The paper reports the progress on the launch of a project designed to empower a multi-disciplinary faculty of students and teachers to identify and implement practical actions towards improving environmental sustainability in their multiple contexts. Specifically, the project is focussed on drawing lessons FOR and WITH SMEs who have the ambition to achieve a zero or positive (regenerative) environmental impact as a by- product (or product) of their operations. The rationale for the project is that many efforts to pursue environmental sustainability (such as recycling) are insufficient to address the true environmental challenges that face societies. Furthermore, many students are neither familiar with the dimensions of the environmental challenges nor feel capable of making a useful contribution to addressing the issues. The focus on SMEs is pertinent since evidence suggests that relatively more larger companies have begun to integrate concerns for environmental sustainability more comprehensively into their strategic development, for instance through adopting Integrated Reporting frameworks. These initiatives by larger companies will eventually impact on SMEs as the larger companies compel participants in their supply and value chains to adopt comparable environmental practices. The paper concludes by challenging educators to adopt Education for Sustainability in a manner that enables every graduate to think and act as a sustainable practitioner in their employment, their household, their communities, and their professional discipline.

"New Zealand has traded successfully on its self-created brand as ‘100 % Pure’ since its introduction in 2000. The country enacted pioneering legislation embracing the notion of sustainable development through its Resource Management Act (1991) and was an early signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992). In its Tertiary Education Strategy 2007-2012 the government signalled its desire that the country’s higher education sector should support its ambitious environmental vision and goals.

A strategic audit of the environmental performance of a publicly-funded New Zealand tertiary institution was conducted to examine the extent to which the institution achieved its stated environmental goals, and the environmental goals stated in the government’s national and educational priorities. The audit identified that the institution had retreated substantially from its earlier pioneering commitments to environmental initiatives, commenced in the late 1990s. In conversation with senior leaders, two factors appeared influential in accounting for this retreat. First, the institution was under financial duress. Secondly, there was significant dissonance between the government’s stated vision and aims supporting education for sustainability and practical policy implementation. Specifically, there was a failure to translate the aims into an explicit investment funding priority for the tertiary education sector.

New Zealand's Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended that: 'all tertiary graduates leaving [higher educational institutions] should possess a core understanding of environmental sustainability as a result of institutes encouraging education for sustainability throughout their organisations'. Despite the recommendation, the most recent tertiary education strategy retreats further from this position, condemning the nation’s future innovation and ability to develop sustainably through a ‘conspiracy of ignorance’."

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). The Rise and Fall of Education for Sustainability in New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Strategies: An Orchestrated Conspiracy of Ignorance? In XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518839/

"How can we achieve both strategic success and contribute towards sustainable use of the Earth’s resources?

Is care for the environment one of the top strategic issues that we face as we enter the new millennium - or are there more pressing challenges?

Why have we seen such ineffective government policy development and such little action in regards to achieving sustainable development?

Is care for the environment just a subset of the task of caring for human culture and diversity? Or is should we ask the question the other way around?

How do market-led companies generate the investment funds required to establish products for a ‘green’ world - when the market dominance of existing product suppliers is so great?

Is globalisation a contributor to the environmental crisis - and if so, is it possible for a company or nation to distance itself from the process of globalisation?

Is business really a battlefield? If so, then how do you fight most effectively for survival, let alone for success and eco-sustainability?

How can we develop strategic leaders - general managers, consultants, policy makers, and educators - who can move forward wisely to meet the challenges of our ‘world to come’?
These are just some of the questions that are addressed in the Proceedings of the 8th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society as conference attendees focussed on the issue of developing strategies for both eco-sustainability and enterprise success.

Conference aims
The aims of the NZSMS conference were to:
•Share the results of current professional practice, research, teaching, and consulting projects, especially those projects relating to themes of significant strategic relevance to New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific Basin.
•Deepen our shared understanding of the interests and talents of our professional colleagues as a basis for developing collaborative research, consulting, publishing, or teaching initiatives
•Discuss and critique proposals for future research, publishing, teaching, and policy development initiatives
•Report on the results of contributions made at relevant international conferences and related forums
•Develop professional skills and confidence in preparing and communicating the results of our professional works
•Identify professional development issues of significance to strategic managers, directors, educators, consultants, and trainers.
Download the complete document to read a more detailed overview of the conference themes and proceedings.

Mellalieu, P. J. (2000). Conference Agenda. Strategies for sustainability and success: The Role and Impact of Strategic Thinking in the Development of Sustainable Enterprise:, Proceedings of the 8th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1, pp. 5–7). Auckland: New Zealand Strategic Management Society.

Conference papers:
Mellalieu, P. J. (Ed.). (2000). Strategies for sustainability and success: The Role and Impact of Strategic Thinking in the Development of Sustainable Enterprise. Proceedings of the 8th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1). Auckland: New Zealand Strategic Management Society.

