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 ’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 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 Radio Professor Colin (CMR), a pilot initiative during Eden: recognition Glasgow’s 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 than the 25th anniversary March. She has acquired an best practice management, I am International Labour Process international reputation that is currently investing my energies Conference in Amsterdam in reflected not only in a string of into establishing a Work and April. Strathclyde’s Department academic publications, but in Society Research Network (see of Human Resource a number of articles in national www.researchandsociety.com). Management has hosted the and international journals “The network is a developing conference twice. Next year and newspapers. international community of Professor Sharon Bolton of the Professor Bolton’s book, academics, policy-makers, Department of Management Emotion Management in the businesses and employee will be one of the Workplace, provides insights organisations who are all co-organisers when the into an aspect of organisational interested in the material realities event is held in Dublin. life that is often underestimated of work in the political economy in terms of its importance. and are committed to leading- Her latest book, Searching for edge, sociologically informed MDP’S OZ LINKS the Human in Human Resource research which is reflective, offers Strathclyde’s Management Management (with Dr Maeve critical insight and, ultimately, has Development Programme Houlihan, University College use-value. Strathclyde University (MDP) for undergraduates, Dublin), explores the limitations seems to be an ideal place to which has been running since of binding relationships at individuals derive value from their host such a community.” 1999, was the model for the work within tight economic work and are valued by others. The arrival of Professor Business Edge programme boundaries. An emphasis on Professor Bolton told Pioneer: Bolton is the first in a series of introduced this year at Edith engaging with managers to “There is a vibrant research appointments, in the Department Cowan University, Western develop reflective practice community at Strathclyde of Management and across Australia. Staff from both continues in her forthcoming where I have received a very the faculty, that reinforce the universities have been edited collection book, warm welcome. While research research profile of Strathclyde working together since 2004 Dimensions of Dignity at Work, continues into areas such as and confirm it as a school that in developing a curriculum which seeks to explore how employee engagement at work, attracts the best academics. for employability.

Summer 2007 PIONEER 3 focus INDUSTRY ISSUES: Call centres in scotland and India From Scotland to Bangalore Professor Phil Taylor, Department of Human Resources Management, looks at the rise of call centres – the ‘new factories’

