The big guns of business talk competitive strategy at event in Manchester

The series of Business Perspectives events, hosted by The Open University (OU) Business School, aims to bring together practitioner expertise and the latest academic research and insight. The Manchester event will focus on how businesses can deliver a clear and coherent organisation growth strategy and is being held at the Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel in Manchester on the 7 February.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Evan Davis, BBC and Visiting Professor
• Alison Copus, VP Marketing, TripAdvisor for Business
• Mike Barnard, Executive Director, Capita
• Antoine Boatwright, Global Director, Dell
• Michael Canning, Strategic Business Consultant
• Thomas Lawton, Professor of Strategy and International Management
• Dr Howard Viney, Senior Lecturer Strategic Management
• Jo Salter will facilitate the event, she is a renowned international speaker, the UK’s first female fast-jet pilot, OU MBA alumni and OU tutor.

Professor Thomas Lawton, Professor of Strategy and International Management at The Open University Business School and lead academic at the event said “In an environment of austerity and reduced consumer confidence, growth is clearly a priority for many businesses. But growth without strategy can be self-defeating as it risks being directionless and prioritising size over all else. Therefore the question for managers and leaders is not if and when to grow their businesses, but how to do so.” 

The Business Perspectives programme combines three distinct stages. Firstly there is the research element that utilises a pool of 2,500 practising managers to provide a current perspective to inform debate and discussion. These results will be released closer to the time of the event.

The research is followed by the event which is a face to face masterclass featuring high profile business speakers. And finally the OU Business School will host a virtual event that shares edited highlights from the masterclass, whilst the blog posts articles from leading academics in the field.

The Open University Business School’s Business Perspectives strategy event is being held at the Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel in Manchester on 7 February. The daytime masterclass will run from 10.00 – 17.30 and the evening event from 18.00 – 21.00.

Places can be booked via http://www8.open.ac.uk/business-school/alumni/news-and-events/forthcoming-events/2013-02-07/competitive-strategies-business-growth-process-