The announcement for the 2009 New Zealand Tertiary Education Summit asserts that “Tertiary education and research underpin the realisation of New Zealanders’ goals and aspirations, and the sustainable development of New Zealand’s economy and society.... Daunting new challenges ... identify the need for tertiary education to assume new responsibilities” (Brightstar, 2009).

This paper addresses two of New Zealand’s challenges:

• Building national capacity for long-term wealth-creating innovation, and

• Responding to business’ and society’s concerns about sustainable development.

The paper argues that education for sustainable development - appropriately implemented - contributes strongly to establishing:

• Valuable foundations for the emerging ‘sixth wave’ of innovations that underpin the creation of a nation’s distinctive core competencies, and

• The trans-disciplinary academic literacies required to support competitive success in the 21st century.

See related and subsequent papers:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Preparing to engage in education for sustainability: A critique of the New Zealand tertiary education strategy. Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia conference proceedings. Presented at the Engaging Communities: HERDSA 2008 conference, Rotorua: HERDSA. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/UBSpublications/Projects/Entries/2008/3/3_Travels_through_the_east.html

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). The Rise and Fall of Education for Sustainability in New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Strategies: An Orchestrated Conspiracy of Ignorance? XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Presented at the Innovation and Development in Higher Education, Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/4935qol


Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Investing in education for eco-sustainability: A “fast follower” strategic posture for Unitec Institute of Technology. Unitec Business School Working Paper Series. Auckland: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/pjm-efs

Conducts an exploratory Programme Evaluation of Unitec Institute of Technology focussed on assessing the state of Unitec’s capability for eco-sustainable development and delivering programmes of education for sustainability.


Identifies key strategic issues:

•Unitec’s absence of a strategy, policy, and culture for eco-sustainability;

•the foundering of sustainability initiatives established from the late 1990s; and

•the rising recognition by senior managers that eco-sustainability issues are of increasing importance and should be supported by the institution.


One key reason for for Unitec’s situation is identified as the failure of Unitec’s key funder - the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) - to make an explicit funding priority for sustainability, despite government’s espoused aims for balancing economic progress with care for the environment.


Drawing on the arguments of Oram, Boven and Geering, argues for Unitec adopting a posture significantly more proactive that the increasingly laggard posture that is emerging through its failure to consider eco-sustainability issues at top level strategy-making.


Presents recommendations for identifying, developing, and implementing an appropriate strategic posture of ‘fast follower’ for Unitec.

"I am honoured and delighted to celebrate your graduation today from Te Wananga a Aotearoa.

Your graduation marks a distinguished landmark in your journey - to improve your life, to improve the life of your whanau and your iwi through education.

I choose the word ‘landmark’ deliberately. Learning will continue to be crucial to the life of your whanau, your welfare, and your happiness.

I am a teacher. Kaiako: A new word I learned today. I love to share my knowledge. I love to provoke my students to achieve more than they believe is possible. My task today is to provoke and inspire you.

I love to learn. It is my love of learning that has brought me to stand before you today. I want to share one important insight that I gained through my study at Te Wananga a Aotearoa."

Mellalieu, P. J. (2009, May 14). Our graduation is a landmark in our journey towards building our wealth and caring for our environment. Graduation address/Korero te puawaitanga presented at the Tamaki Makaurau Graduation 2009: Te Wananga a Aotearoa, Malaeola Community Centre, Mangere, Manakau City.

Unitec students and staff have embarked on an innovative programme focussed on helping medium and small enterprise owners advance their journey towards ‘greening the business’. Every two weeks from August, business owners from Rosebank Business Association are invited to participate in an Enterprise GreenWorks™  (EGW) session focussed exclusively on developing promising pathways to guide a ‘guest’ business towards environmentally sustainable business processes and products. During the half-day Enterprise GreenWorks session, a new venture project team is established involving staff from the business and members from Unitec. Think of the reality TV show ‘The Apprentice’ adapted so that no one gets fired, but the earth gets saved … and a better profit is made compared with ‘business-as-usual’!

See also:

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011, July 1). Greening your business with Enterprise GreenWorks™. Department of Management and Marketing. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from http://thedomm.com/2011/07/01/greening-your-business-with-enterprise-greenworks%e2%84%a2/

According to historian Arnold Toynbee (1978) "Man is the first species of living being in our biosphere that has acquired the power to wreck the biosphere and, in wrecking it, to liquidate himself". Furthermore, commentators such as Geering (1999, 2000), Gore (2006), and Oram (2007) argue for urgent implementation of effective national policy for taking care of the natural environment for current and future generations.


However, the New Zealand Ministry of Education - the principal funder of many TEOs - has established tertiary investment policies that lack stated priority for investing in sustainable practice and Education for Sustainability (EfS) ( PCE, 2004; MOE, 2007; Mellalieu, 2008a,b).


This dilemma raises the question: How can Tertiary Educational Organisations (TEOs) establish strategies, policies, and operations that lead to exemplary sustainable practice and education for sustainability throughout their communities?


