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MARKETING PROJECT:
EXECUTIVE
EDUCATION
University Paris-Dauphine
MIB 05 2009/2010
TEAM :
Andrea AMPUERO Jia LIAO
Clément BARBARIN Leila LOUNIS
Sophie BOUSKILA Edith PASTOR
Marie-Ange DUBOIS Tianyi LI
Investor: Jean-François DAVID
CONTENTS
I. Context ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
II. Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ 4
A. Process ............................................................................................................................................ 4
1. Representation ........................................................................................................................... 4
2. Product breakdown structure ................................................................................................... 5
3. Responsibility assignment matrix ............................................................................................ 5
4. Team contacts ............................................................................................................................ 6
B. Planning........................................................................................................................................... 6
1. Gantt Chart .................................................................................................................................. 7
2. Calendar of the project .............................................................................................................. 8
III. Environment analysis ............................................................................................................................ 9
A. External analysis ............................................................................................................................ 9
1. Market analysis .......................................................................................................................... 9
2. Market Overview ....................................................................................................................... 11
3. Competitive analysis ............................................................................................................... 15
4. PORTER’s Five Forces ............................................................................................................ 20
B. Internal analysis and SWOT diagnosis ...................................................................................... 21
1. General Overview of the Organization and Program............................................................ 21
2. SWOT Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 25
IV. Marketing strategy ............................................................................................................................... 28
A. Creative idea ................................................................................................................................. 28
B. Our vision, marketing goals and objectives .............................................................................. 30
C. Open market .................................................................................................................................. 32
D. Segmentation ................................................................................................................................ 36
E. Critical success factors ............................................................................................................... 39
F. Marketing mix ............................................................................................................................... 40
1. Product ...................................................................................................................................... 40
2. Price ........................................................................................................................................... 41
3. Place .......................................................................................................................................... 42
4. Promotion ................................................................................................................................. 42
5. People ........................................................................................................................................ 44
6. Process ..................................................................................................................................... 45
G. Budget and financial analysis ..................................................................................................... 48
V. Risks and recommendations ............................................................................................................... 50
VI. Appendix ............................................................................................................................................... 51
VII. Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 53
I. Context
The world is currently facing a financial and economic crisis, and during this period of
transformation, organisations call for an adequate supply of leaders and managers. This places
an emphasis on the type of management that is needed.
Since early 20th century, executive education has developed as a way to improve the
management skills of executives. Business schools have become collaborators to business and
companies are recognizing the benefits of this new concept that involves networking,
brainstorming and upgrading of specific skills needed, helping executives to be better leaders.
Many people affirm this is the most effective way to make a direct impact on the practice of
management. And now, the executive education methods have evolved from MBA programs to
online education, from part-time studies to seminars targeting special skills, from executive
retreats to action learning, becoming more flexible and adaptable to the business needs.
The underlying assumption being that executive education can improve managerial decision
making, by creating and passing on knowledge, which in turn has a positive impact on company
performance thanks to collaboration with outsiders such as consultants, coaches or business
schools.
However, the current world situation calls for skills and competences in strategy implementation
and driving change and several business schools still look at themselves as educators rather
than collaborators in this necessity to change. Most business schools focus on services leading
to performance improvements by accelerating the capability of development or ensuring
commitment to a strategy.
This is why, to ensure success, the programs proposed must be well designed, motivate the
participants and expand their personal business networks, since social network researchers
argue that these networks and their capacity to act as a link to outsiders of the organization
have an impact first on the individual and later on the company‟s performance.
In this context, the University Dauphine has created a new department addressing the
management and leadership development needs of managers and seniors executives involved
in a cross cultural business world. This department will develop an executive education program
of 6 days which mission is “to instruct women and men to manage across cultures and to
build or make stronger the capacity of individuals to develop innovative solutions to
social problems”.
As this is a start-up project, the program will use some of the most important partnerships with
foreign universities to target professionals abroad as well as use its reputation to target French
professionals looking to improve their management skills and cultural knowledge.
II. Methodology
A. Process
1. Representation
The first step taken in order to develop this new program includes data collection with the
purpose of better knowing the market in which we are venturing. This data collection enables us
to identify the market, the product as well as to develop the planning and task assignments.
After gathering the necessary information, we prepared a market analysis in order to recognize
the political, economical, social and technological factors that present themselves as possible
opportunities or obstacles (PESTEL analysis) and we carried out a market overview that would
enable us to define the market.
To identify our positioning we put together a competitive analysis which allowed us to be aware
of the main direct and indirect competitors in the French market as well as in the countries
targeted and also to determine the principal forces of the project (Porter analysis).
We then proceed to use a number of tools to develop our marketing strategy such as SWOT
analysis or marketing mix. This made possible to know our internal strengths and weaknesses
as well as external opportunities and threats, to target clients, to set objectives and therefore to
feature our marketing plan.
2. Product breakdown structure
ExecutiveOne® project
1 Research
1.1 Data collection
1.2 Brainstorming
1.3 Role assignment
2 Marketing plan
2.1 External analysis
2.2 Internal analysis
2.3 Marketing strategy
3 Presentation
3. Responsibility assignment matrix
Andrea Clement Edith Jia Leila Marie-Ange Sophie Tianyi
Launching
Data Collecting x x x x x x x x
Product definition x x x x x x x x
Role assignment x x
Marketing Plan
Open market x x x x
Marketing Mix x x x
Strategy x x x x x x x x
Segmentation x
Porter x x
Maslow x
Partnerships x x
Project Management
Coordination x
Page setting x
PPt making x
4. Team contacts
MEMBERS E-MAILS
Andrea Ampuero [email protected]
Clément Barbarin [email protected]
Edith Pastor [email protected]
Jia Liao [email protected]
Leila Lounis [email protected]
Marie-Ange Dubois [email protected]
Sophie Bouskila [email protected]
Tianyi Li [email protected]
B. Planning
In order to organize tasks and team members assignments to achieve the project, we need
to realize a calendar and use a GANTT chart as it can help us schedule our tasks in an
effective manner.
1. Gantt Chart
2. Calendar of the project
Calendar September 2009
Deadline 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Launch of the Project 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Team building 3 4 5
Data collection 3 4 5
Market overview 3 4 5
Planning 3 4 5
Product Definition 3 4 5
Division of tasks 6 7 8
Environnment Analysis 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Market 9 10
Competition 9 10 11
SWOT 12 13 14
Final idea 15 validation of choices 15
Marketing strategy 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Definition of creative idea 16 17
New value chain 17 18
Vision 17 18 19 20
Marketing Goals & Objectives 17 18 19 20 21 22
Segmentation 20 21 Marketing Mix 6 p's 21 22
Budget 22 23
Risks and Recommendations 21 22 23 24
Final Report 25 26 27
Presentation 28
III. Environment analysis
A. External analysis
1. Market analysis
For launching our program of executive education, it‟s very important to have a global view of
the market. A PESTEL Analysis focuses on the power and effect of external pressures for
beginning a project.
The United States, France and China are three countries having a huge potential market. When
we want to step in, an effective analysis of the external environment, like PESTEL analysis, is
useful for us to build a vision of the future. It helps us avoid taking action that is doomed to
failure from the outset and helps us quickly adapt to the realities of the new environment. It can
ensure that what we are doing is aligned positively with the powerful forces of change that are
affecting our world.
1. Political Factors
In all these countries, the government and its politics are stable enough for Dauphine to enter
their domestic markets. In addition, the Chinese government pays more and more attention to
professional education. It has introduced a national scholarship system for advanced and
professional education, which provided a grant up to 20 million US dollars. As for France, the
law of 1971 requires the French enterprises to contribute a certain percentage of their
expenditures to the employees‟ training.
