Business practices - supporting the practising professional

Iain GreenwayChair, FIG Working Group 1.2 (Business practices)

‘Today’s surveyor has become a technologist… without a clear understanding of real world

problems… As a result, the surveyor will lose his role in society… Surveyors need to… pivot from a preoccupation with technology to face the problems which today confront society in

general and geo-information users in particular.’

Professor Molenaar, Rector ITC

The business environment

GlobalisationLarge and small

organisationsUser expectationsPressure groupsRegulationTechnological

change - ‘the black box’

A surveyor’s roles

Professional Technical expertBusinessman

VocationOngoing trainingTime

Business issues

Business contextBusiness planningQuality and

customer serviceProfessional ethicsManaging IT

The Business Context

Why does a business exist?

Who are its stakeholders?

Who constrains the business?

What can the business do about it?

Business planning

Corporate Why does the

business exist? What are its values? What is its Vision?

Operating What is to be

achieved this year? With what

resources?

Tools

Planning STEPE SWOT Portfolio analysis

Measurement Balanced scorecard Business Excellence

Model

Quality

‘Doing right things right’; ‘fitness for purpose’

The cost of qualityCustomers and

qualityQuality assurance

Stages of quality

Create the environment

Quality improvement

Continuous business improvement

‘A professional is someone who justifiably claims to provide an expert service of value to society, and who accepts the

duties… including… honouring the special trust reposed by clients, employers, colleagues, and the general public.’

UK Institute of Management Code of Conduct

Professional ethics

IntegrityIndependenceCare and

competenceDuty

Codes of conduct

Guidance not a full rule book

Actions and wordsCareful thoughtWide involvementExamples

IT

A means to an endIssues

integration training data protection copyright business cases outsource/ in-house

development

Other issues

GovernanceStaff developmentLegal issues

health and safety tax liability insurance etc

Summary

The business world is developing

Expectations are rising

Professions have to earn respect

Guidance is neededProfessional bodies

have a key role