Why engage external support to strategic initiatives and change programmes?
Many organisations struggle with the decision to engage a consulting firm to provide strategic guidance.
In addition to creating vital headroom for teams delivering day-to-day operations,APUS can offer objectivity through a fresh pair of eyes, combined with insights and experience of solutions that have been successful elsewhere, and the challenges in their implementation.
What type of issues have seen clients engage with APUS?
The newly appointed Managing Director of an African Air Navigation Service Provider(ANSP) requested assistance with prioritisation and strategic planning to support the ongoing modernisation and progression of the organisation in line with future customer and national requirements.
The assignment required the delivery of an objective assessment of operational capability, and analysis of stakeholder expectations to create a series of future operational and institutional objectives for the organisation.
Another engagement was with a Middle EasternANSP undergoing the transition from a civil service organisation to becoming a state-owned enterprise. Whilst achieving the aim of separating service provision and regulation, it was a key objective for the ANSP leadership to create a properly focused and sustainable delivery organisation.
Which analytical techniques have been utilised?
Assessments of organisational competence and capability have been undertaken, covering people, processes and technology. Surveys were designed and implemented to understand operational performance metrics, including safety, attributable delays, staff numbers, training times etc. Similarly, this approach has been used from a technology perspective, assessing assets such as navigation aids and ATM systems, in terms of age, serviceability, suitability for task, and projected refresh timescales.
Data has also been gathered through the use of interviews with organisational stakeholders such as management, staff, customers, trade bodies, shareholders, government and regulators.
Desktop research has also been utilised to assess International Civil AviationOrganisation standards and recommended practices, global and regional air navigation plans to understand how their objectives and obligations could impact on ANSPs.
Using extensive sector knowledge and experience, APUS has also undertaken competitive benchmarking analysis to provide clients with their relative positioning within the industry, as well as identifying world-class performance and best practices through strategic benchmarking exercises.
Analysis outputs
Having assessed the current state and defined the forthcoming needs, a gap analysis report is the most common form of output to highlight to leadership teams any differences between business requirements and existing capabilities.
Such gap analyses can address both operational and strategic aspects of future performance, focused around a range of themes including:
Organisational transformation takes place when there is a change in the way the business is done; more than simple structural changes, it addresses the attitude of employees, their perspectives and the culture of the organisation as it undergoes a significant change.
This technical element can provide a needs assessment of operational and commercial processes, highlighting modernisation and placement requirements and any associated training.
A people focused theme which can cover subjects such as how many people will be required to operate the future state, what skills training will they need, and what back-office services will be needed to support them.
Strategy implementation
APUS has supported organisational transformation by providing a clarity of vision and objectives and ensuring that effective communications are in place to support staff alignment and focus. This has included coaching senior teams and designing leadership development programs to create change agents within the organisation to support enduring improvements from within. Additionally, interim assignments have been undertaken to assume direct responsibility for the delivery of outcomes within the organisation.
Clients have also been supported with external monitoring of the effectiveness of change, reporting of progress, and identifying any necessary updates required to achieve successful outcomes.
Client benefits delivered
Client organisations, from management teams to board members have benefited from deep industry knowledge possessed by APUS and the solution focused advice provided.
This has included:
