1. Strategic Planning and Chamber Development
Gerard Doyle Chambers of Commerce of Ireland

2. Ingredients for a Good Plan….
Relate to the medium term i.e. 2/4 years
Be undertaken by key personnel/stakeholders
Include consultation with the membership
Focus on matters of strategic importance
Be separated from day-to-day work
Be realistic, detached and critical
Be reviewed periodically

3. Plan Components
SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis
Vision
Mission
Values
Strategies
Goals - Objectives
Programmes

4. Look Back…Diagnostic How has the Chamber been managed?
How has the Chamber been funded?
How has the Chamber sought to increase membership or broaden the scope of services?
How have productivity/costs moved?

5. Chambers are… Structure led not service led
Member led not customer led
Input focused not Output focused
Focused on behaviour – doing things well rather than on results

6. Find out the Cause "What stopped the Chamber from?"
"What caused such a result?"
"Why didn't the Chamber achieve a 25% growth rate?"
Go underneath obvious causes…

7. Strengths/Weaknesses
Membership – marketing, promotion;
Management – systems, expertise;
Operations – staff, efficiency, capacity;
Services – quality, pricing, range, competitiveness;
Representation – quality, effectiveness;
Finances – resources, cost performance;
Research – effort, direction, resources;
Systems – organization, structures.

8. Opportunities/Trends
The state of the global and national economy and how local business is competing in the economy.
Changes in the marketplace due to economic or social factors.
Local economy or social and environmental issues
Government laws and regulations.
Impact of new technologies.

9. Trends Affecting Chambers
Competition from other business organisations, state agencies
Changing Business Structure - ……small business growing - large business declining …..Corporate downsizing.. leading to more home based-electronically based business.

10. Trends Affecting Chambers
Business Pressure - Changes in society “people are too busy to go to events any more” “entrepreneurs are under huge pressures”
Members More Demanding – want better quality services, at the same price or cheaper
Service Needs Changing – less information needed, more how to make sense of information

11. Trends Affecting Chambers
Direct Commercial benefits – business development services for members are more important
Chambers Role no longer clear, financial pressure forcing chambers to adopt new roles and strategies
Need to innovate or disintegrate [specialization – using new technology]

12. Trends Affecting Chambers
We must get closer to the customer - establish branches, contact mechanisms
Economies of scale are important - mergers and greater regionalisation of Chambers
Engage with newly diversified partnership and leadership models in the community

13. Vision
The San Diego Chamber of Commerce will be acclaimed as a leader and catalyst in creating value for its members by optimizing their competitive viability in the regional, national and global marketplace.

14. Vision
Picture of the organization in 5 years time re its influence, role, size, activities, services, stakeholders, products, structure, staffing etc.
Picture-Vision for the Country can help create Vision of the Chamber

15. Vision de Costa Rica
Aspiramos a una Costa Rica con un crecimiento economico sostenido, equitativo y ambientalmente equilibrado, basado en un entorno nacional competitivo.

16. Mission The role of the Metropolitan Chamber of
Commerce in achieving its vision is to:
Build and strengthen the business culture through:
Advocacy - The Voice of Business
Networking - Bringing Business Together
Leadership - Shaping the Business Environment
- Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Nova Scotia, Canada

17. Mision de Camara de Industrias de Costa Rica
Somos una organizacion que promueve la competitividad del sector industrial, impulsando a) los cambios que requiere el pais y b) el mejoramiento continuo de las empresas industriales.

18. See Mission Examples
Mission - Vision How To Sheet

19. Values
Somos una organizacion que representa los intereses legitimos del sector industrial, con:
Eficacia
Objetividad
Transparencia
Seriedad
En sus acciones manteniendo siempre una vision de futuro y las busqueda permanente de la excelencia.

20. Strategies Are broad plans for implementing the mission
They are not specific or detailed
The usually relate to stakeholders
“Fortalecer la representatividad del sector a traves de alianzas conjuntas con el Gobierno y sus instituciones, organizaciones afines y associaciones sectoriales.”

21. Goals - Objectives Time and Measurement (Result)
The Chamber will achieve a 20% increase in membership by the end of 2004.
The Chamber will increase its income from member events by 30% by the end of 2003.
The Chamber will reduce its operating costs by 10% in 2003.

22. Programmes – Action Plans
Implementation plans for the key strategies.
These should cover resources, objectives, time-scales, deadlines, budgets and performance targets.

23. 9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber
Broad Based - Concerned with membership and business development and actively engaged in representation activities, but also involved with local economic development, provides education and training, and extensive information management services.
Strong financial position -mix of income from members, products, projects and services and access to funds for investment in new projects, and a contingency fund.

24. 9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber
Has all the key businesses in the area in membership.
Membership expanding annually.
Has a strong local brand image and exercises real influence.
Devotes substantial resources to innovation (new services, new ideas for local development).

25. 9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber
Very close to its members and responsive to their needs.
Seeks a leadership role in the local community.
Well managed with high-grade staff and good people-management.

26. Planning to Plan Planning Team Chairman/President/CEO/Board
Member Surveys/Gather data
Consultation/Discussion/Feedback
One Person responsible

27. Planning to Plan 4 Meetings Planning System
Half-Day Board Retreat – Vision. Mission, Values – Appoint Planning Team
Draft Plan/Objectives/Goals/Program Presented
Feedback meeting
Final Board decision Meeting

28. Format of Plan 1) Executive Summary 2) Authorization
3) Chamber Description - Diagnostic
4) Mission, Vision and Values Statements
5) Strategies
6) Goals-Objectives
7) Action Plans-Programmes

29. Format of Plan 8) Budget 9) Description of Process Used
10) Monitoring and Evaluation of Plan
11) Communication of Plan

30. Critical Success Factors
Adequate resources (staff, office, program budget, etc),
Partnerships with companies, other organizations, agencies, government,
Support from member companies,
Commitment of chamber officers/ committee members - (this may imply innovative ways of getting people involved)
Realistic targets and review mechanisms

31. Implementation
Involve those responsible for implementation – Senior Commitment is vital
Be realistic – divide into smaller plans
Decide who does what, when
Regular reviews
Appoint one person for implementation

32. Monitoring, Evaluation, Changes
Are goals being achieved or not? If they are, then acknowledge, reward and communicate the progress. If not, why?
Deviating from Plan It’s OK to deviate from the plan. The plan is only a guideline, not a strict roadmap which must be followed.

33. Changes – Celebration !
Changing the Plan Be sure some mechanism is identified for changing the plan, if necessary.
Celebration Celebration is as important as accomplishing objectives -- maybe more. Without a sense of closure, acknowledgement and fulfillment from a job well done, the next planning cycle becomes a boring grind.