As we move through summer and wait for the recovery to take hold and the economy to begin to grow, it seems to me that most businesses are just going to have to get used to working as we do … Continue reading
Updates on the economy in Surrey
With the economic conditions continuing to concern all it’s important that as business people we all ensure that we have the latest economic information at our finger tips, even if it seemingly changes daily.
The major worry at present concerns our worryingly low levels of growth. The new Iod Director General, Simon Walker recently unveiled IoD’s growth plan but it’s clear that some of the big steps required will probably not be taken by the Government for a variety of reasons.
In Surrey we will be focussing on the economy and striving to develop the best events for a our members to obtain vital economic intelligence. We have two key events, both free of charge, for members this autumn. Firstly involving coping with Business Risk with on October 14th in Croydon featuring IoD Chief Economist Graeme Leach.
The second is a briefing from the Bank Of England on prevailing economic conditions at Farnham on November 29th. I urge you to attend and realise the value you can get from IoD membership.
DMH Stallard “Stands Out From Other Law Firms in the South”
Great news for DMH Stallard
The firm is delighted to report that it has once again been recognised as one of the leading law firms across all its key practice areas following the publication of the latest edition of the independent legal research directory, Legal 500 2011.
How Manufacturers deal with “Compliance and Ethics”.
Over the summer months I have been working in my advisory capacity with DMH Stallard on a study into how manufacturing and engineering businesses are addressing the compliance issue, particularly regarding to ethical business. This was a follow on to the report “Protect and Prosper” we published in the Spring explaining how companies were dealing with Intellectual Property.
Initially the work was driven by interest in how firms were dealing with the new Bribery and Corruption Act, which became law in July.We were particularly interested in how companies were tackling the export agenda, especially dealing with the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India & China) and the emerging economies of the CIVETS (Columbia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa). These countries with their unfamiliar ways of doing business create a new challenge to those familiar with exporting to Western Europe and the USA.
However, during the period in which we were conducting interviews the News International affair exploded, demonstrating that running an ethical business is not confined to financial transactions alone. Indeed the whole area of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), including environmental compliance, was clearly on the agenda.
We interviewed both large and small companies in a wide range of sectors to explore any differences in strategies and implementation that might exist. We were particularly interested in whether this was an issue just for large multi-nationals and not “on the radar” for SMEs.
By respecting the anonymity of the companies we interviewed we were given honest and candid contributions. What we found was enlightening and in some cases quite unexpected and controversial.
We believe we have created a report that is not only insightful and informative, but also will help companies find their way through the maze of compliance. Additionally in the guidance section of the report we have used best practice from the interviewees’ companies to produce a simple “to do” list which will help companies use the compliance agenda to their advantage.
The report is now in its final drafting stage and will be published in October. Copies will be available here, my LinkedIn page and on the DMH Stallard website.
New Director for Surrey based “Lean energy” Business
http://www.ecopare.co.uk/company/press/release/?id=202
Very pleased to be joining the team at Ecopare.
Further press and web coverage of the DMH Stallard IP report
Interesting to see further coverage and comments on the report:
BVR’s Intellectual Property blog
http://www.ipvalue-site.com/?p=1007
Institute of Operations Management
DPA Magazine
http://www.dpaonthenet.net/article/42258/Ten-steps-to-developing-a-successful-IP-strategy.aspx
Yahoo Finance
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/UK-IPO-no-place-offer-paid-tele-49098291.html?x=0
Cybercrime unit
http://www.cybercrimesunit.com/?p=818
Applegate
http://www.applegate.co.uk/b2b-news-articles/manufacturing-sector-advised-protect-rights-0033961.htm
This is Money
Launch of DMH Stallard Report “Plan, Protect and Prosper”. How manufacturers leverage IP to create value and safeguard their futures
After six months of research , working with leading manufacturing and engineering companies in the South East of England, we launched our report in London on the 23rd May. An invited audience shared the issues surrounding copyright, trade marks and design and discussed how companies can best go about developing an IP strategy that offers appropriate protection in key markets.
The panel, chaired by myself in my capacity as DMH Stallard Strategic Adviser – Manufacturing, comprised Gordon Day, Operations Director at Williams Hybrid Power, Geoff Edwards, UK Vice President of Operations for Bowers and Wilkins, Ian Lucas MP, Shadow Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Tim Ashdown, Partner and Head of IP & IT at DMH Stallard.
The report uncovers the most pressing IP issues in the industry and identifies common themes that have helped UK manufacturers leverage intellectual property to create value and safeguard their futures.
The report is particularly pertinent at the moment with the recent release of the Hargreaves Report http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ipreview.htm which was commissioned by the Prime Minister in November 2010.
There has been extensive media coverage of the report including;
The Daily Telegraph
The Manufacturer
http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/content/11997/IP_necessary_if_UK_is_to_remain_competitive
Business Weekly
The report also includes a guide to aid companies in how best to deal with their IP which also can be used as a template to compare with best practice.
As the authors, Tim Ashdown and I would be interested in any comments observers may have on the report so please feel free to comment here or email me at mail@davidseall.co.uk
The next project is concerning compliance and ethics in the complex world in which exporting engineering and manufacturing businesses find themselves in. We plan to report this in September 2011.
The economy and where is it going?
This week apart from the obvious noise about local elections and AV has still been about the economy to me.
On the back of the disappointing growth figures from last week we had the great news form the Bank of England MPC that interest rates would continue to be on hold at their lowest rate in living memory.
As a simple businessman it beggars belief to me that anyone would consider putting up rates when there is such fragile consumer confidence and that most of the inflationary pressures come from increased fuel prices and the January hike in VAT. These will drop out in January and we will hopefully see a fall.
At a dinner with senior Surrey business leaders we hosted earlier in the week our guests IoD DG Miles Templeman and Director of Policy and Chief Economist Graeme Leach were firmley of this view. In fact Graeme will be joined by LloydsTSB Chief Economist Trevor Williams to debate the point further at an IoD special event on 17th May at Canon HQ in Reigate http://bit.ly/f0HHwk.
I have also been busy with a final article on the budget (attached)
I hope some of you are able to come along for what promises to be a great evening on the 17th!
DMH Stallard IP Project and Launch Event 23rd May
I’m very pleased that after nearly five months the research project on how manufacturing and engineering companies manage and protect their IP is nearing completion.
The report will be published at a launch event being held at the DMH Stallard office in London on the evening of 23rd May.
At the event we will have a panel discussion with experts from Bowers and Wilkins, Williams F1 and DMH Stallard. We are also very pleased that the Shadow Minister with responsibility for manufacturing, Ian Lucas MP, will also be joining us.
Attendance is by invitation only and places are limited but please contact me if you wish to attend.
The report confirms that this is certainly an important issue for manufacturers as they seek to compete in global markets and I’m sure we will have a lively debate on the evening.
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