Researching the INDIA CALLING TO Call Centre in Scotland THE FARAWAY TOWNS

Ñ When we began our investigations in 1996 From 2002 press speculation grew that the the significance of the call centre had yet to UK call centre industry would be decimated be fully acknowledged. Contrary to uninformed by migration to India. This was prompted speculation that call centres would be here today by decisions taken by the Prudential to relocate and gone tomorrow, our earliest research findings established that 850 jobs to Mumbai and by HSBC to offshore 4,500 jobs in total to the sector was set to grow massively in Scotland and across the UK. India and to other Far Eastern destinations. There followed similar In reports for Scottish Enterprise and the employers’ organisation, decisions by many household company names such as BT, Lloyds/ the Call Centre Association (with whom we worked closely), we TSB, Norwich Union and Barclays. The emergence of the global call charted the expansion of employment in Scotland from 16,000 centre compelled Peter and I to add a new dimension to our studies, in 1997 to 56,000 by 2003. Our latest estimate shows that more forcing us to examine developments in the Asian sub-continent. than 63,000 currently have jobs in the sector. Thus, we successfully Altogether we made nine research trips to India. demonstrated how call centres had become an important part of the We completed two path-breaking studies in 2003 and 2006 into so-called new economy as the service sector increasingly replaced the the offshoring of call centres and business processes, examining traditional industries that had defined Scotland. the practices and intentions of companies in Scotland/UK and The University of Strathclyde was an ideal platform from which investigating the industry as it was emerging in India. to launch our research as Scotland was one of the key UK regions We found that there were powerful forces driving offshoring, for call centre activity, and Glasgow – as the pre-eminent location – notably significant overall cost savings of around 40-50 per cent, competed with other cities (Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester) for deriving largely from a labour cost differential of 70-80 per cent. the title of ‘call centre capital’. Scotland was home to pioneering India emerged as overwhelmingly the most important destination developments in the delivery of remote customer servicing, such country for business processes, and customer services also, because as the creation of Direct Line, the first 24/7, 365-day, branchless of the skills of its English-speaking graduate workforce. In addition, insurance operation. government at national and state levels was working hard to create In analysing the reasons why companies chose to locate in an environment attractive to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Scotland, we found that relatively low costs (labour and facilities) At the same time we identified several significant factors that and high skills (including language capabilities and customer can be seen as inhibiting relocation. Prominent amongst these were servicing competencies), combined with the proactive role of issues relating to recruiting, training and retaining employees. Labour enterprise bodies in attracting inward investment through incentives turnover – running at around 75 per cent per annum overall – is and infrastructural support, were key factors. In addition, because perhaps the single most important difficulty facing the industry. of the importance of financial services to Scotland’s economy the Many of the problems facing the Indian call centre industry are the largest number of call centres was to be found in this sector. result of very rapid growth, which has caused the labour market in Given our disciplinary background in industrial relations, the major locations of Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi our studies were particularly focused on the nature of work (Noida and Gurgaon) to overheat. As the industry has come to organisation and employment conditions. We analysed how employ almost half a million people costs have risen, forcing Indian technological developments in information and communication suppliers and foreign companies to establish facilities in what are technologies had facilitated the emergence of the call centre. called second or third tier cities. For us, though, the defining characteristic lay in the Automatic The evidence from UK/Scottish companies also showed that low Call Distribution (ACD) system that routed calls through costs alone were not sufficient reason to offshore services. Many headphones to available agents working at computer terminals companies decided to keep services at home for reasons of quality within call centres. From the perspective of employees this and to avoid customer dissatisfaction. Prominent Scottish banks, often led to pressurised task performance. Managements who RBS and HBOS, publicly declared their opposition to offshoring. implemented a battery of quantitative targets often prioritised Challenging conventional wisdom we argued that, although the achieving sufficient call volumes. Workers we interviewed likened Indian industry was set to grow and offshoring would increase, the the pacing of work to having “an assembly line in the head”. industry in Scotland would continue to grow. Employee experiences of this unique working environment Since 2003 Peter and I have disseminated the findings from these were further investigated in a major project funded by the UK projects to around 50 different conferences and seminars. Government through its Economic and Social Research Council’s One of our research objectives has been to identify ways in which Illustration by Miles Cole Miles by Illustration Future of Work Programme. Although centred in the University In memory of my colleague Peter Bain working conditions can be improved for those employed in call of Strathclyde, this ambitious study was conducted by a multi- centres. On recent trips to India Peter and I met with people involved disciplinary research team that included Peter Bain and me and This article is written in large part Peter was associated with was employed as a Research projects researching the call in forming an organisation (now called UNITES Professionals) to academics from three other Scottish universities. as a tribute to my friend and close the University of Strathclyde Fellow, lecturer and finally senior centre, which generated many represent the interests of Indian call centre employees. Those closest colleague in the Department of for almost a quarter of a lecturer in the Department of academic publications and to Peter agreed it would be appropriate if a fund were established in A book based on this project, titled The Meaning of Work in the Twenty First Human Resource Management, century, firstly as a mature Human Resource Management. countless reports and briefings his name to support these activities. For information, or to make a Peter Bain, who died after a short undergraduate and then Masters Century, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in March. For more than a decade Peter for government, industry and donation, please email me at [email protected] illness on 25 March. student and following his studies and I collaborated on numerous trade unions.

4 PIONEER summer 2007 Summer 2007 PIONEER 5 People PROFILE Question TIME Irene Aitkenhead Taylor is Strathclyde Business School’s careers and corporate liaison manager

