STRATEGIC PLAN
2008 – 2010
April 2008
Table of Contents
1. Background 4
2. Charter 5
3. Values 7
4. Long term aspirations 7
5. Key success factors 7
6. Strategic Plan 10
Key Success Factor M: Attract and retain a committed, capable and growing membership 10
M1 Understand what members see as value for their investment in ALARA membership 10
M2 Targeted membership growth 11
M3 Streamline membership administrative processes to make it as easy as possible for new and renewing members 12
M4 Build organisational membership 12
Key success factor S: Services and events that support the ALARA vision 13
S1 Hold an Australian national conference every year 13
S2 Manage a schedule of Australian local events 14
S3 Facilitate all - member activities that encourage members to network and learn from each other 14
S4 Establish Skills Working Group and provide professional and skills development opportunities for members 15
S5 Support the setup of the next World Congress 16
Key success factor P: Ability to access, gather and publish information to promote the development of theory and practice 18
P1 Produce 2 editions of the ALAR journal twice a year 18
P2 Build and manage ALARA resources 19
P3 Deliver 4 editions of the newsletter each year 19
P4 Deliver Monograph series 19
Key success factor W: An exceptional professional profile in the marketplace 21
W1 Develop and maintain an effective web presence 21
W2. Identify and publicise the ways that members can contribute and participate via the website 22
W3 Maintain all market interfaces to be up to date and present a consistent corporate identity 22
Key success factor G: Effective governance 24
G1 A workable and efficient structure with all positions filled 24
G2 Clear, well documented and effective management processes in policies 24
G3 Up to date business and strategic plans in place 25
G4. Create a Business Management Working Group 26
Key success factor F: Financial sustainability 27
F1 Sound financial management practices applied to all ALARA functions and activities 27
F2 Clear financial accountabilities and targets 27
Key success factor C: Affiliations, connections and reach that support the ALARA vision 29
C 1 Engage in collaborative research with organisations 29
C 2 Establish and maintain relationships with affiliated organisations and networks 29
C 3 Build up the international network 30
1. Background
The Action Learning Action Research and Process Management Association was founded in 1991 following an inaugural Research Symposium in Brisbane in 1989 and a first World Congress, also in Brisbane, in 1990. Since that time the organisation has held 7 World Congresses in Australian and International settings, numerous Australian national conferences, and local workshops and seminars for members and their networks. Its members have produced 26 volumes of the Association’s Journal, established a part-time professional administration, and an on-line presence by means of the Association’s web page (http://ww.alara.net.au).
In 2007 the Association underwent structural change. A new management committee policy and system was implemented which established two, rather than one, sub-committees of the Management Committee. The two sub-committees are “the Executive” and a “Working Group”. The Executive is comprised of five roles: the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Australian and Global Networks Vice Presidents. The Working Group is comprised of four roles: the Web Page coordinator, the Publishing Co-ordinator, the Marketing and Membership Coordinator, and the Special Interest Group Coordinator. The Management Committee is solely comprised of these two groups meeting together twice a year on-line with ex-officio participation for specific activities such as conferences. The Working Group meets five times a year and as needed, also on-line. The Executive meets three times a year, on-line. The AGM is a whole of organisation meeting held at the time of the Australian National Conference or World Congress. This new structure, which is intended to put the Executive in a position of constitutional responsibility and support for the Working Group’s collaborative autonomy, is in its first year of trial and under review at the time of writing this Strategic Plan.
Supporting this structural change is the Action Plan, comprised of four (participatory) reporting criteria of Governance, Development, Learning and Activism. This Plan, located on the ALARA website (http://www.alara.net.au/actionplan), is the ongoing means of Committee Members reporting their actions to each other and the general membership above and beyond the Committee meetings and a regular Newsletter. The Plan governs minutes, reviews and all other governance and management actions.
In 2007 the Association carried out a consultation of members regarding two issues: a change of name, and a strategic vision. As a consequence the organisation’s name was changed to “Action Learning, Action Research Association” for ease of communication. This Strategic Plan was produced as a consequence of the second consultation to guide the organisation into a more secure and proactive position in its field. The consultation is an ongoing developmental strategy, which will continue to support, and be supported by, the Strategic and Business Plans.
The Business Plan is identified in the Action Plan as “G6: Implementing the strategic plan with sound financial management”. It is operationalises this Strategic Plan where financial resources are involved and falls into the active responsibilities the President and Treasurer, with support from all Working Group Co-ordinators and championship to members and external stakeholders by the Vice Presidents. It draws on and progresses the contributions of all active, financial members.