2. Economic Factors
The United States suffer the destructive effects of the worldwide financial crisis. In France and
even in Europe, although the economy is not as deeply touched as that in the United States, the
crisis influences are still important. However, the economic recovery in 2010 is likely to happen
in the United States and in Europe. Unlike many industrialized countries, China is less touched
by this crisis, and the economic growth in China is predicted at 8% in 2009. Moreover China is
the host nation for Expo 2010, which is considered as a great opportunity to many investors.
As a soaring country, China has been the world factory for a long time. But, now, its domestic
market is continuously growing and it is in transition to a world market. To seize this opportunity,
China needs more and more executives who can work and/or cooperate with people from other
countries. To some extent, it is the same for the United States and France. Executive managers
having these competences are always needed for international enterprises.
3. Socio-cultural Factors
Both Chinese and American managers have a strong curiosity about French culture and
business environment. In the meanwhile, French managers are also willing to meet their future
co-operators via Dauphine in order to find out new opportunities of development. For all high
level executives, it is essential to expand their professional social network, which is one
objective of executive educations.
4. Technological Factors
With a well developed information system, Dauphine can gather efficiently all students‟
information from these three countries, and set up a database for them and for professors. This
information system helps to standardize business processes, which will bring to Dauphine
important advantages, such as lower costs and higher quality. Some advanced equipments
based on information technology can be useful for the training courses. Thanks to nowadays
telecommunication technologies, people from all over the world can communicate, share ideas
and interact. This makes it possible and easier for executives to keep in touch with each other
after the courses, which is extremely attractive for high level executives.
5. Environmental Factors
Paris is reputed for its art and architecture values, it is chosen as one of the most attractive
destinations. There are numerous famous places of interest in Paris, including the world‟s first
museum - Le Louvre, the symbol of Paris – the Eiffel Tower, among others.
In addition, the weather in July in Paris is adorable. This is an ideal season for managers to
have courses in Paris.
6. Legal Factors
As a famous French university, Dauphine can introduce its new program in France without any
extra limits. For the American and Chinese markets, the legal procedure for introducing new
education programs is not complicate. Such easy entry is an advantage considering the result of
high efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
2. Market Overview
We have decided to focus on three main countries: the United States, France and China, as we
have founded business opportunity Each market has its specialties, because they define their
enterprises in different ways, and these enterprises are our future customers. So, we will define
our three markets according to each country‟s characteristics.
American market
In the Unites States, small and medium enterprises have less than 500 employees. Generally,
these enterprises don‟t want to take the Executive education courses, because their business
scale is small and their annual revenue can‟t afford the courses‟ expenditures. Large enterprises
have a scale of 500 to 2500 employees, and they can reach a turnover of more than 300 million
Dollars.
In the Unites States, there are more than 13500 large enterprises. Among them, 2200
companies have more than 1500 and less than 2500 employees which are our important
potential customers. Furthermore, in the United States, there are 3500 group enterprises, which
have more than 2500 employees and even 900 enterprises of which have up to 10000
employees. These group enterprises are our most important targets.
French market
In France, we found a similar market with the one in the Unites States. PME (Petites et
Moyennes Entreprises) are not our main targets for the same reasons. But in France, large
enterprises are those which have more than 250 and less than 500 employees, and the turnover
can be at least 50 million Euros.
There are more than 400 large enterprises in France. Moreover, group enterprises in France are
recognized as those comprising of a parent company and subsidiaries. Their number of
employees exceeds 500.
There are 270 group enterprises in France who represent our important potential customers.
Among them, CAC 40 enterprises are our biggest targets.
Chinese market
The Chinese market is different from the two previous ones. First of all, China reserves a large
number of state-owned enterprises (about 150000), which can afford and are willing to pay for
the education expenses for their high level executives. These large scale enterprises are our top
one target.
Besides, there are 300000 joint-ventures and overseas-funded enterprises, which will probably
become our customers. Moreover, we can also count in a great number of private companies
(There are, in total, 5 million private companies, the top 500 of which have annual revenue of
over 7 billion Yuan). Especially for those large scale enterprises whose revenue exceeds 300
million Yuan, they participate more and more frequently in global business activities. Therefore
they need more high qualified executives to improve the management. As a result, those
enterprises pay more and more attention to executive education.
Furthermore, according to a recent survey, 44.7% of Chinese enterprises choose training
abroad or training in other corporations as the strategy for their executive education. For state-
owned enterprises, the proportion is the highest; over 59.7% prefer this kind of training. Other
Chinese enterprises also pay a great attention to foreign executive education. This shows that
Chinese executives have a stronger sense of international business, which gives us a sign for a
fast growing market.
The Executive Education Market environment
During the last decade, executive education programs have evolved. Corporations are facing
today‟s current issue: lack of transversality on functions because of shifts in environment
conjuncture and strong competition. Therefore Universities should work close to corporations in
order to be better aligned with the requisites of the different actors: more coherence and
connection. Executive Education of managers and executives represent today‟s main objectives
strategy of business schools: huge global growth. The offer segmentation depends on some
criteria such as: length of program, certification, local or global market, demand‟s origins and so
on.
In the next chart we can see all the factors that influence the executive education market:
Also, as we can see in the following chart, in Executive Education trainings: Management and
Leadership are the most often courses offered by the competition.
Source: Bricker‟s 2004
3. Competitive analysis
The education of employees can be characterized by the organisms which are giving the course
but also on the content itself. In order to analyse deeply the demand for our executive education
program, we have to know that there are initially three kinds of agents who use the all-life
education:
o The State or the public organization
o The firms
o The households
This can be linked to the diversity of participants. Some are unemployed people who are looking
for some education in order to find a new job. The others are mainly active workers. Due to our
subject, we are not going to analyse all the competitors but only those who offer executive
education.
The sector is composed of three main actors such as:
o Universities, public organizations like GRETA (Group of education establishments)
o Private firms
o Associations
As we can see below, the private sector has the biggest market share in France on the
professional education sector:
The Education Department &
Greta
13%Consular
Organisms 2%
Individual Trrainer
4%
Lucrative Private Organisms
37%
Non Lucrative Private Organisms
32%
AFPA4%
Others Public Institutions
8%
Allocation of the turnover by training organisms' status
Source : Xerf i
Our French competitors can be divided as:
o Direct: other Universities and the Business Schools as they all use the renown of their
initial formation.
o Indirect: private firms which answer to the same demand but with a different business
model and assets.
a. Direct competitors on French market
In order to simplify the analysis, we are going to focus on the main organisms with a high level
of notoriety such as Dauphine University.
o Sciences Po has, as well as Dauphine, the “Grands Etablissements” status. It offers
some short period training. The program with the biggest link with our project is the
“Management and Leadership program”. It is divided in four topics from where the
customer can choose. Two of them join some subjects that our program is trying to
answer.
The first is named “Efficacité Personnelle et Leadership”. The client can ask for one or
many sessions with different topics. For example the one which focus on the managerial
behaviour costs 3050€ and it is taught in French. Its duration is of 4 days. Some are in
partnership with Capgemini.
o The university Panthéon-Sorbonne also has a continuing education department. Each
year, 2 000 executives follow some courses in that university. The offer is composed of
degrees such as Master 2 which deliver a diploma; some of them can be at distance.
They also propose some seminars. As a consequence even if the university offers some
continuing education, their programs are in the long term, which is totally different from
our project.