What was your background before this job? Twelve years in the BBC after university, latterly as a drama production/location manager, before my full-time MBA at SBC 1994-95. After my MBA, I went on to work for a small multimedia company as production and account manager before being head- Taste of success: hunted by Strathclyde Careers young entrepeneur Service to help with MBAs. Fraser Doherty Any unfulfilled ambitions? I have had quite a lot to do with entrepreneurship support initiatives at Strathclyde and Fraser’s jam sessions I work with a small company as a non-executive director for strategy and business turn into a real business development. My long-term ÑTalk about starting how you mean to go on. Enterprising Young Brit award by Gordon Brown. goal is to devote more time to this. Eighteen-year-old Strathclyde business and accountancy Traditional jams are not exactly healthy eating, being Do Strathclyde students undergraduate Fraser Doherty was only 14 when he as much as 80 per cent sugar, but Fraser has developed generally have a clear started making jam from his grandmother’s recipes an alternative, using grape juice instead of artificial idea of what they want and sold it to friends and neighbours. In less than four sweeteners or sugar. to do after they get their years he was producing up to 1,000 jars a week from “I wanted to make jam in as healthy a way as qualification? his parents’ home in the Davidson’s Mains suburb of possible,” he said. “Traditional jam is quite unhealthy. It is It depends, but the short Edinburgh, with an appealing range of jam including kiwi boiled in huge pans so it has no nutritional value, whereas answer is no! Many think that the MBA will be a passport to fruit, lime and ginger preserve and lemon marmalade. my jam is much more healthy. a certain type of job, and, with But he has had to move his Doherty Preserves “It was quite daunting to change a product that has the right skills and experience production to a small factory in Hertfordshire to keep been made the same way for hundreds of years, but I pre-MBA, it can certainly be a pace with demand, since signing a contract to produce wanted to put a completely new perspective on jam.” passport to a good corporate 120,000 jars for Waitrose. The range, to be called Waitrose preserve buyer Michael Simpson-Jones said: career. But many need SuperJam, is expected to sell for £1.49 a jar in 130 stores. “Fraser has managed to take a product with a slightly guidance, or just a sounding Fraser said: “If things continue to go so well, I plan stuffy, old-fashioned image and completely reinvent it, board, to develop their strategy to take on extra staff, and I’d love to have the product in giving it a young and more up-to-date image.” for the highly competitive MBA job market – especially other supermarket chains, too. I’m hoping that SuperJam The Easter vacation from university found Fraser on a overseas students – and that’s will help encourage a new generation of jam fans.” two-week visit to London, touring Waitrose branches, telling where we come in. Fraser got interested in jams after his grandmother customers about his products and handing out samples. How do you rate the taught him a recipe for marmalade that had been handed Fraser’s father, Robert, is relieved to see the end of current job market for down through generations of the family. With her help he ‘in-house’ production. MBAs and postgraduate began to devise his own unusual jams, selling them door- “For a long time now, Fraser took over our kitchen business students? to-door in Edinburgh, and also supplying delicatessens, to experiment with new recipes and to make up his jam Much more dynamic and in a growth phase again after farmers’ markets and Hibernian Football Club. orders,” he said. “When he was in the kitchen, none of us a serious slump from about By the time he was 15 in 2004, he so impressed a could get in, unless we were prepared to help. Even guests 2002 onwards. panel of business experts that he was presented with an ended up getting roped into putting labels on the jars.” What’s the most important advice you give people? Invest the time and energy to do some serious self- fuzzy words evaluation and gain a clear GET DEFUZZED Assmosis: The process Blamestorming: Sitting 404: Someone who’s understanding of what you WITH OUR by which some people around in a group, clueless. From the have to offer the prevailing job EIGHTh STROLL seem to absorb success discussing why a deadline internet error message THROUGH market – and in what sector THE JARGON and advancement by was missed or a project ‘404 Not Found,’ meaning – before you even think about ALPHABET kissing up to the boss failed, and who was that the requested web making applications. And use rather than working hard. responsible. page could not be found. all the resources available.