2. Charter
2008-2010 strategic plan DRAFT_V3 6
The first round of the Visioning Consultation identified that by 2023, ALARA's members envision ALARA as:
Ø Governance (democratic decision making)
o Actively working to make a contribution to the world, and locally involving its members in decisions in democratic and collaborative ways
o Thinking and behaving systemically in all it does
o Maintaining transparent and effective leadership, governance and structures
o Being aware of its values and displaying them in its behaviour
o Operating with an effective secretariat, probably full time, probably paid
o Paying attention to communication, internally and externally
o Establishing sources of finance, and being well resourced
Ø Development (meeting needs)
o Using the website and technology to communicate, offer resources, etc.
o Operating as a networked organisation encouraging relationships between members
o Providing opportunities for members (and others) to share resources
o Valuing and encouraging diversity
o Attending to the needs of new members
o Fostering, establishing and maintaining links with other organizations and international bodies
Ø Learning (transformation)
o Being characterised by plentiful and diverse activities, including conferences and congresses
o Supporting members and others, for instance with training, coaching, mentoring, etc.
o Maintaining high quality journal(s), both academic and practitioner
o Doing, supporting and publishing research
Ø Activism (acting on advocated rights and responsibilities)
o Being responsive to a changing world
o Being prepared to exert influence, including political influence
NOTE:
It should be noted that a review of the first round of the consultation data for the Strategic Vision, as carried out by the Management Committee (March 8th 2008) recognised: a) the need to communicate with members and better support their use of those existing ALARA functions that are defined as visionary aims in the members’ data, and, b) the lack of adequate consideration of the significant social, environmental and economic change that is foreseen for this period of time world-wide including its implications for the AL and AR field.
Both these matters will be addressed in the second round and will represent a second iteration to the Strategic Plan.
See the Management Committee’s reported engagement with the data on the website at http://www.alara.net.au/ALARAvisionmeeting
2008-2010 strategic plan DRAFT_V3 6
3. Values
Democracy
Participation
Reflection
4. Long term aspirations
In terms of ALARA's impact on the world, members suggested that if ALARA were successful, then action research and action learning would be accepted by the community, and the associated values of democracy, participation and reflection would be common
ALARA itself would be respected and influential, widely consulted, associated with many appropriate organisations
5. Key success factors
The following success factors are the primary means of guiding the implementation of the strategic and business plans. They are the responsibility of the whole Management Committee, and in terms of specific lines of action are divided between the Working Group and the Executive as follows:
Working Group:
§ KSF M: Attract and retain a committed, capable and growing membership (Lead: Membership and Marketing “M” in tables)
§ KSF S: Services and events that support the ALARA vision (Lead: SIG “S” in tables)
§ KSF P: Ability to access, gather and publish information to promote the development of theory and practice (Lead: Publications “P” in tables
§ KSF W: An exceptional professional profile in the marketplace via marketing and web interactions (Lead: Web “W” in tables)
Executive:
§ KSF G: Effective governance (Lead: President “P” in tables)
§ KSF F: Financial sustainability (Lead: Treasurer “T” in tables)
§ KSF C: Affiliations, connections and reach that support the ALARA vision (Leads: VPs “AVP” and “GVP” in tables)
Other abbreviations:
- Business Management Working Group - BMWG
- Paid administration - Admin
- Constitutional Secretary - CS
- Management Committee - MC
- Working Group - WG
All other initials refer to individual members’ names as listed in text
NOTE:
It should be noted that these success factors do not represent the total data that the consultation produced. The data was organised by the Management Committee into 5 categories:
1. Already doing
2. Possible with minor adaptation
3. Engaging with members’ existing External Activities
4. Quantum Leap innovations
5. Commercial innovations
The first category, “Already Doing” is not included in this Business Plan as the items are considered the ongoing business of existing Management Committee roles. They are (will be) added to the Action Plan for implementation in the 07-08 term and reported at the AGM.
The second and third categories, “minor adaptations” and “Engaging with members’ existing external activities” are included in this Plan.
The third and fourth categories “Quantum Leaps” and “Commercialisation” are to be given the benefit of further discussion in the second round of the consultation and through other means such as research, local workshops and conference activities.
A full report of all participating members’ contributions from the first round, itemised in these categories is available on the website at: http://www.alara.net.au/node/1062
The Strategic Plan now follows. It is the final result of the Management Committee’s deliberations at its March ’08 meeting.
