. and growth, she added: “We Gulf (see report on page 3), “A wide range of evidence is have to ensure that the young and our Centre for Executive studied each year as our role people graduating with degrees Education, under the direction as Research Sponsor is to in business and management of Dr Stephen Gibb, is set carry out a rigorous process of business are educated in such to formalise our management independent research.” a way as to ensure that they are development offerings. At the awards dinner at right for business, and, equally, The Department of the Glasgow Hilton in April, business has to be ready to Management (formerly GSB) Professor Charles Harvey, accept the challenges that they has some new additions to its the school’s Dean, said: “Our will undoubtedly bring to any academic team, and across the commitment to these awards is organisation dragging its heels in faculty a move towards a more the practices of the last century.” unified SBS gathers pace. Aggreko, the Glasgow-based A current major faculty generator hire specialist, won endeavour, and across the top billing in recognition of its university for that matter, is our success on the international next submission to the UK’s stage, bagging both the Scotland Research Assessment Exercise plc of the Year award, and (RAE) 2008, later this year. Mid-size cap plc of the Year. The RAE is a peer review Other prize winners included exercise to evaluate the quality Moir Lockhead of First Group, of research in UK higher Susan Hart named Scotland plc CEO of education institutions. This emphasised dialogue with the year, and Royal Bank of assessment not only rates the Scotland won the Developing standing of an institution in business community Your People award. terms of its research quality, but dictates what funds it will receive from the UK higher education funding bodies. To date, our own Strathclyde to become world leader in better business performance indicators suggest that we are doing very Ñ The University of Strathclyde has launched a in industry, commerce and the public sector. well, but, between now and leading institute to help businesses operate more “Strathclyde’s Business School and its Faculty of October, our final submission efficiently and effectively. Engineering have developed innovative responses is never far from my thoughts The Strathclyde Institute of Operations to these changes. The institute will allow closer and those of my academic Management – the first academic institute of its working across departments, including Management colleagues. Finally, in line with our more kind in the UK – will develop world-class research Science, Design, Manufacture and Engineering unified approach, we attempt and teaching into the latest methods of end-to-end Management, to ensure we remain at the forefront to present a wider picture business management, including managing supply of operations management research and teaching.” of SBS in our e-newsletters chains, outsourcing, managing technology, and Plans are also under way for an enterprise and in this season’s edition distributing goods and services. management laboratory to give students access to of Pioneer, so I do hope you Staff, expertise and resources will be brought the latest software used in operations management. enjoy what promises together from the internationally recognised Ivan Tiefenbraun, CEO of leading international to be a very Business School and Faculty of Engineering, and music systems company Linn Products, welcomed enjoyable read. will offer specialised MSc programmes, short, open the new institute. He said: “For world-class Professor Charles Harvey, courses and bespoke training for industry clients. performance in the manufacturing, service or Dean of the University Professor Umit Bititci, director of the institute, public sector, integrated operations management of Strathclyde said: “Over the past decade, there have been expertise is essential. Strathclyde’s new institute is a significant changes in how operations are managed most welcome development.” 2 PIONEER SUMMER 2007 news and... School leads RIGHT WAVELENGTH The university’s Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship went on the air in January. It provided the way in UAE a base for Celtic Music Radio Professor Colin (CMR), a pilot initiative during Eden: recognition Glasgow’s Celtic Connections Ñ Strathclyde Business School is three years. The university has is welcome Europe’s first university faculty been at the forefront of developing Music Festival. The station to be awarded a licence to business qualifications and is a has applied to OFCOM for operate an MBA programme world leader in forging commercial The move is the latest in a a full broadcast licence. If it in the United Arab Emirates. It and industrial links. series of firsts for the business is granted, the station may was scrutinised by the deans of Colin Eden, director of the school, which will launch new be used as part of teaching three top US business schools business school’s International MSc programmes for the UAE programmes at the Hunter as part of the process carried Division, believes the recognition in April next year, including Centre and the Department out by the UAE Commission for means better job prospects for the one in entrepreneurship offered of Creative and Aesthetic Academic Accreditation. school’s UAE students. The licence by the Hunter Centre for Studies, which both have an Professor Andrew Hammett, also allows Strathclyde to increase Entrepreneurship, founded by interest in entrepreneurship in the University of Strathclyde’s its operations in Abu Dhabi, which Scottish multimillionaire Tom the creative industries. principal and vice-chancellor, strictly regulates foreign operators. Hunter. It is anticipated that the hosted an MBA graduation Professor Eden explained that the programmes will raise total student GREEK ALUMNI ceremony in Dubai in February, school has been focusing much enrolment in Dubai and Abu SBS’s Greek partner, which coincided with celebrating attention on the Gulf region over Dhabi from 300 to 400. International Business the attainment of the licence. the past four years, where it also The school, which operates Studies (IMS), has The licence establishes the has activities in Muscat, Bahrain in 10 overseas centres, is keen announced the formation school as an educational institution and Oman. to extend its international reach of the Strathclyde Alumni officially recognised by the UAE “It’s a growing economy,” and is considering developing Association in Greece and government, a distinction held he said. “Dubai accounts for relationships with top business the first meeting took place by only one other in Europe, the something like 20 per cent of all schools in Russia and India. It in April. Membership is University of Sorbonne. the construction cranes in the provides all the staff and materials open not only to those who Strathclyde has run a part-time world. Abu Dhabi is slower, but, required for courses, but shares completed their Masters in MBA programme in Dubai since in my view, pursuing a more premises with local universities Greece through IMS, but to 1995 and Abu Dhabi for the past considered growth plan.” and colleges. all holders of Strathclyde degrees living in Greece. CONFERENCE Bolton highlights human factors MILESTONE Ñ Professor Sharon Bolton the human and organisational Professor Paul Thompson was (pictured right) joined the costs of outsourcing and the one of the speakers celebrating Department of Management in notion of promising rather