We are now focusing on Business schools because they are very dynamic in the executive
education market.
o EM-Lyon proposes short programs from 1 to 6 days with an advertising being focused on
optimizing the precious time of the executive. They are separated in 11 fields like
“Customer relationship management”, “Leadership”, “International management”, among
others. For the last field, there is a module called “Intercultural management” of 2 days,
which cost is of 1 500€.
o HEC, the most famous business school in France offers 10 short programs which last 3
to 5 days. In the “Leadership” program, a special topic emphasizes multicultural
leadership. The courses last 3 days and are taught in French. It costs 2 260 €. They
underline that the food and the hostel are not included. A customized program can be
made by each participant during a summer session for one week. The main idea is to
achieve a short term benefit. Executives follow the courses in which they are the most
interested in and that will help them have a promotion. This program costs 3 800 €
(without taxes) and includes meals and accommodation.
o ESSEC, the second business school in France proposes a special program for
companies which want to emphasize a special skill among their executives (from
different level of responsibilities) but also for employees with high potentials. Moreover
there are short terms trainings with modules in leadership that offer the possibility to
each participant to improve their skills in building a project. This issue is delivered to
senior managers who have a new job or are experiencing a big transformation in their
environment. Its length is of 5 days and costs 5900€.
o Grenoble Management School is not known as far as the others but its offer of executive
education is very interesting. Like other business schools they propose an intensive 3
day program in management for 1 450€.
They also have a program named WTO for Chinese executive. There is a real need
among this population to be more familiar with the WTO rules as China‟s addition to this
organization is quite recent. The duration can be from 2 weeks to 3 months. It also
includes some visits like the WTO headquarters in Geneva, the OECD, the International
Chamber of Commerce in Paris but also the European Union institution in Brussels.
The school handles all the logistics like transportation. The program can also be followed
in another European country. These programs are designed in cooperation with WTO
Centres in China for high level managers from Chinese local administrations and
companies.
After describing the different offers of some high rated schools in France, we are going to study
the other competitors in the executive education market.
b. Indirect competitors on the French market
As it was said previously, the majority of the education market turnover is done by the private
sector. In this category, some specialised organisms, due to their scale have to be analyzed in
order to complete the evaluation of Dauphine„s competitors.
o Cegos has a complete supply: it offers inter-enterprise or intra-enterprise training but
also e-learning. The customization option is given too if the client wants so. This is very
important in the executive education market as it is a real trend in the demand. This firm
operates at an international level: in 28 countries and has a partnership with Dauphine
University since they created a diploma in 1997 named “Management global de
l‟entreprise”. 6% of its turnover is invested in e-learning each year. They have a very
developed and innovative offer. As an example, one focuses on how to manage during a
crisis. This instruction lasts 2 days and costs 1 105€ without lunch (40€).
o Demos group has quite the same positioning as Cegos. It offers 1700 different inter-
enterprise programs. Most of the teachers are consultants like in the “Management of
multicultural and international teams” program. This course lasts 3 days and costs
1 610€.
In this analysis, the main point which has to be underlined is the French target of almost all of
these competitors. They respond to the international demand through partnership or subsidiaries
in the different countries.
This sector is competitive but also still profitable as the next board will show us:
RANK SOCIETY TURNOVER OF THE LAST YEAR
AVAILABLE
1 Cegos 186, 7 Millions €
2 Demos 97, 5 Millions €
5 Wall Street Institute ~ 40 Millions €
30 Essec Executive Education ~ 10 Millions € (estimation)
31 ESCP EAP (continuing formation) ~ 10 Millions € (estimation)
c. Competitors at the international level
If we adopt an international view of the competition on the executive education market, the study
of the highest international university is relevant.
o Harvard is incontestably the most famous university in the world. It offers many different
kinds of instructions which can be quite long too. One of them is somewhat interesting in
comparison with our target. The course is named “Global CEO program for China” and is
composed of 3 one-week modules over 4 months. The first is in Shanghai, the second in
Barcelona and the third module is located in Boston. The fees are of 36 000€ and
include tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and meals.
o IMD is ranked first in executive education outside the United States and second
worldwide according to the Financial Times in 2009 (see Appendix).
o London Business School which also figures in Financial Times ranking, proposes short
programs such as “Negotiating” and “Influencing Skills for Senior Managers”. It is a 5 day
program and costs around 6 000€ including meals.
o Ceibs (China Europe International Business School) is the leading educator of
executives in Asia. “The strategic Negotiation” program refers to some part of our project
and lasts 3 days.
We have to underline that Dauphine University has many partnerships with other universities
from all around the world and some of them are already involved in the executive education
market.
4. PORTER’s Five Forces We must be aware of all the factors in which our project interacts. By using Michael Porter‟s
analysis we are able to establish briefly who are: our major competitors, our clients, our
suppliers, the other offers that may substitute our program and the possible entrants into this
executive education market.
B. Internal analysis and SWOT diagnosis
1. General Overview of the Organization and Program
Our organization has identified a real business opportunity that has been neglected earlier by
other universities and private companies. Our strategy is based around a complete service
adapted to managers‟ needs to develop skills in an innovative and cost-effective manner.
The organization ExecutiveOne®
As an independent organization created inside
Dauphine‟s « Continuing Education Department »,
ExecutiveOne® is the new organization in charge of
« Summer schools executive education ». The core
competency of our business is providing training
services for managers coming from all around the
world. With the first innovative program proposed:
“Executive Management Training” (EMT), the main objective is to improve their skills with
performing training, using innovative tools as they can be willing to use quickly knowledge and
leanings in the real and concrete working life.
Our function is to work closely with partnerships and clients coming from different companies
and areas, helping them succeed in setting and meeting their goals and objectives. We wish to
create value for the client thanks to the expertise of professors and coaches, in any field of
competence we provide. We offer total support and a commitment of our professors to share
their experience and know-how as well as to communicate their ideas in a strategic, creative,
and effective manner.
The program Executive Management Training (EMT)
Our business will offer a complete service and different types of learning methods to help
managers at various stages of their careers:
- Project Management: marketing, consulting.
- IT tools and efficiency, NTIC.
- Management and Leadership.
- Coaching and Communication tools.
- Cross-cultural functions and management.
- Cultural visits.
The exceptional program environment: Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci
The courses are dispensed in the Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci, in the heart of the
business district: Paris - La Défense. We have analyzed the learning model proposed by this
establishment which has a real positive impact on teaching and learning methods, for
professionals, professors and students. It encourages initiatives and supports personal
development by improving skills in a
pleasant and appreciated environment.
Located close to the headquarters of some
of the largest international firms, the
program EMT, at the Pôle Universitaire
Léonard de Vinci will continuously be
updated through dynamic exchange with
businesses of every kind.
Advantages of the program‟s location:
- Its unique location, just a 10-minute underground ride from Place de l‟Etoile,
- State-of-the-art technology: a computer network of over 1,200 terminals, high-speed
internet connexion, Wi-Fi, well-equipped amphitheatres and classrooms, research
laboratories,
- One of the biggest computerized business libraries in Europe, with online access to the
world‟s principal databases;
- A language learning resource centre plus 3 multimedia language laboratories;
- Spaces for relaxing and meeting others as well as facilities for the numerous student
associations;
- 5 fully-equipped sports rooms on campus with ultramodern equipment.
- 3 restaurants and cafeterias
- A full Sport allocation inside the Pôle
Universitaire and available for each member of
this program.
- A Library composed of 10 floors and gathering
more than 10 000 resources, books and
manuals.
The complete service we offer, allows managers, coming from abroad, to easily adapt and be
efficient and completely involved: they won‟t be preoccupied by any other engagement or
distraction.
The service proposed is composed of:
- Training courses.
- Hotel and accommodation subscription.
- Bus transportation.
- Access to training and sport accommodation inside the Pôle Universitaire Léonard de
Vinci.
Before implementing the project on the market we need to pass through several analysis and
conclusions in order to have a certain perspective on the project‟s pertinence.
