Tools
Operations Analysis
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. - Sun Tzu
Having a sound and objective understanding of your current business, its competitive position, deep insight as to what your products and services actually cost (as opposed to what is reported), and which products and customers are profitable and which are not so profitable, is essential to creating and executing successful strategies and in directing operational actions and investments that will achieve desired results.
Achieve profitability insight and improvement
Profitability Analysis
- Understand true costs and cash contribution by product, customer, and business unit versus fully allocated or reported
- Understand customer/product profitability mix - where is the company making money and where not. Determine underlying causes and options to address.
- Identify real impact to margins, cash and bottom line from changes in mix, volume, and operational actions and initiatives including investments, promotions, reductions or elimination.
Operational and Financial Performance
- Evaluate production throughput constraints and the potential for improvement
- Analyze whether capital assets are being efficiently leveraged
Product and Service Delivery and Logistics
- Analyze full and incremental cost of customer delivery
- Evaluate product delivery tactical design, route design and potential value of restructuring
Strategy
Strategy without tactics is the slow road to victory, tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. - Sun Tzu
Many companies believe they have well defined and closely aligned strategies and tactics, but our experience is that management teams often lead organizations primarily on the basis of strategy or tactics, but not both concurrently, or that intended strategies and tactics are not well understood or aligned throughout the organization.
Provide strategic and tactical insight, guidance and facilitation
Strategic and Tactical Planning
- Strategies for growth and financial improvement
- New product and new business venture initiatives
- Plant or business expansion, acquisition or divestiture
Market Strategies
- In depth analyses of category, business line, and competitive positioning as well as product distribution alternatives to best serve specific markets
- Evaluation of strategy and approach: do it yourself, license, strategic alliance, brand, private label
- Introduction to, and negotiation with, potential strategic partners
IT Strategy
- IT and related organization structuring, planning and execution
- System requirements definition, evaluation, selection and acquisition
- Management and profitability reporting
Transactions
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. - Sun Tzu
It is often difficult to simultaneously manage ongoing operations along with strategic initiatives or special projects. Oftentimes an outside resource can provide an objective and value added perspective both in the planning and execution phases of a transaction or enable initiatives to be performed in a more effective and timely manner.
The goal is always to capture and realize the essential value of a deal or project in a timely manner while minimizing risk, overall investment required as well as any adverse impact on ongoing operations and internal resources.
Comprehensive analysis, planning, and integration of strategic initiatives and new ventures
M&A, Joint Ventures and Major Capital Projects
- Planning, due diligence and analyses of acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, strategic alliances and capital raise
- Assistance in negotiations with potential transaction parties
- Post transaction integration planning and implementation
- Evaluation of major capital projects including plant expansion, consolidation and site selection
New Venture Development
- Creating and structuring new venture concepts and plans
- Planning and management of start-up, JV and developmental projects
- Assistance with new venture capital raise
- Assistance in negotiating private investment, partnership and operating agreements
Transitions
He wins who knows when to fight and when not to. - Sun Tzu
There are times when a business must plan for and undergo a significant transition or completely reposition itself to continue building sustainable growth in value. On occassion internal or external challenges arise that create the need for short term highly experienced resources who can step in and help ensure the firm successfully addresses immediate challenges without losing sight, or altering pursuit of its core strategies.
Plan for, and navigate through, major business transitions and challenges
- Succession planning and execution
- Positioning the firm for exit or third party investment
- Management team transitions and organization restructuring
- Business and capital restructuring
- Managing change and volatile environments
- Interim management
- Support to litigation