The session will explore the barriers, drivers, and tactics required to transition EfS beyond the enthusiasts and early adopters across the 'chasm' (Moore, 1991, 1999) into the mainstream of a TEO's strategy, policy, and operations.


The session employs an educational leadership master class format (Caldwell, 2006) informed by the Enterprise MasterWorks™ learning adventure format first deployed to create an iconoclastic learning environment for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship for the Enterprise Development programme at Massey University (Mellalieu, 1998a,b).


The Enterprise GreenWorks (EGW) format involves several stages. EGW engages participants in a 'reality TV'-like experience in conjunction with a master class. (Think of The Apprentice - but with the aim of generating insights, ideas, and shared learning - rather than firing someone!). The sequence of a typical EGW 'episode' is: Introduction; Presentation of the dilemma (as posed earlier in this abstract); Background information; Fishbowl discussion; Breakout task groups to devise solutions to the dilemma; Report back of solutions; Critical feedback from the expert master(s); General discussion; Summary of key insights, ideas, and new learning; Action planning for implementing solutions and sharing insights. The proceedings are video recorded for subsequent use in teaching and publication in multimedia formats.


Possible reasons for the dilemma have been indicated in Mellalieu (2008a,b), drawing strongly on the work of Boven (2000) who identifies fundamental flaws in the dominant paradigm that underlies economic policy making. In consequence of the Ministry of Education's investment policy there is at least one instance in which a TEO is allowing its previous commitments to sustainability to lapse. Other TEOs could take similar decisions. Yet it is opinion leaders and professional - such as designers, managers, engineers, and teachers - who hold the key to changing the values of customers, employees, and voters so that we all make informed choices about taking action to towards environmental sustainability. Since professionals are educated through TEOs, it is necessary to debate the proposition that "ALL tertiary graduates leaving TEOs should possess a core understanding of ... environmental sustainability as a result of institutes encouraging EfS throughout their organisations", a recommendation made by the New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in 2004 (PCE, 2004, 2007).

Notes that the natural environment remains under increasing threat from humanity's actions, and that New Zealand's response has been inadequate (Geering; Gore; Bender & David; Oram). Explores the question: 'To what extent should tertiary educational organisations (TEOs) engage in Education for Sustainability?' (EfS). As part of a wider-ranging Program Evaluation, presents the results of a content analysis of the key document that informs the priorities for tertiary educational funding in New Zealand, the Tertiary Education Strategy and Statement of Tertiary Education Priorities (TES). Distils from the analysis the key strategic issue that: 'The government's TES places no priority for investment in sustainable development or EfS within TEOs. The government does espouse several aims to balance economic progress with care for the natural environment. The TES also affirms that the tertiary education system needs to assist with New Zealand's need to develop sustainable use of natural resources. However, these aims are not translated into an explicit investment funding priority for the tertiary education sector.' This result is discussed in relation to the work of Boven who explains why governments are likely to deliver inadequate policy and action to safeguard the natural environment. TEOs possess the principal avenue for changing citizens' values and behaviour towards taking informed care of the environment. Consequently, concludes that TEOs should adopt the 2004 recommendation of New Zealand's Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that: 'all tertiary graduates leaving TEOs should possess a core understanding of environmental sustainability as a result of institutes encouraging EfS throughout their organisations'.

Higher Education is active in researching sustainability and in developing campus sustainability but it may also have particular responsibilities to influence young people via courses of study, in ways that will lead to the increased sustainability of society. In this area Higher Education has so far had limited impact. A great deal of discussion has resulted in different viewpoints on academic freedom, academic responsibility, advocacy and action competence. The actions of higher education institutions in the broad area of teaching students sustainability may be limited by funding, by student interest, by competition between institutions, by the needs of the professions and by the happenstance of who is managing each institution, and who is there to teach at each institution, at any particular instance. The collective consequences of these circumstances are what we see today; great variability within the sector and confusion about the roles of Higher Education. At present it seems unlikely that Higher Education will be able to address sustainability comprehensively. This should be a concern for governments, for higher education regulatory bodies and indeed for society.

Different models of higher education governance and economics need to be explored. Could institutions that individually find education for sustainability a difficult path, succeed collaboratively? What issues currently inhibit collaboration? What new technologies will enable successful collaboration? Could education for sustainability be important enough to overcome the issues that currently prevent collaboration? Could we develop virtual, collaborative, multinational universities for sustainability? Could these focus on producing graduates who can make a difference?

What are the plans and achievements of tertiary educational campuses in New Zealand and Australia regarding sustainable development? In October I partici- pated in the 8th Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) Network meeting. I found the reports presented by participants meeting rather more inspiring, thought- provoking, and impressive compared with academic conferences in which I have attended in recent years. I advocate the future participation in this conference by both sustainable development practitioners and academics engaged in introducing or teaching sustainable development.
The aims of the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) Network are to promote the integration of sustainability principles within the curricula, operations, and other activities of the tertiary education sector, and to develop partnerships with organisa- tions locally and internationally to advance sustainability within the tertiary education sec- tor and the broader community (ACTS website).