Core competencies
The team members of ExecutiveOne® have dispatched the role as follows:
Each member of the team has a specific purpose in the company. The particularity of the
ExecutiveOne® team is that we all have roles that are complementary to one another and
expertise in certain domains that allow us to develop strong abilities when they are gathered.
Common abilities: each member of the team is in charge of finding potential customers and
clients. Then, tasks are allocated between members of the team:
Andrea as a Chief Executive Officer:
- In charge with supervising the whole activity, the organization and defines the main
strategy, goals and the orientation of the organization.
Sophie as a Marketing Strategy Manager and Partnerships:
- In charge with establishing strategic goals and objectives as well as defining the
marketing strategy and actions for the corporation.
- Creating and supervising project study and brief for the outsourced entities working in
partnership with the organization.
Leila as a Direct Marketing Manager and Partnerships:
- In charge with marketing campaign, promotion, finding sponsorships and public relations
related to partnerships.
- Working closely with external partnerships, services entities for negotiation and
prospecting contracts.
Marie-Ange as a Benchmark and Opportunity Analyst:
- In charge with finding opportunity market, potential demand, benchmark, analysing the
executive education market.
- Provide reporting and brainstorming of results with recommendation.
Clément as a Chief Financial Officer:
- In charge with monitoring financial flows inside the organization, computing costs and
establishing financial results, breakeven point, profit margin.
- Has a role on the strategy decision as he manages outputs and inputs of cash flow.
- Working closely with Andrea, the CEO.
Tiany as an Online Executive Manager:
- In charge of online websites, working closely with web-agencies, audit and newsletter
responsible.
- Create online partnerships and sponsorship, manage B2B and B2B demands.
- Design website and logo.
- Working closely with Sophie, the Marketing Strategy Manager.
Jia as a Coordinator Manager:
- In charge with supervising the development of the seminar, coordinate schedule, insure
good quality/service directly with the participants and the staff.
- Working closely with partnerships and others external entities (hotel, transport
corporation).
Edith as a CRM Manager:
- In charge with analysing customers expectations, creating interaction and relations with
them.
- Managing opportunity and demand closely with Marie-Ange, the Benchmark and
Opportunity Analyst.
Competitive Advantage & Distinctive competencies
Members of the team of ExecutiveOne® were students of this University therefore they noticed
the reality and opportunity to create a new program launched for Executives and Managers.
Moreover, the organization offers not only a summer school program, but also an innovative way
of learning, that is to say: complete program training, added by practicing and implementing
projects, a full service of accommodation and transport, an exceptional working location and an
environment where networks and opportunities can be easily created.
2. SWOT Analysis
We have identified the opportunities and threats in the environment, as well as our particular
strengths and weaknesses that will enable the organisation and program to succeed.
After having analysed the market, we believe that a real opportunity exists to provide these
services to managers. The following paragraphs describe the environment in which the
organization will compete, and the key success factors necessary to perform well. Moreover the
program has a number of strengths that will enable it to favourably participate in the markets
targeted. Its weaknesses are addressable and will be improved over time.
If we look at national and international rankings we found Dauphine as:
- 1st university in France (29 formations out of 54 categories by the SMBG ranking).
- 384/400 by the University Jiao Tong, Shanghai.
- 894/6000 by the« Ranking Web of World Universities » (in function of volume and quality of
electronics publications).
Among the resources available, our project strengths are:
Technology
Dauphine makes extensive use of information and communication technologies (ICT) so as to
encourage distance group working, supported by a powerful intranet.
Partnership with universities
International
Dauphine has an Executive MBA program in partnership with a highly reputed Canadian sister
institution, the School of Management Science at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM).
Big market in Europe and in North America
Within just a few years the program, with its roots in both Europe and North America, has won
recognition as one of the best in its class.
Partnership with corporations
Extensive & solid network with enterprises: Axa, AGF, CA Lyon, EDF, Groupama, L'Oréal,
Reuters...
Dauphine Forum 2009 : 108 entreprises were present.
Supply for courses from L3 to MBA
- L3 : management science
- M1: sustainable development, economy and management of health system and social
protection
- M2: management and organization, law, sociology and political science, sustainable
development
- MBA : MBA International Paris, Executive MBA Dauphine UQAM, Governance &
Control, MBA management of Human resources
- DU : diplômes d‟université : Executive Doctorate in Business Administration Dauphine,
Management, Travail & Développement social, Négociations et relations sociales…
1 Education link to NTIC : part of investment increasing consecrated to NTIC education
2 Courses, visites, cultural courses, demonstrations, simulation, interactivity
STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES
- Wealth and variety of education - Know-how and expertise of professors - Different participants profile :
background, high school, sector, field - Exchange experience and large network - New policy of using NTIC tools for
education : important weight NTIC in education program1
- Complete program2 : variety of tools used
- Advantage of the program proposed : % of accommodation offer, bus and special shuttle available
- Skills improvement of participants - Partnership with some Hotel :
competitive price proposed - Flexibility of learning : distance,
conference face to face - Adoption of new information and
communication technologies to increase access
- Bi or multi-lingual centre - Existing supply of courses for executives
(from L3 to MBA, Seminars) - National & International Ranking - All resources available
- No certification - No accreditation - New launching program among a lot of
new programs in Dauphine, even if in other departments, could be interpreted as cannibalization, importance to be innovative and creative ( among Dauphine and competition)
- Dauphine is well known in France but hasn‟t yet an international recognition. In the Financial Times Ranking of Executive Education (2009) we can find some French institutions: INSEAD and HEC Paris, but Dauphine isn‟t present.(see Appendix)
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
- Strong presence of IT system inside companies
- International program proposed, that allow Managers working all around the world
- 1971 Law: obligation to companies to consecrate a certain percentage of their wage bill to training seminar.
- Decrease of telecommunications‟ costs - Increase of IT equipment‟s rate
- Cultural resistance - Technological constraint and complexity:
concerning all the companies that are not well-equipped on NTIC, lack of equipment
- Budget constraint - Ethical constraint : the will to not
adapting with new technological progress is perceived as an ethical issue
IV. Marketing strategy
A. Creative idea
There is a large choice of courses in the executive education market. However some of them
can be found in almost every school such as “Leadership” or “Communication”.
As a consequence, we decide to focus on those skills as there is a high demand for them while
also emphasizing on culture for two main reasons. Firstly, Paris is renowned for its wealth on the
cultural area with the most visited museum around the world: “Le Louvre”. The second argument
is more economic: in a globalized world, companies have to adapt themselves to each culture
where they operate as the history tells us the drawbacks of standardising products.
Our idea is to combine these two trends. It appears that conducting some negotiations in a
foreign country can be very difficult due to cultural differences. That is why our project is to
propose a 5 day program with executives coming from different countries in order to share their
experiences but also do some networking while acquiring news concepts thanks to Dauphine‟s
professors and the seminars we will help organize.
In order to help investors understand our positioning in the executive education market,
especially in France, we provide a presentation of the similarities and the differences between
our offer and those of our main competitors.
Our offer Competitors’ offer in France
Last 6 days 3-5 days for short programs
Topic Making business in a cross-
cultural context
Leadership/ Communication,
no real transversal approach
Price Includes some museum visits,
meals and hostels
Not include most of the time,
or with additional contribution
meals or hostel
Concept Seminars, debate, networking Courses
Teaching language English French
Nationalities Chinese, Americans and
French Mostly French
After analysing the market, we decided to concentrate our resources on three countries: France,
The United States and China. France is included because our start-up is located in that country
so it can be easier for us to attract French executives. Then, the United States and China are
the biggest countries in the world and trade at a worldwide level so there is more opportunity for
us to attract some executives which are interested in learning how to facilitate making business
in every country.
