World class standards network

Objective

This project will create a European Best Practice Network dedicated to stimulating the achievement of world class standards of business performance. It responds to the necessity of greatly improving the competitiveness of European businesses in the face of the rapidly changing contours of global competition. The main thrust of the project is to support the transformation of European businesses through provision and promotion of technologies for business processes evidence of world class practices and the creation of support networks. The position of European businesses in global markets is diminishing and the requirements of competitiveness have changed beyond all recognition.

The main aim of WORLD-CLASS-NET is to facilitate a step change in the capacities of European businesses to meet the opportunities and overcome the challenges of global competition. Key objectives of the project are to:
1. Establish a Europe wide network of best practice networks and Centres of Excellence
2. Engage over 7000 subscribers in the network of which at least 85% will be businesses
3. To accelerate the rate at which corporate subscribers transform their core processes

INTENDED APPROACH

To date, business process transformation and related dissemination initiatives in Europe have been fragmented and confusing and done little to speed up improvements in European business performance. It is from this standpoint that we propose to approach our work.

This project is an opportunity to establish and consolidate electronic communications, collaborations and actions involving various leading national networks and sources of expertise through the creation of ten Centres of Excellence based in existing organisations. These Centres, assisted by the specialist expertise of other project partners, will support a range of generic and bespoke services designed to enable European business leaders to efficiently source information, guidance, contacts and assistance relating to world class standards of performance and business process transformation. The project will utilise the full spectrum of communications channels and technologies including the World Wide Web, multimedia publishing formats, missions, training, special interest groups, printed materials, video-conferencing, groupware, conferences and workshops. This will enable it to provide appropriate access to subscribers and best practice projects from outside of the European Union as well as within.

EXPLOITATION OF RESULTS

Those partners in the project which are to act as host organisations for the ten Centres of Excellence are already engaging over 500 European businesses in the study and adoption of best practice and world class standards of performance. Each of the other partners has been selected for the knowledge and experience they have of the technologies for, promotion and management of business process transformation.

They all expect this project to result in an enduring range of services targeted on a bigger audience: senior executives, business leaders and their operational managers. By the end of the project, take-up of these services is expected to have yielded high returns on the investments each partner will have made in the project. Moreover, firm foundations for subscriber-based dedicated information and support services well beyond the two to three year life of the project will have been created.

The primary market for these services has already been quantified and tested by individual partners. It comprises the 200,000 or so larger businesses within the Union. Secondary markets are also very large - including medium sized companies, public authorities, voluntary organisations and other organisations beginning the long journey towards world beating excellence. Moreover, hardware and software vendors, consultancies, business schools, universities and colleges, employer organisations and government agencies will find benefits from the services envisaged.

Programme(s)

• FP4-ESPRIT 4 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of information technologies, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 7.8 - TBP Dissemination and Technology Transfer

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven

Address

Den Dolech 2
5600 MB Eindhoven
Netherlands

Participants (14)

Benchmarking Centre Ltd

United Kingdom

Address

Truscon House Station Road
SL9 8ES Gerrards Cross

Business Italy Srl

Italy

Address

Business International, Via Isonzo 42
00198 Roma

Enix Consulting Ltd

United Kingdom

Address

The Green 3
TW9 1PL Richmond

Fast Media Ltd

United Kingdom

Address

Richmond Avenue 106
N1 0LS London

Finnish Benchmarking Association

Finland

Address

Tekniikantie 17a
02150 Espoo

Ifs International Limited

United Kingdom

Address

Wolseley Business Park
MK42 7PW Kempston

International Graduate School

Spain

Address

Universidad De Navarra
31080 Pamplona

Mission Critical

Belgium

Address

Avenue Claire 27
1410 Waterloo

Status Meetings Limited

United Kingdom

Address

Festival Hall
GU314JW Petersfield

Swedish Institute for Quality

Sweden

Address

Benchmarking Centre, Fabriksgatan 10
41250 Gothenberg

The European Institute of Business Administration

France

Address

Boulevard De Constance 77305
77305 Fontainebleau

The Multimedia Corporation Plc

United Kingdom

Address

Baker Street 8
W1M 1DA London

Transcend Technology

United Kingdom

Address

Oakfield Park, Bilton Road
CV22 7UH Rugby

University College Cork

Ireland

Address

Western Road
Cork