As part of its financial turnaround strategy, Unitec strategists have proposed the establishment of three Communities of Practice (COP) to promote cross-campus interdisciplinary outcomes (Unitec, 2008, ‘Towards a sustainable future’, Section 11.2, pp. 44-45). A ⅔ majority of staff in one Unitec school agreed that establishing a COP for eco-sustainability was an insufficient response to the increasing signals that Unitec should take a more proactive role in responding to the issues of eco-sustainability. The document ‘Towards a sustainable future’ provides a lukewarm justification for the choice of the theme of ‘eco-sustainability’ as the basis for establishing a COP. However, for COPs to affect organisational performance significantly, they require organisational funding, support, and a focus on SMART goals. Accordingly, the document ‘Towards a sustainable future’ requires several enhancements to signal the importance of eco-sustainability as a key strategic theme underlying Unitec’s turnaround strategy and vision for its future. The proposal to establish a COP for eco-sustainability at Unitec is a necessary - but insufficient - step that Unitec requires.

Enterprise is alive and well growing at a tiny West Auckland school with a history of overcoming sizeable challenges.

Citation:
Anon, 2012. Enterprise in Education: Doing a lot with a little. Education Today: Learning Auckland, (1), pp.23–24. Available at: http://issuu.com/learningauckland/docs/learning_auckland/23?e=0.


See related:
Mellalieu, P.J., Vause, A., et al., 2014. Education for enterprise at Nga Kakano school: A case study for reducing youth disadvantage. In A proposal for presentation at 59th Annual Conference, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. International Council for Small Business (ICSB). Dublin: International Council for Small Business (ICSB). Available at: https://www.academia.edu/5911503/Education_for_enterprise_at_Nga_Kakano_school_A_case_study_for_reducing_youth_disadvantage.

Mellalieu, P.J., Kearns, N., et al., 2014. Reducing Youth Disadvantage through Education for Enterprise: A Case Study of Nga Kakano School. In A paper submitted for presentation at World Business and Economics Research Conference 2014. World Business and Economics Research Conference. Auckland. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/5948200/Reducing_Youth_Disadvantage_through_Education_for_Enterprise_A_Case_Study_of_Nga_Kakano_School.

"Prologue
A substantial gap is opening up between business faculties and leading edge business practice. Academics tend to dismiss the innovative struggles of leading edge businesses as faddism. By doing this they fail to recognise that what is often happening is that practising managers are confronting actual, experiential situations and finding that traditional practices no longer work. What seem to be fads are actually people struggling with new situations for which they have in- adequate models to help them understand - and they are getting inadequate help from academics at both the research and teaching levels. (Anna Smith, Business Education Quarterly Review, 1996)

Introduction
Enterprise MasterWorksTM (EMW) is a university-based educational programme that demonstrates a novel approach for developing competencies in entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. EMW is framed as a star-tup small-medium enterprise (SME), staffed mainly by students of enterprise development. The EMW 'company' produces two products: (a) purpose-designed learning adventures, and (b) video training packages based around the competency requirements for creating efficacious entrepreneurs and innovators, science and technology managers, SME consultants and trainers, and SME managers.

Each episode of EMW is realised as an “as live-to-air master class and workshop”. In practice, each episode is a high-energy learning adventure that takes place in a television studio. A typical 160 minute episode includes:
• a workshop briefing from a guest “master” (such as an SME manager);
• an interview and fish bowl discussion with students;
• video inserts profiling the guest’s enterprise; a team-taught practical workshop;
• reflective insights; and learning connections to relevant theory and “masterful” entrepreneurial practice.

The EMW 'reality-TV' format results in a weaving together of the strengths of both academic thinking and good management practice, focussed directly on the personal and professional de- velopment interests of the programme participants.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning through a university-located reality-TV and master class: Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW)™. In International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs). Rennes, France: Centre Études et Recherche EURO PME, Rennes International School of Business. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518817/Weaving_the_threads_of_innovation_creativity_and_entrepreneurial_learning_through_a_university-located_reality-TV_and_master_class_Enterprise_

Example video clips:
Enterprise MasterWorks - EMW Concept overview. (1997). Palmerston North, NZ: Massey University Television Production Centre. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4IKa6dy7_I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Behind the scenes of Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW). (1997). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYrQLeJLfH0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Elements of an Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW) learning adventure. (1997). Palmerston North, NZ: Massey University Television Production Centre. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYya4gfcxs4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Evaluative questioning as a risk management tactic whilst innovating in teaching practice: The case of Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW). (1997). Palmerston North, NZ: Massey University Television Production Centre. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn_49OEpjhs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

See also:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1999). Beyond the Case Method: A Master Class for Enterprise Development. Think Global! Act Global! The role and impact of strategic management in the development of small enterprise and new ventures: Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 1 (Vol. 1, pp. 293–304). Presented at the 7th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, Massey University, Palmerston North: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571134/Beyond_the_Case_Method_A_Master_Class_for_Enterprise_Development


Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Creating the virtual learning enterprise: Lessons from Enterprise MasterWorks. 6th New Zealand Strategic Management Educators Conference. Auckland University: New Zealand Strategic Management Society/Auckland University. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571162/Creating_the_virtual_learning_enterprise_Lessons_from_Enterprise_MasterWorks"

Use of New Product Development Methods (NPD) may benefit New Zealand SMEs and entrepreneurial firms in gaining greater market share. In this paper we review the literature on New Product Development, NPD theory, and methods for early stage product design and development. Our reading suggests that product design has greater success when the customer is involved in the design effort. It also recommends methods of approach to new markets in the (NPD) life cycle. The literature further elucidates methods for identification of product design criteria based on customer needs identification. In essence, customer-product interaction in the early stages of product development is important to product success in new markets for entrepreneurial firms and SMEs. Of particular interest are early-stage NPD research methods and their influence on the company's marketing strategy.

Citation:
Coleman, E. B., Frederick, H., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Customer-Product Interaction - A Model for New Product Development in Entrepreneurial Firms. In Third AGSE International Entrepreneurship Research Exchange (AIREX-2006). Auckland: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1513318/Customer-Product_Interaction_-_A_Model_for_New_Product_Development_in_Entrepreneurial_Firms

Related:
Coleman, E. B. (2004). Water & Food Safety Testing Products for New Zealand Mollusc Aquaculture Organisations: A Case Study in New Product Development (Industry-Based Research Project Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship). Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland. Retrieved from http://fgcu.academia.edu/ElizabethBColeman/Papers/1629049/

What is ‘disintermediation’, and what is the mechanism through which the internet is increasing this strategy as a basis for competitive success?

Why did the Waitomo Cave glow worms go ‘on strike’, and what remedies are being taken by the Waikato Land Care Group to restore this significant tourist attraction?

How did the founder of a successful New Zealand national newspaper develop the cognitive capacity to take on the global giants in the lithium refining industry?

What are the absolute essentials of modern strategic thinking which should be embraced and adopted by the 85% of New Zealand enterprises which have fewer than five employees?

Which tertiary institution will be the first to oblige its staff to present the first live performance of “The Full Monty”, as the Education, Training and Consulting macro-cluster pursues a scenario previously followed by the meatworks of the Manawatu, and the steelworks of Sheffield?

These are questions which delegates at the First International Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society may well discuss at their morning tea breaks in response to the publication of these Conference Proceedings.

These proceedings present papers prepared for discussion at the 7th National Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society Inc (PEC-NZSMS), held at Massey University’s Graduate School of Business, Palmerston North, on 3-5 February, 1999. The Educators Conference provides a forum for New Zealand-based educators, consultants and trainers to discuss issues in strategic management as a basis for improving strategic management teaching, research, consulting practice and national policy. This paper introduces the proceedings, by outlining the conference theme, aims, and agenda for the conference, followed by an overview of the proceedings and notes about the contributing authors. The paper concludes with suggestions for the next annual conference in February 2000.

"This report presents recommendations to the University of Botswana’s Faculty of Business for extending substantially its Business Clinic into an Entrepreneurship Development Centre. Recommendations to the University beyond the Faculty of Business are also made.


Botswana has set itself the challenge of becoming an ‘innovative and prosperous nation’. The challenge appears daunting. The country has embarked on a journey to make the quantum jump to a country with world-class, high-growth companies by 2016. In contrast, at the time of independence in 1966 the country was a traditional hunter-gatherer village-based society. Accordingly, the education and development system required for Botswana's 21st century global citizen must extend to include identifying and developing job-makers: world-class entrepreneurs and innovators.


The principal focus of Botswana’s current formal education system seems mainly to educate job-takers for the public sector and larger companies. Furthermore, Botswana's impressive record of growth has not translated into socioeconomic transformation: "Over-dependence on diamonds, high unemployment levels and unacceptably high levels of poverty and inequality - both in terms of assets and income - are persistent problems." (Clover, 2003, p. 4). One approach to overcoming these persistent problems is to create an abundance of “grass roots” support for enterprising behavior throughout the nation.


The job-makers and wealth creators that Botswana requires are termed ‘serial innovators and entrepreneurs’. They are habitual and compulsive in their passion for innovation and creating substantial new enterprise. They are ‘weirdly wired’ people, who some might regard as ‘mad’ or ‘crazy’ in view of the risks they appear to take. However, these habitual innovators participate in leading substantial business and social change in the communities for which they create and provide new products or new service delivery systems. Furthermore, these entrepreneurs provide leadership in creating substantial forms of wealth - financial and/or social - from the new opportunities they identify, exploit, and grow into sustainable organisations.


A series of course topics is outlined for delivery as workshops and/or educational programmes through the proposed Entrepreneurship Development Centre. The course topics are directly linked to develop competencies required to embrace all elements of the entrepreneurial process model, developed by Bolton and Thompson (2001).