As our program is taught in English, some immediate translators have to be installed with the
purpose of facilitating the exchange of experiences or arguments in the case of some
candidates who do not speak English which can be the case, especially in China. As our
program is based on exchange and some cultural visits, all the participants have to come in
France, that‟s why all meals and the hotel are included in the fee.
We can therefore sum up our added value thanks to Porter‟s Value chain concept:
INFRASTRUCTURE Administration, financial, quality, control, planning
HR MANAGEMENT Teachers, speakers, tour guides
PROCUREMENT Partnership with foreign universities, suppliers
R&D Know-how, innovation technologies, conceptual innovation
LOGISTIC -Car transfers -Supplies for courses -Food & accommodation -Yearbook -Translators
OPERATIONS -Rooms prepared for seminars -Inscriptions of participants
MARKETING&SALES -Partnership with foreign universities -Web site -Call centre
SERVICES -Cultural visits -Business cases’ simulations -Networking
MA
IN A
CTI
VIT
IES
SUP
PO
RT
AC
TIV
ITIE
S
Participants’ Satisfaction
B. Our vision, marketing goals and objectives
Our vision statement is “To be ranked among the top 50 executive education seminars
within 5 years in the world thanks to our ability to integrate cultural issues in the
business world”.
Thanks to this vision statement we are able to translate it into a reachable strategy. To achieve
this goal we have set a series of objectives and measurable results with the aim of later on
develop a strategy map.
Marketing Goal: Launch an innovative seminar: create an original seminar that will instruct
professionals to better work in a cross cultural environment.
Objective A: creation of the website, promotion and advertising campaign
Our first objective is clearly to launch the program as best as we can. We will need to create an
important communication campaign in order to reach professionals and participants and let them
know of our organization and services. For this, we will use several marketing techniques and
resources.
On one hand, we would develop a website: this is absolutely essential today as internet is the
fastest way for anyone to get information and a useful tool in B2B filed. This Internet platform – a
simple, easy to remember URL: www.ExecutiveOne.com - will help us communicate about our
services. The plan is to expose the program in an appealing and professional manner and bring
in a clear way the benefit for executive and managers.
The website will be used for clients and partners, as they will have access to our services
information, our organization, our team and our rates but will also fill-in forms with their address,
type of business and telephone number - this will be useful to collect and raise our database of
clients and partners. We have scheduled two months until the launching of the website.
On the other hand when the website will be launched, the launching of advertising and
promotion campaign will allow us to gather sufficient contacts simultaneously and quickly.
Objective B: Recruiting professional professors with specific expertise
We sell a service and an guarantee that this service is of quality. To do so, we must have quality
professionals, professors with the good expertise we seek. Members of the team will be charged
with these tasks of recruiting on one hand professionals and on the other hand, participants.
Objective C: Create a specific Dauphine Forum “EMT” and extend the program for European
countries:
Providing a Forum where managers and executives can explore several cultural aspects, will be
part of our promotion strategy as well as our recruitment strategy.
As we will progressively add professionals and partnerships to our organization, we will be able
to extend our activity to other European Markets.
The following step will be to keep increasing our professionals‟ database and start providing new
services focusing on European managers and executives‟ needs.
In order to reach these objectives, a post seminar evaluation is needed after the launch of the
first seminar. Adjustments and major themes of dysfunction that are needed to be reviewed will
be treated in an effective way in order to improve quality of the service provided.
Objective D: Offer customized programs to organizations:
There are many organizations who work at an international level; therefore they need to prepare
their executives to successfully lead their teams in a changing and complex world.
This would be another long term goal: to develop strategic solutions to global companies‟
business challenges. This way, lectures and classes would be customized and adapted to each
particular situation the organization is facing.
Objective E: Export the program:
Since the aim of our program is to touch cultural issues in a business environment. Our long
term goal is to develop this program at the foreign universities which are in partnership in
Dauphine and adapt the lectures to the countries‟ conjuncture.
C. Open market
The open market represents all the potential demand who could be interested by our product. In
order to determine it, we will focus on the countries where the partnerships, already established
with the University Paris-Dauphine, are the most present. We have selected countries where
Dauphine has a high number of partnerships with universities.
Moreover, we took account of two decisive factors of selection which are:
- The minimum level to get into ExecutiveOne® has to be Master 1 and more
- The importance of the students flow according to the website of Dauphine. The flow is
comprised between 1 and 6, 6 is the higher flow.
Consequently, thanks to these criteria, we chose 3 partnerships of universities which are:
- Atlanta, Georgia State University, Robinson College of Business
- San Francisco, San Francisco State University (SFSU)
- Shanghai, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
1. Potential markets in the United States
Executive education has been taking place in North America since the 1950‟s. Nowadays, this
type of training represents a significant and expensive activity for many organizations and
university or business schools. Indeed, American organizations spend millions of dollars on
executive education programs to send a limited number of managers to residential or university-
based campus. In 1998, on average, a company spends about US $10 million on internal and
external executive development. Today, this figure becomes almost double, and this, in order to
improve the organizational effectiveness.
In addition, the importance of the partnerships with the University Paris-Dauphine in the United
States is in two cities: Atlanta and San Francisco.
o Atlanta is the most populated city of the Georgia State, 4 112 198* inhabitants in
2008. This population corresponds to a consolidated metropolitan statistical area. Its
population has a growth rate among the highest of the United States. The city is a
strong industrial and financial centre where a lot of companies have their
headquarters such as Coca Cola Company or CNN.
Concerning the Executive Education in the Georgia State University, Robinson
College of Business offer to employees: real result-oriented customized content
through collaboration between corporate management. It offers solutions for specific
internal and external issues such as: project management, leadership,
communication flair, financial and management aptitude, and process improvement.
Moreover, professors present an added value: they have a combination of academic
knowledge and real-world business experience. « The goal: targeted insight leading
to action and the desired result ».
o San Francisco represents also the most populated town of California with 7,039,362*
inhabitants in 2008. It is the second most densely populated major city after New-
York and it is a financial, cultural, and transportation centre of the larger San
Francisco Bay Area, a region of more than seven million people.
Tourism is the backbone of the San Francisco economy.
San Francisco State University offers to managers a tailored program where
managers may select courses and have the choice to hold the sessions at the
website of the university or at the San Francisco Campus. The subjects include
various disciplines such as technology, HR Management, law, professional
communication… Besides, SFSU has a Credit Partners program where managers
can earn university credits.
Here, we present you a detail of the typical class profile of participants who could be interested
by this kind of education.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
34 and under
35 at 39 40 at 44 45 at 49 50 +
Repartition% 15% 29% 33% 14% 9%
15%
29%
33%
14%
9%
Repartition of managers according to the age
57%13%
22%8%
Repartition of managers/CEOs by type of education
Bachelor's or Equivalent
MBA
Other Master's
Phd
According to this survey realized in the United States, concerning the typical class profile of
CEOs and top executives, we can observe that the participants of this kind of training are mainly
40-44 years old managers having a minimum of bachelor studies or equivalent and who occupy
a general management function.
2. Potential markets in China
Shanghai, sometimes called 'Paris of the Orient', is China's commercial and financial centre. It is
China‟s most comprehensive industrial and commercial city, ranking the first in population and
population density. Its modern and international reputation attracts investors from all over the
world.
Shanghai is a bustling international port in the southeast of China, surrounded by the great
Yangtze River Delta to the north, the blue East Sea of China to the east, the beautiful Hangzhou
Bay to the south and the fertile inner provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu to the west. The city is
not a huge land mass: it is around 6,340.5 km² which represents just 0.06% of the whole area of
China. Yet the regular population of the city has reached as many as 18.9 million, with wild
fluctuations due to its millions of temporary residents.
