Primeast

Client

IIR Management Development Ltd for Virgin Mobile

Project

Excellence in Business Management (The 4 Day ‘Mini MBA’)

Business, Background & Objectives

The programme concept already existed within Virgin Mobile. However, working with IIR Management Development Ltd, Primeast overhauled it to make it far more relevant to a telecoms-sector audience.

In Detail

Aimed at middle managers whose career so far has been in one area of the business, the programme’s core learning topics mirror those featured in an MBA - but are delivered as a series of 1 day modules.

Created with the PrimeFocus framework as a backdrop, it allows participants to understand how the various elements fit together to build dynamic and sustainable businesses.

In addition to learning modules, participants also work in groups dealing with challenges existing in ‘real life’ for VM, or strategic opportunities the business may choose to exploit in future. This helps team members develop strategic perspective whilst encouraging cross-functional working by exposing project teams to all parts of the business.

This element of the programme runs over a period of 6 months culminating in a 45 minute presentation to the CEO, directors and an invited audience of senior managers. So far, a number of recommendations from these projects have either been implemented by Virgin Mobile or have been taken on for formal development.

The Result

In December 2006 the client was named best company in the category of ‘Ability to Attract, Develop and Retain Top Talent’ in the 2006 Management Today Magazine/Mercer HR Consulting ‘Most Admired Company Awards’. The ‘mini MBA’ was cited as being indicative of the client’s innovative approach to developing its people.