Furthermore, it is recommended that at least one of the three following courses are required to be studied by all students at the University of Botswana:

A strengths-based course in personal and professional career development;

Foundations of innovation and entrepreneurship;

New venture start-up project.


The most urgent recommendation is for the Faculty of Business to institutionalize formally a regular, monthly programme of 'real world learning adventures'. The format of these learning adventures was devised specifically for the Botswana context. The events are branded with the suggested name: Enterprise in Action™ (EIA). An EIA event focusses equally on business networking and knowledge exchange. Both business networking and knowledge exchange are crucial elements in aiding the success of entrepreneurs as they overcome the many obstacles that they experience in their pursuit of success. Three examples of ‘real world learning adventures’ were designed and implemented during the author’s four-month residence in the Botswana. The last adventure formed the pilot/prototype version for the Enterprise in Action format.


Many Batswana return to their homeland from study or work in foreign countries. They bring back knowledge, experience, and professional contacts to Botswana. However, a proportion of these returning Batswana are not deployed effectively upon their return home. Accordingly, one important opportunity is for a proportion of the Enterprise in Action programmes to focus on providing a networking opportunity to help the productive re-integration into Botswana business and community life of returning Batswana.


Fundamental to the success of the proposed initiatives is that the University of Botswana implements concurrently processes to identify and develop ‘entrepreneur enablers’. Entrepreneur enablers form a unique selection of teachers, consultants, advisors, and informal investors. Entrepreneur enablers intervene directly to help their ‘client entrepreneurs’ overcome obstacles, and build their entrepreneurial self-efficacy (Bolton and Thompson, 2004, 2006, Lucas and Cooper, 2004).


The full report outlines a  series of five Strategic Focus Areas (SFAs) as a basis for collaborative development of the entire University’s commitment to becoming an enterprising institution. The Strategic Focus Areas are chosen to ensure that the University of Botswana builds a robust, widespread, and significant core-competency in entrepreneurship development for business, technological, and social contexts. The five Strategic Focus Areas recommended for institutionalization are:


SFA 1: Business innovation and entrepreneurship.

SFA 2: Design, technology, and science-based innovation and entrepreneurship

SFA 3: Social sector innovation and entrepreneurship

SFA 4: Mass entrepreneurship

SFA 5: Entrepreneur enabler identification and development


Beyond these initiatives, the University should evolve the Entrepreneurship Development Centre and the other SFAs into a university-wide, world-class applied research and development centre focussing on innovation and enterprise development studies in the southern Africa region: A Centre for Innovation and Enterprise Development Studies.
"

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006a). Creating Enterprise in Extreme Environments: Strategic Leadership from an Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Botswana. Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571451/Creating_Enterprise_in_Extreme_Environments_Strategic_Leadership_from_an_Entrepreneurship_Development_Centre_at_the_University_of_Botswana

Related:

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006b, October 1). Case Study: Capacity building for entrepreneur enabling in southern Africa - International Indigenous Journal of Entrepreneurship, Advancement, Strategy and Education | Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P3-1247162911.html

Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). An extreme case: Two cases for enterprise development workshops in Botswana (Case and workshop notes). Auckland, NZ: Unitec New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NZCIE). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1513178

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Creating entrepreneurs in extreme environments: The case of Botswana. Advance, (Winter), 8–9.

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Fitness for purpose - Capacity building for enterprise development and entrepreneurship in southern Africa (Special issue on quality assurance in higher education). Lonaka - Bulletin of the Centre for Academic Development, University of Botswana, Botswana, 67–85. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571464/Fitness_for_purpose_-_Capacity_building_for_enterprise_development_and_entrepreneurship_in_southern_Africa_Special_issue_on_quality_assurance_in_higher_education_

"The government of Botswana has set itself the challenge of developing an “innovative and prosperous nation”. However, “an over-dependence on diamonds, high unemployment levels, and unacceptably high levels of poverty and inequality - both in terms of assets and income - are persistent problems.” (Clover, 2003) One approach to overcoming these problems is to create an abundance of “grass roots” support for enterprising behaviour throughout the nation. Unfortunately, the principal focus of Botswana’s current formal education system appears mainly to educate job-takers for the public sector and larger companies. Botswana’s formal higher education system is no longer 100 per cent “fit for the purpose” of developing the citizens that Botswana needs to create a prosperous future.

This articles introduces the issue of adapting higher education pedagogies, curriculum, and learning environments in order to provide for an abundance of enterprising behaviour in the Botswana and similar modernising contexts. Specifically, it presents a selection of the author’s experience designing, prototyping, and executing four capacity-building workshops for prospective entrepreneur- enablers whilst based at the University of Botswana, Gaborone. The workshops drew on several experiential learning methodologies. For example, the participants worked in problem-based learning teams focussed on providing practical advice to operating entrepreneurs for whom the author had prepared backgrounding ‘real life’ case studies. (Mellalieu, 2006a)

Through the workshop process, the participants recognised the value of the problem-based learning approach. For instance, they developed confidence in providing advice beyond their subject speciality. The experience of running the first three workshops lead to the design of a robust, scaleable programme format for a four-hour networking and knowledge exchange workshop - branded as Enterprise in Action (TM). Subsequently, one pilot for the Enterprise in Action workshop format was tested and received enthusiastic response from the participants to continue with its presentation as a regular event.