The central Huangpu River -where huge and small ships come and go every day- represents a
snapshot of the city in all its bustle and glory. It divides the city into two contrasting parts:
Pudong (East of the river) and Puxi (West of the river). Pudong is a newly developed area and
where many modern skyscraper constructions have mushroomed over the past decade years.
Shanghai is also home to some of the country's most prestigious universities, including Fudan
University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University.
Economic assets
Shanghai is often regarded as the centre of finance and trade in mainland China. It has been
continuously expanding the scale of absorbing overseas investment and improving the
investment quality. Earlier, overseas capital was invested mainly into industrial projects. Today,
however, it is spreading into commercial, financial, tourism, real estate and many other sectors
of the service industry. Following the policy of opening wider to the outside world, Shanghai has
enhanced its economic relations with other parts of the world.
Shanghai has further enhanced its functions as a port city which hosts the largest share market
in mainland China. Since 2005, Shanghai has ranked first of the world's busiest cargo ports
throughout, handling a total of 560 million tons of cargo in 2007. Shanghai container traffic has
surpassed Hong Kong to become the second busiest port in the world.
Shanghai has strong links to both the Chinese interior and the central government, and a strong
base in manufacturing and technology. Shanghai has increased its role in finance, banking, and
as a major destination for corporate headquarters, fuelling demand for a highly educated and
modernized workforce. Shanghai has recorded a double-digit growth for 15 consecutive years
since 1992. In 2008, Shanghai's nominal GDP posted a 9.7% growth to 1.37 trillion yuan. The
Shanghai Stock Exchange is the world's fastest growing, with the Shanghai Composite Index
growing 130% in 2006.
Industrial zones in Shanghai include Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technological
Development Zone, Jinqiao Export Economic Processing Zone, Minhang Economic and
Technological Development Zone, and Shanghai Caohejing High and New Technological
Development Zone.
In addition, Shanghai is the host city of Expo 2010, which is proved to be a good opportunity to
attract enormous investments.
As for Executive Education in Shanghai, we find 2 major actors:
- CEIBS (China Europe International Business School)
- Shanghai Jiaotong University : Antai College of Economics & Management
D. Segmentation
We have chosen as our target market executive managers from France, the United States and
China.
Our program is designed for executives or any individual with significant responsibility for
strategic decision making.
1. The United States
San Francisco State has distinguished itself as a centre of academic scholarship, creative
innovation and civic involvement. Located in one of the most vibrant and popular cities in the
world, a range of ideas, opinions and resources converge at San Francisco State to offer
students unparalleled opportunities for learning, exploration, creativity and discovery.
2. China
With its entry into the World Trade Organization, China committed itself to global integration and
will be an economic powerhouse in the global markets for years to come. This provides an
opportunity for China‟s state-owned enterprises to expand their global engagement and increase
their partnerships with multinational firms.
To turn this opportunity into a reality, Chinese firms must invest in human capital that will
produce individuals with skills and talents to meet the challenges of the global marketplace. To
develop global business leaders for China and assist it in meeting the opportunities afforded by
the WTO.
The executive students are so accomplished in their own right that they contribute to the
teaching as well as the learning process. The results will generate meaningful benefits to the
enterprises they lead.
Executive programs in Shanghai offer programs that aim to train experienced professionals with
an emphasis on practical application and operation, and to bring them one step closer to senior
executive management positions.
3. Executive Education Survey
According to a survey made by the NASPAA for executive education programs in the USA, we
can study:
Executive Masters Programs
o The majority of Executive Masters students are over 36 years old, have at least 6 years
of professional experience, and 4 years of management experience.
o Executive Masters Students hail from a variety of sectors of activities.
o Two-thirds of the Executive Masters programs followed a cohort model and weekend and
evening classes were offered the most often.
o On average 50 percent of Executive Masters students received financial assistance from
their employers and 15 percent from fellowships or scholarships.
o In addition to transcripts, personal statements, and recommendations, most Executive
o Masters programs require some professional experience for admission.
Non-Degree Executive Education Programs
o Certificate and customized programs represent the largest segment of non-degree
Executive
o Education programs.
o A third of the schools providing these programs in the USA also offered leadership
training and international partnerships.
Non-Degree Executive Education Programs
A number of schools offer a variety of non-degree programs targeting a range of educational
needs.
Certificate programs, defined as a series of courses of a specific topic, such as program
management and leadership, represented the most common type of non-degree Executive
Education program.
Customized programs represented a large category of Executive Education programs, as well
as international partnerships with non-U.S. academic or government institutions to provide
Executive Education.
4. Maslow‟s hierarchy of needs
Maslow's Hierarchy of needs can be a valuable aid when dealing with the process of education.
Achieving each of the levels of Maslow's needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-
actualization at differing times in the educational process makes it important to identify to teach
executive students, since the purchase of a product or service is very often the consequence of
a need. According to theory, the consumers have a limited number of fundamental needs, which
can be organized into the following hierarchy:
Our study matches the needs for education in the last four categories, since the first one is basic
physiological needs.
The security level could be related to the need of having a security for the employment and
stability, in such way, taking this kind of seminars reinforce their knowledge to make them
competitive at work and do not lose their job.
The social level is related to the need of making relationships with others managers and
business people and being part of a professional circle. It emphasizes the need of being loved
and the feeling of belonging and inclusion.
At the ego level, executive managers look for self-esteem, prestige and power recognition in
their organizations, so they could be looking forward achievement, promotion and bonuses.
The self actualization level shows the need for development. Taking this type of seminars raises
their performance in the company in problem solving and stimulates their creativity. These
needs are met through autonomy and achievement.
E. Critical success factors
We are a start up that begins with only the reputation from Dauphine.
As a matter of fact, we have no real legitimacy from the executive education point of view;
therefore the successful launch depends on a few key factors of success.
Promotion
As in any business, achieving in reaching our target is primordial. Hence, it is essential to
succeed to create good partnerships with selected universities around the world and be sure
that there is a real promotion of our offers.
At the same time, our presence and performance in terms of communication on exhibitions,
conferences and other worldwide events to promote the seminar will be decisive.
Our target communicates via word of mouth, so we need to penetrate those groups by the
means mentioned above and by inviting well known speakers and other stakeholders who will
guarantee the quality of our training.
Noticeably, prospecting via a call centre will be a great support in the management of our
customer data base.
Speakers
In order to ensure high quality level of courses and to reassure potential customers, it is
essential to hire speakers internationally renowned.
A multi-cultural clientele
Although the seminar provides a useful knowledge in terms of foreign culture, it is crucial that we
attract people from many different countries for each seminar allowing everyone to create a new
worldwide network.
F. Marketing mix
The Marketing strategy defined below explains the value that we will bring to our clients as well
as the channels, the communication, and the costs that will be associated with our services.
1. Product
Executive Management Training
As we said before, organizations now operate on a global scale. Employees are in touch with
the international environment whether they participate in a cross-cultural team or go abroad for a
mission overseas, interacting this way with people from different cultures.
The lack of cultural awareness has many different levels: from an embarrassing moment to a
collapse in the inter-company communication and the lost of an agreement. This raises an
important question: are organizations preparing their employees to deal with the new challenges
of working and/or do business at a global scale?
This is why the product‟s aim is to provide an excellent Executive Management Training
involving cultural issues in the business world, designed for managers and executives who deal
with projects in foreign countries, who work with more culturally diverse teams or work for
organizations growing beyond their borders.
Executives will be able to better manage change and communicate effectively across cultures,
with lectures designed to help participants put efficient, collaborative methods of leadership and
communication within their organizations as well as in their personal life.
Participants will focus on their leadership skills and will also explore those different attitudes and
behaviours conditioned to the culture, values, theories and views all around the world. They will
also benefit of a taste of French culture, enjoying a guided visit to the Louvre Museum, wine
tasting at a French castle and a delighting show at Moulin Rouge.