6. Strategic Plan
Key Success Factor M: Attract and retain a committed, capable and growing membership
Strategies / Projects/ Actions / Linked actions / Who / When/ Status / Objectives, Milestones, Outcomes, Measures /M1 Understand what members see as value for their investment in ALARA membership
/ Growth in 30% per annum members who believe that ALARA is good valueM1.1 Ask members – set up a quick online survey on the web site to gather changing member perceptions (Kay Distel) / P.KD / Data exists for NSW and ACT members on web site / Significant trends identified in timely manner
Outcomes referred to M and BMWG
M2 Targeted membership growth
/ Growth rates achieved by target groupConversion rates at events (non-members à new members)
M2.1 Develop a strategic approach to membership growth (Based on idea from Colin Bradley) / M2.2 / M.CB / Set growth targets for member numbers - link to Business Plan
M2.2 Identify and research target markets and the most effective ways of gaining profile in each target / M / Communicate to BMWG
M2.3 Include membership strategy development as a key part of all event planning / AVP / Each event plans for targeted revenue generation and membership increase
M2.4 Analyse current membership demographics (based on idea from John Molineux) / T / Communicate to M and BMWG
M2.5 Establish monitors to measure changes in membership / P / Membership measures included in organisational evaluation
M3 Streamline membership administrative processes to make it as easy as possible for new and renewing members
/ 30% growth in renewing membersIntroduce web based payment for conferences and workshops / W. Admin / In time for early bird calls ’08 Australian conference / 30% reduction in administrative costs of handling registration and memberships
M4 Build organisational membership
M4.1 Look for relationship with major corporations and govt departments. (Based on idea from Ted Sandercock) / S. M. AVP. P / Ongoing / 10% increase organisational membership/annum
Key success factor S: Services and events that support the ALARA vision
S1 Hold an Australian national conference every year
/ S1.1 Develop a process for conference sponsorship and managing/ assessing expressions of interest and ensuring ALARA vision and objectives are actively included in negotiations / Exec. AVP / done / Sponsorship MOU operationalised and successfully carried out to completion within its terms
/ S1.2 Establish a plan and reporting process for management of Australian national conferences / Exec. AVP / done / Plan communicated, negotiated, implemented successfully
/ S1.3 Utilise the web facilities to support a process to manage the annual ALARA Australian conference as part of a yearly cycle of "field of practice development," (Based on idea from Ross Colliver) / W. AVP / Members’ practice interests and needs reflected in conference themes and approaches
/ S1.4 Evaluate Australian national conferences and achieve participant satisfaction that conference promoted ALARA vision and objectives / Exec. AVP / 75% success rating
/ S1.5 Ask the question how can members act locally to influence global networks in realising ALARA’s vision and objectives? / AVP. GVP / Lead up to all national events / Member participation and input to conference design
S2 Manage a schedule of Australian local events
/ S2.1 Co-ordinate a national overview of local events (Based on idea from Marg O’Connell) / AVP. P. S / AGM 09 / Review home page notices over a year
/ S2.2 Establish protocols that encourage everyone to call meetings and organise conferences with the permission of the ALARA Executive. (Based on idea from Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt) / Exec. S with OZ-S / AGM 08 / 30% increase in local activities, and increase in membership and revenue generation
S3 Facilitate all - member activities that encourage members to network and learn from each other
/ S3.1 Encourage Australian and global network members to network, meet and talk informally about what they are doing in relation to ALARA and ideas/actions they would like to be involved with / S.AVP / Ongoing
/ S32 Establish a skills profile of members so that everyone can know who is who (Based on idea from Kay Distel) / P. KD / AGM 08 / Members update membership profiles
Web based audit established and updated
S4 Establish Skills Working Group and provide professional and skills development opportunities for members
/ S4.1 Provide skills training in on-line facilitation to assist members to make best use of the web (Based on idea from Jo Murray) / W. P. JM / Ongoing / Training available and usedIncreased numbers of members participating on line
Reduced need for mentoring to participate
/ S4.2 Set up a Skills Working Group / S. AVP. GVP. DG, CB, JM, JL / AGM 08 / Group established, with web facilities and plan in operation
S4.2 Engage Skills Working Group in establishing and managing a schedule for member development including:
§ Face to face workshops on a range of topics
§ On-line courses both facilitated and self-paced
§ Mentoring
(Based on ideas from Davydd Greenwood, Colin Bradley, Jo Murray, June Lennie) / W. S. AVP. GVP. DG, CB, JM, JL and BMWG / Courses operating
Number of courses increasing
Number of participants using courses increasing
Evaluation of use excellent
Revenue generation from use significant
S5 Support the setup of the next World Congress
/ S5.1 Facilitate a discussion that asks the question 'How do I improve my contribution to the world, and locally?' (Jack Whitehead) / W. JW / Ongoing / Outcomes included in WC
S5.2 Establish date and sponsorship for next two World Congresses to enable mentoring / Exec / AGM 08 / Agreements signed
S5.3 Establish World Congress Working Party in accordance with World Congress MOU / WCWG / AGM 09 / Milestones reached
S5.4 Consult legal advice to ensure generic MOU is legally strong / Exec / Done / Legally strong generic MOU published
MOU used by WC Working Group
S5.5 Establish relationship with legal advice for ensuring MOU is adhered to and funds owed retrieved / Exec / Ongoing / Owed money retrieved
Debts paid
Future WCs secure and profitable
Key success factor P: Ability to access, gather and publish information to promote the development of theory and practice