Botswana has an urgent need to create an enterprising culture. As a pre-requisite to achieving this outcome, an abundance of competent entrepreneur-enablers must be identified and developed throughout the country. The successful trial of the Enterprise in Action format lays a tested founda- tion for pursuing this initiative. Several other recommendations are made for re-orienting the university’s resources and pedagogies towards building a successful, enterprising nation through higher education."

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Fitness for purpose - Capacity building for enterprise development and entrepreneurship in southern Africa (Special issue on quality assurance in higher education). Lonaka - Bulletin of the Centre for Academic Development, University of Botswana, Botswana, 67–85. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571464/Fitness_for_purpose_-_Capacity_building_for_enterprise_development_and_entrepreneurship_in_southern_Africa_Special_issue_on_quality_assurance_in_higher_education_

Further information:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006a). Creating Enterprise in Extreme Environments: Strategic Leadership from an Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Botswana. Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571451/Creating_Enterprise_in_Extreme_Environments_Strategic_Leadership_from_an_Entrepreneurship_Development_Centre_at_the_University_of_Botswana

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006b, October 1). Case Study: Capacity building for entrepreneur enabling in southern Africa - International Indigenous Journal of Entrepreneurship, Advancement, Strategy and Education | Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P3-1247162911.html

Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). An extreme case: Two cases for enterprise development workshops in Botswana (No. Case and workshop notes). Auckland, NZ: Unitec New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NZCIE). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1513178

How does a young, “peripheral” country develop the cultural infrastructure - the myths and stories - it needs to inspire creation of the heroic forces for creating successful enterprises in a hypercompetitive, globalising world? The article presents the ‘first act’ of the true story of the establishment and early challenges faced by an ambitious new venture, New Zealand-based Pacific Lithium Limited (PLL), and its founding entrepreneur, Robin Johannink. Somewhat untypical for a formal business case report, the structure of the story presented here is strongly informed by Vogler’s (1998) “mythic structure of the heroic journey” and inspired by de Jong’s (1999) application of the mythic structure to what he notes as the heroic task of establishing a new business enterprise. The second part of the article presents observations drawn from the Pacific Lithium story, and outlines our approaches for extending the learning one can make from contemporary heroic tales of enterprise such as the one presented here. The author concludes that de Jong appears quite correct when he suggests that “as a scalable, replicable piece of social code, [the mythic structure of the heroic journey] could be as profound as the biological code Watson and Crick found in DNA” (de Jong, p. 159)

Related:
Mellalieu, P. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2001). New Myths for a Very New World: The Mythic Journey as a Basis for Learning About Entrepreneurial Start-Ups. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Thinking. Auckland, NZ. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1465816/New_Myths_for_a_Very_New_World_The_Mythic_Journey_as_a_Basis_for_Learning_About_Entrepreneurial_Start-Ups

Slightly larger in area than the United Kingdom, New Zealand is the world's most isolated country. Its closest eastern neighbour is Chile, more than 9000 kilometres away. To the west, it takes more than three hours' flight to reach Sydney or Melbourne. Consequently, one might imagine that given a population of 2.4 million adults, New Zealand could hardly survive on its domestic market alone and that, therefore, its entrepreneurs would immediately become globalised. Although New Zealand has a competitive, open economy its real per capita income has fallen from the highest ranking during the 1950s to twentieth in OECD rankings by 1999. Although the NZ economy grew, other developed countries grew more rapidly.

To build a vibrant economy and regain a high OECD ranking, NZ must quickly adapt to the changing international environment. It needs to be innovative in everything it does so that the disadvantages of market size and distance from international markets are more than compensated for by the difference it brings to products and processes. To earn first-world incomes, the NZ economy needs to have a global reach and overcome the constraints of being a small country located in the South Pacific. Perhaps the ideal type of NZ-based international entrepreneur would be an e-commerce venture that goes international at birth. To do so requires prodigious amounts of innovation, risk-taking behaviour, and entrepreneurial talent. Do New Zealanders possess these capabilities? These matters are the subject of this chapter.

"Use of New Product Development (NPD) methods may benefit New Zealand SMEs and entrepreneurial firms in gaining greater market share. In this paper we review the literature on New Product Development, NPD theory and methods for early stage product design and development. Our reading suggests that product design has greater success when the customer is involved in the design effort. It also recommends methods of approach to new markets in the (NPD) life cycle. The literature further elucidates methods for identification of product design criteria based on customer needs identification. In essence, customer-product interaction in the early stages of product development is important to product success in new markets for entrepreneurial firms and SMEs. Of particular interest are early-stage NPD research methods and their influence on the company’s marketing strategy.