In order to achieve the participant‟s satisfaction, ExecutiveOne® takes in charge the
accommodations as well as the transportation: airport or train station – hotel and back as well as
Pôle Universitaire Léonard Da Vinci – Visits – Hotel. Plus, participants will be accommodated at
a well rated hotel near the establishment where the seminars will take place.
During the lectures, we will provide participants with ExecutiveOne®‟s notepads and pens, we‟ll
use video conference technology for speakers not located in Paris in charge of a conference
and we will also set out an immediate translation service via headphones for participants who do
not speak English.
Another objective is to create a network of professionals and to this purpose, participants will
have access to our website with updates of the new seminars to come and we will provide a
yearbook including a personal profile of each participant.
2. Price
In order to fix the price of our program, we have to take account of the competition.
As our program will be comprised between 1 and 6 days, therefore, in order to better compare
the prices, we have converted the price of our competitors for 6 days.
COMPETITORS NUMBER OF DAYS PRICES COMPETITION
Sciences Po 4 days 3050€ or 4575€ for 6 days
EM-Lyon 1 to 6 days 4500€ for 6 days
HEC 3 days 2260€ or 4520€ for 6 days
ESSEC 5 days 5900€ or 7080€ for 6 days
Grenoble management school 3 days 1450€ or 2900€ for 6 days
As we can see in this summary of the competition, the prices are comprised between 2900€ and
7080€. This is very variable due to the notoriety of the university and also due to the offered
program.
As the university Paris-Dauphine is among the first universities in France, we could fix our price
according to our notoriety and also according to the complete program, theoretical, practical and
very cultural. We want to have a top-of-range positioning which it will reflect a high level of
teaching quality. Higher prices won‟t be a limit for companies and managers who want to
acquire a training of quality.
We can fix a variable price for the basic program with only few courses up to 5200€ for the
complete program with the whole program (courses + visits around Paris).
3. Place
Since we are a start-up organization within the University Paris Dauphine, this program will only
be released in Paris. The seminars will take place at Pôle Universitaire Leonard Da Vinci located
at La Défense, a major business district of the city of Paris.
4. Promotion
Strategy: Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy
At the beginning, we will propose a free audit service to our clients, in order to start collecting
contacts.
We will focus on different channels to promote our product and service proposed. Several media
support exists but we will only focus on specific ones that will enable us to provide realistic and
direct results.
We will focus mainly on:
o Websites: of the organization and program, presentation and diffusion of product and
services.
o Direct marketing channel: advertising campaign through Internet Media and
newspapers.
- As a media support, we would use well-known newspaper specialized in business: New
York Times Magazine, Le Figaro and Marketing Management.
o Public relations partnerships through: events and conferences organized by Dauphine
University, exhibitions, press and broadcast releases, sponsoring, lobbying.
Websites
Websites www.ExecutiveOne® .com and www.EMT.com would be available in order to
creatively explain our business. Moreover a video will be created, showing the seminar with the
courses, the working environment and the cultural activities proposed so they can have a
previous idea of what we propose and what our services are composed of.
Direct Marketing
Internet is used as a strategic tool to communicate with clients and potential clients about our
services and helps the organization adapt the offers to the demands of our clients. It will also
allow us to send newsletters and emails in order to build loyalty, trust and attract other potential
customers.
We would also create some brochures which would be available in the different entities, such
as: “La Chambre du Commerce et de l‟Industrie”, in order to be close to the potential clients.
Once we have our first‟s clients, we will build up our name and reputation by being in regular
contact with local newspapers and targeted magazines.
Public relations
Public relations will help us create and maintain a favourable image of the company as well as
help generate good publicity:
o Using publicity tools like participating in special and specific events, local chambers of
commerce, among others, will help us increase our exposure. This communicates the
seriousness of the organization and it is also a good intermediary to find new clients.
o Obtain sponsorship from others companies or by other entities that support our
involvement and also by potential clients concerned on this issue. It will offer to the
company the possibility to develop and extend contacts. Moreover involving the
company in a special issue, like the Environment* could be an innovative way to
develop contacts and attract new clients that feel concerned by this issue.
*Environment cause: recycling our cartridge box, recycling our paper is considered as an
involvement in this issue.
Competitive Advantage
Thanks to the fact that ExecutiveOne® is one of the Dauphine University departments, it will
help us benefit of its name and popularity. Partnerships of Dauphine University are composed
by well-known universities, companies and other entities that we can attract in a cost-effective
manner on that way. We will use a certain number of relationships to promote the company. In
every direct marketing method, we will constantly reinforce our differential competitive
advantage. The main goal of these actions is to enhance our credibility and reach a large scope
of customers with the purpose of getting high awareness:
o ExecutiveOne®: the Professional Ambitious Young Team, able to provide sufficient
expertise services to managers facing today‟s issues: financial crisis,
compartmentalization on tasks, environmental issues and development of new
technologies.
o Focus on providing a concrete and real complete program: practical, actionable, short-
term business strategy for executives: realistic and insure results as quickly possible.
o Insure availability of expertise by professors as well as environment and local equipped
by the latest technologies.
5. People
For the creation of a project, people constitute an essential element. They contribute to its
success. Without people, the project couldn‟t be realized, mostly if it is a project of services such
as ours.
Therefore, our requirements of people are from two kinds:
o Directly: Thanks to our partnerships with other universities, we need to hire professors
from different horizons, with different cultures. Bilingual professors from the United
States, from China, notably, for disciplines such as: management, communication,
change, leadership…who have an added value: they have a combination of academic
knowledge and real-world business experience. And, in the second hand, professors
who are experience in culture, behaviours and negotiation within different cultures. So,
we will need four professors for disciplines of general management and three professors
for cultural disciplines.
o Indirectly:
Two people for the transportation of the managers from their hotel to the University
Paris-Dauphine and from the university to their hotel.
The cleaning team of the university.
The administrative and financial assistant.
6. Process
How to implement our project?
In order to implement our project we need to separate tasks and missions to evaluate time and
resources available. Analysing the time needed for each tasks, the project with the process well
defined, can be implemented.
Some other entities are needed and have a role in the process like Call Centre services. We
realize that we need to outsource some tasks in order to save time, minimize costs and focus on
our core competency.
The process of our service includes several steps. It begins when the Organization members
start collecting potentials clients from Internet, Database, to the seminar program realized.
Tasks of the Process:
1/ Collect of information
2/ Call centre prospection of clients
3/ Survey
4/ Organization of seminar
5/ Validation of participants and partnerships
6/ Implementation of the project
CLIENT
1/ Collecting contacts and potential clients through different channels: partnerships, database of
companies and universities available in Dauphine, Internet website subscription, collected
contacts in conferences.
2/ Once the Database of potential participants (clients) is made, the Call Centre services we
bought will take in charge the prospection of clients. Each week we will have a survey of the
amount of potential participants that enables us to start the next step.
3 & 4/ While the Call Centre is prospecting clients, each week we receive surveys with the
amount growing of participants coming to the seminar, as we can adapt strategy every time and
we can start organize the seminar : reserving local and equipment, contacting professors and
professionals, rooms hotel, transport ticket pack, reporting, contracts and validation of
partnerships. Each of these tasks is dispatched inside the organization ExecutiveOne® by our
members (cf. attribution of role in the internal environment part MEMBERS and TASKS).
5/ When the reservations are made and contracts are sent, validation of participants, we require
50 % of previous payment to insure participations and minimize risks for cancelation.
6/ Implementation of the project: execution of the seminar.
G. Budget and financial analysis
Due to the fact that we use accommodations provided by Leonard de Vinci institute, we have the
opportunity to use the premises for free and decide to return a percentage of our benefit
depending of the attendance of our seminar.