6 PIONEER Summer 2007 People

The Dhabba Appetising In India a dhabba is a traditional wayside restaurant, but over the years deluxe dhabbas have opened in city centres and five-star hotels. The Dhabba in Glasgow prospects won The List magazine’s award for best newcomer restaurant in 2003/4. Among Filipino and a Scot. Like its two predecessors, it Ñ Menus on computers and in restaurants loom many enthusiastic reviews for it is Barry is aiming for the middle market, and Navdeep large in Navdeep Basi’s life. He has been cooking Shelby’s in The Guardian, which said: “If hopes to follow with more outlets. up quite a business in IT and hospitality since we’re lucky, this could become the model Corporate customers are welcomed by all completing his MBA at Strathclyde in 1994/95. for 21st century UK curry houses.” After his MBA he ran the UK arm of a the restaurants, and Navdeep also has a catering The Dhabba, 44 Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1LE large Middle East-based clothing company that company operating in Glasgow. Tel: +44 (0) 141 553 1249 manufactured more than 30 million garments per Meanwhile, he has been utilising the IT and Website: www.thedhabba.com year. But Navdeep was also interested in Indian web talents generated throughout his academic restaurants, like many people who eat out in and working life by setting up a company called Dakhin Scotland. His family has been in the restaurant Bespoke IT Solutions, which offers online Following its sister restaurant’s success, trade since the early 1980s. marketing expertise, web design and software. Dakhin took The List magazine’s award While in the garment industry he had decided to The clients include a range of blue chip for best newcomer restaurant in 2005/6. take steps to set up his own restaurant business. companies and SMEs. The two restaurants won an EastScotland “I started up with a concept that’s unique for Last year, Navdeep acquired an IT company Cultural Cuisine Award in May this year. Scotland. I wanted to bring real Indian food here, called Integrated POS Solutions Ltd, which Earlier, Allan Brown wrote in the Sunday instead of the mixed cuisine approach we already provides software for the hospitality market. Times: “The food in Dakhin comes minus the had,” said Navdeep. Navdeep’s catering company, Bapu Hospitality, usual slicks of oil and unnatural colouring. “So I launched The Dhabba, which opened in is based in Wellington Street, Glasgow, and in The feel is of something nimbler and more November 2002. It’s a 100-seater restaurant in the total his group employs 60 people. complex, carefully presented in a charming Merchant City area, not far from the university, “The MBA has made a big difference to me,” said space. Dakhin really is something special. and it specialises in north Indian food. It took Navdeep. “Decisions have to be justified and the risk Go immediately.” off straight away, because it was so different element in business is very important to understand. Dakhin, First Floor, 89 Candleriggs, from everything else in Glasgow. We built it from “While I was studying, I didn’t have any Glasgow G1 1NP Tel: +44 (0)141 553 2585 scratch and we didn’t do much advertising when it enterprises running. I enjoyed taking a year out Website: www.dakhin.com opened, but relied on word of mouth and reviews to get on with the MBA, look at things from a from critics. theoretical point of view and meet other people Merchant City Gate doing MBAs. That was a major part of the Less than two years later, Navdeep opened a Merchant City Gate is a bar/restaurant with a experience – probably just as important as the sister restaurant in the area. Called Dakhin, it capacity for around 300 customers. Its small academic element. I met some really good people.” was the first authentic south Indian restaurant 50-seat restaurant specialises in food from in Scotland. the Asia and Pacific region in a tapas style. Completing a hat-trick this year is Navdeep’s IT and web services Traditional lunch, brunch and dinner menus Integrated POS Solutions Ltd, Centrepoint, latest opening: the Merchant City Gate are also available in the main bar area. Restaurant, featuring fusion tapas from the Pacific 135 Wellington Street, Glasgow G2 2XD Tel: +44 (0)141 229 0239 Merchant City Gate, Rim, prepared by a lively trio Website: www.ipsaloha.com 62 Trongate, Glasgow, G1 5EP. of chefs – an Indian, a Tel: +44 (0)141 548 1330. Bespoke IT Solutions, Centrepoint, Website: www.merchantcitygate.com 135 Wellington Street, Glasgow G2 2XD. Tel: +44 (0)141 229 0344 Bapu Hospitality Website: www.bespokeitsolutions.com Bapu Hospitality is a catering company specialising in authentic Indian food. Menus can be designed to suit budgets and tastes. The business is an organic extension of the two restaurants, The Dhabba and Dakhin, which have both received numerous awards and exceptional critical acclaim. Chefs employed by the three operations have been trained in five-star hotels. The head chef Jamuna Datt Tewari has previously been personally responsible for catering for India’s prime minister and president. “I started up with a concept that’s unique for Bapu Hospitality, Centrepoint, 3rd Floor, Scotland. I wanted to bring real Indian food 135 Wellington Street, Glasgow G2 2XD here, instead of the mixed cuisine approach we Tel: +44 (0) 141 229 0239 already had.” Navdeep Basi Website: www.bapuhospitality.com