We decided to have a financial approach which separates all costs in specific categories.
First, this board shows how much everyone attending to a seminar costs:
Variable Costs Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Total
Accommodation:
Hotel 220,00 € 220,00 € 220,00 € 220,00 € 220,00 € 220,00 € 220,00 € 1 540,00 €
Food & Activities:
Water / Brunch 10,00 € 20,00 € 20,00 € 20,00 € 20,00 € 20,00 € 110,00 €
Catering: Noon 35,00 € 35,00 € 35,00 € 35,00 € 35,00 € 175,00 €
Dinner 35,00 € 35,00 € 35,00 € 105,00 €
Cocktail 35,00 € 120,00 € 155,00 €
Visits 60,00 € 40,00 € 100,00 € 150,00 € 350,00 €
Total Costs per customer 2 435,00 €
Then we can have a view of global outgoings according to the size of the seminar:
Costs per seminar Number of participant 30 40 50
Transport:
Bus location 4 500,00 € 5 500,00 € 6 000,00 €
Wages (Speakers): 8000€/day 40 000,00 € 40 000,00 € 40 000,00 €
Supplies:
Designed Paper 500,00 € 500,00 € 500,00 €
Pen 50,00 € 50,00 € 50,00 €
Yearbook 270,00 € 360,00 € 450,00 €
Courses CD 60,00 € 80,00 € 100,00 €
Total Costs per seminar 45 380,00 € 46 490,00 € 47 100,00 €
Finally, this table presents an estimation of the fixed costs we may have for one year (not
considering how many seminars we may do during the summer, except for wages that may be
more important due to the increase of administrative work).
Fixed Costs
Administrative cost:
Computer 400,00 €
Supplies 1 000,00 €
Wages 8 000,00 €
brochures 1 500,00 €
Advertising/Communication: 20 000,00 €
Creation of a Website: 4 000,00 €
Total Fixed Cost 34 900,00 €
All those forecast lead to those results:
Number of participant 30 40 50
Total Costs per seminar 45 380,00 € 46 490,00 € 47 100,00 €
Total Costs per customer 73 050,00 € 97 400,00 € 121 750,00 €
Total Cost per seminar 118 430,00 € 143 890,00 € 168 850,00 €
Total Fixed Cost 34 900,00 € 34 900,00 € 34 900,00 €
Price of a Seminar: 5200
Total profit 156 000,00 € 208 000,00 € 260 000,00 €
Benefit 2 670,00 € 29 210,00 € 56 250,00 €
According to these figures, we may have a positive result as soon as we reach 30 customers
attendance per seminar.
Moreover, it is important to notice that increasing the number of seminar per summer may lead
to a dilution of fixed costs and increase our total benefit.
V. Risks and recommendations
o Our first issue is to penetrate the market. We have to face a strong risk of few
attendants, which would lead to have losses. However, it is preferable to maintain the
session in order to promote our training. We must also take into account the current
economic situation that does not encourage companies to spend their executive times in
training.
To overcome a potential first-year deficit, a financial plan is scheduled to maintain the
seminar available and recover the potential losses next year.
o Moreover, today we are unknown, but through a good point of view from the companies,
we plan to enlarge our activities. Incidentally, enhancing our costs performances is a
main point. If the number of attendant allows it, it could be a strong opportunity to
duplicate our seminar in order to improve our benefit rate. Of course fixed costs may
increase slightly but it would also liberate more income.
o Another problem is that our customer target is quite limited. If we want to have a chance
to increase our activities, according to a good result with this first seminar, creating a
new one with a new style and a new target using same processes may be a successful
idea. For example, different location, seminars “à la carte”, adapted for the level of the
customer…
o We will have to increase strongly our advertising budget. Supported by satisfied clients, a
good promotion plan may lead our projects to a success. This is also why we may (if the
number of applicant allows it) have to select our customer and refuse some of them.
The first seminar will be crucial and a success first week is essential for the launch of
ExecutiveOne®.
VI. Appendix
ExecutiveOne® ® Sample Schedule : The Executive Management Training
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
8h00
Car Car Car Car Car
Check out
8h30
9h00 Reception Motivating others to perform
Anglo-American corporate
culture
Project Management
tools and simulation
Business Strategy for
environmental sustainability
9h30 The effective use
of power 10h00
10h30 Brunch Brunch Brunch Brunch
11h00 Brunch Using culture for competitive
advantage
Continental European corporate
culture
Coaching and personal
improvement
Culture and strategy:
exporting, M&A …
11h30 Productive disagreements that generate new, creative
ideas
12h00
Check-In Available at
the hotel
12h30 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
13h00
Lunch
13h30
14h00 Leadership &
Communication methods
(Simulation)
Asian corporate
culture
Environment issue
presentation and market
opportunities
Cross-cultural negotiation :
valuating differences
14h30 Managing organizational
change (management
simulation)
15h00
15h30
16h00 Break Break Break Break
16h30 Introduction: Riding the waves of culture
Break Business Case Cultural
Business Case cultural
Car Business Case
cultural
17h00 Business Case cultural
17h30 Brainstorming Group
Brainstorming Group
Visit French Castel
French Culture
Wine Tasting
Brainstorming Group
18h00
Cocktail
Brainstorming Group
18h30
19h00 Car Dinner
Debriefing Dinner
Debriefing
Car
19h30
Dinner
Moulin Rouge Night
20h00
Louvre Museum visit
Cocktail dinner
20h30
Case Study Work Groups
Case Study Work Groups
21h00
21h30
22h00
22h30 Car Car Car
23h00
23h30 Car
00h00
Ranking of business schools according to their executive education program
Source :http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/executive-education---customised
VII. Bibliography
Papers:
o Kaplan and Norton, “Developing the Strategy: Vision, Value Gaps, Analysis”, Balanced
Scorecard Report.
o S. Long (2004), “Really...why do executives attend executive education programs?,
Journal of Management Development.
o Xerfi700 Formation Professionnelle -Juin 2009, FBO & DTA
Websites:
o http://www.dauphine.fr/fr/international/liste-des-universites-partenaires/asie-et-
oceanie.html?taille
o http://www.cityrating.com/
o http://www.gsb.stanford.edu
o http://www.banque-france.eu/fr/publications/telechar/observatoire/criteres_taille.pdf
o http://www.el-mouradia.dz/francais/Activites/2008/09/N270908.htm
o http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/smallbus.html
o http://institute.chinaemba.cn/postemba/edp/EDP-basic/2009/0630/472.html
o http://www.sciences-po.fr/spf/programmes/management/leadership.php
o http://formationpermanente.univ-paris1.fr/php/obtenir.php
o http://executive-education.em-lyon.com/france/executive/formations-courtes/index.aspx
o http://www.exed.hec.fr/fr/Programmes_courts/4-3-
163/Leadership/Etre_leader_multiculturel/Etreleadermulticulturel%203
o http://www.exed.hec.fr/fr/Programmes_courts/4-3-75/Leadership/L_art_de_diriger_-
_Universite_d_ete/Lartdediriger-Universitedete
o http://formation.essec.fr/sur-mesure/
o http://formation.essec.fr/formations-courtes/leadership-developpement-et-
performances/ldp4-reussir-un-projet-strategique-et-son-projet-personnel/
o http://www.grenoble-em.com/1231-new-manager-program-2.aspx
o http://www.grenoble-em.com/561wto-programs-for-chinese-executives-2.aspx
o http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/executive-education---customised
o http://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/gcpc/
o http://www.london.edu/programmes/executiveeducation/negotiatingandinfluencingskillsfo
rseniormanagers.html
o http://www.ceibs.edu/execed/index.shtml