Summer 2007 PIONEER 7 Focus Weak advertising fails The Golestan Palace and, to promote Iran’s below, the Zayendeh river tourism potential in Iran ÑIran has enormous potential for attracting The model put forward by Dr Prentice tourists that has remained untapped was designed to challenge a tendency in because of weak advertising and lack contemporary destination marketing to European-style beach holiday; they are of information available, according to emphasise SSPs (standardised selling coming to explore the cultural heritage Kevin O’Gorman of Strathclyde’s Hospitality points) rather than USPs (unique, or at least and soak up the wonderful culture. Their and Tourism Management department. At unusual, selling points). choice is based on knowledge, credibility, the International Conference on Tourism in USPs are differentiated into UUSPs familiarity and ultimately how they feel Islamic Countries, held in Tehran in March, (unique utility selling points) UESPs (unique about the destination.” Kevin discussed the factors considered by experiential selling points) USSPs (unique Each country needs to take three main tourists when deciding where to travel. symbolic selling points). These summarise approaches for attracting and satisfying He and his co-author Dr Richard Prentice aspects of generic imagery and product its tourists: proper introduction of its believe Iran has an enormous potential for beliefs that affect destination differentiation. tourism attractions through brochures attracting tourists. The majority of European Another model focused on choices by and the internet; showing tourists what and western tourists who come to Muslim potential tourists. the atmosphere is like; and underlining and eastern countries are seeking new and How can destination managers put these traditional, historical and cultural values. profound experiences – in some cases the ideas into operation in their marketing Evaluating Iran’s tourism resources religious values that are fast disappearing and product development? Kevin and Dr and infrastructure, Kevin said: “Visiting from some western countries. Prentice created a matrix based on a SWOT Pasargadae and the tomb of Cyrus Kevin believes Islamic countries should analysis and combined with the expansion the Great was always one of my great focus their attention on the part of their of USPs. travel dreams. But when I went to his tourism product that highlights their According to Kevin, despite all Iran’s tomb, although I was enchanted by its unique culture. According to him, Iran’s tourist attractions, the majority of magnificence, there were no other sources archaeology, cultural heritage, traditions Europeans are not familiar with the country of information or retail, not even a café. and diversity of nature are the main factors and have little idea of how rewarding it can Considering how important retail is in that attract foreigners to visit. be for travellers. This is partly the fault of tourism, this is a missed opportunity.” His presentation covered three models, ineffective advertising. starting with one to explain how tourists “But visitors to Iran aren’t looking for a select what destination to visit.

Collaboration is the key to success ÑA workshop entitled How can UK speakers from Scottish Enterprise, the universities are now being analysed. An interesting theme, manufacturers move into higher value markets? of Strathclyde, Cranfield and Cambridge and which was emphasised by attendees from both and organised by Dr Jill MacBryde, Kepa Mendibil representation from many industry sectors, industry and government, was that stronger links and Dr Steve Paton (pictured below) was hosted including large-scale multinationals such as BAE between industry and academia were needed. by Strathclyde University on April 25. It was a Systems, Rolls-Royce and British Telecom, plus At present many companies are unaware of joint initiative held as part of the Manufacturing more local SMEs. the services that can be offered by academia, Futures project and in association with In recent years, with the decline of the UK’s or even how to build a useful relationship with the newly launched Strathclyde manufacturing sector, there has been emerging a university, with most relationships existing at Institute of Operations agreement that UK manufacturers have to move an individual rather than an institutional level. Management (SIOM). into higher value markets. The workshop explored Government could play a stronger role by The event was attended by how this could be achieved most effectively. incentivising universities to collaborate more representatives from Several areas were covered, with focus groups strongly with industry, rather than emphasising academia, industry discussing the role of people, process and the current agenda, which seems to favour pure and government with inter-organisational collaboration, and the findings research and publication.

SUMMER 2007 PIONEER 8