Coleman, E. B., Frederick, H., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2005). Customer-oriented New Product Development (NPD) models for entrepreneurial firms. In Creating an Entrepreneurial Nation: The Role of Enterprise and Innovation, International Research Conference (pp. 1–1). University of Waikato. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1513318/Customer-Product_Interaction_-_A_Model_for_New_Product_Development_in_Entrepreneurial_Firms


See Also:
Coleman, E. B., Frederick, H., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Customer-Product Interaction - A Model for New Product Development in Entrepreneurial Firms. In Third AGSE International Entrepreneurship Research Exchange (AIREX-2006). Auckland: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1513318/Customer-Product_Interaction_-_A_Model_for_New_Product_Development_in_Entrepreneurial_Firms
"

How can educators construct assessment schemes that encourage students to deliver innovative performance whilst adopting managed risk taking?


The presentation reports on the pedagogical approach that was taken to ensure that a new course - 152.334 Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity - practised what it preached. Students (learning partners) were given a wide range of choice in terms of both the genre and format of assignments that they created for the course. They were encouraged to be experimental through the teacher’s adoption of a grading regime that rewarded equally: content, presentation, process, and reflective learning.

Peter Mellalieu introduces a new course in February 2012 comprising part of the Unitec Master of Business, MBus.

What is innovation? What do we need innovation? … Is innovation more than inventing an unconventional product, or creating a new service or process?

How do innovations get created? … What are the factors associated with success and failure?

What are the roles of leadership, enterprise, creativity, and design in the process of innovation?

Do you have ‘the right stuff’ to innovate an enterprise? …. Are you motivated to ‘make a difference’?

This short video (3 min) introduces several propositions that begin a journey towards answering these questions.

During the 1970s several countries sought to increase their exports of manufactured products and services. New Zealand’s economic strategy has included this objective. By 1976 export of manufactured products had reached $431.9 million (19 per cent of total exports, $NZ in 1976 values). This level was a substantial increase from the $158.8 million of exports in 1971 (14 per cent of exports). Most exporters of these products and services focussed their attention on finding markets in Australia and the Pacific islands. Subsequently they ventured into America, Europe, and Asia. Throughout these developments exporters have received financial incentives and assistance from the Trade Services Division of the NZ Department of Trade and Industry, and through trade commissioners based in overseas markets.

The increasing commitment of manufacturers to exporting has attracted interest in understanding the attitudes and behaviors of firms in respect of specific decisions and their decision processes. By 1977 there were approximately 2000 manufacturing firms which were active in exporting. The growth of manufacturers’ involvement in exporting has been paralleled by the provision of a range of government export services based in New Zealand and overseas. The major advisory services offered by the government were those of the Trade Services Division and the Trade Commissioner Service [in 2012, now conducted by TradeNZ]. The work of these two agencies includes: trade policy; trade promotion, and commercial intelligence. Specific services include: negotiating access for NZ products in overseas markets; conducting market surveys; assessment of the sales potential for a specific product; export planning advice; establishment of business contacts; advice on tariffs and quotas; advice on the appointment of agents and distributors; organisation of trade fairs and exhibitions; publicizing of overseas tenders; and advice on shipping and export finance.

The study reported in this paper was initiated to assess the attitudes of current exporters to the foregoing government export services and assessing their relative use of these services. Furthermore, a current profile of the export marketing behaviour of individual firms was determined. The study explores the propositions that: (1) companies who believe government should be involved in the development of exporting will be more frequent users of government export services; (2) companies with a better knowledge of the export assistance activities of government will be more satisfied with the assistance they receive; and (3) companies that are more frequent users of government export services will be more satisfied with tyne help they receive. Suggestions are made about how government services to exporters might better meet the needs of exporters.

How does a high technology enterprise based in a remote, small sector economy raise over $US 10 million from 600 shareholders for an ambitious new venture that challenges global corporations, and relies for its success on the creation of a market for the electric-powered motor vehicle – a product hitherto offering few – if any – consumer advantages over the ubiquitous fossil fuel-powered vehicle?

The New Zealand venture capital market has in recent years faced a ‘bad press’, with many business and political leaders complaining at the dearth of capital made available by banks and other financial institutions for the foundation of small scale, high technology enterprise. Accordingly, the founders of Pacific Lithium Limited (PLL), resorted to ‘walking the streets and knocking on doors’. PLL eventually built up a loyal shareholder ‘family’ whose members included a diverse mix including a prestigious Japanese trading corporation, Nisho Iwai, the Singapore Government, several high-profile domestic businessmen and a gaggle of what initially appear to be ordinary New Zealand folk.

The article reports on a survey of the shareholder investors in PLL, a technology-based startup company whose foundation was reported in PECNZSM Vol 1, No 1, 1999. The survey identifies the demographic profiles of the shareholders, why and how they went about investing in PLL, and their attitudes to technology-based risk-venture investments in general. The article concludes with implications of the research for investors, entrepreneurs and Government policy makers – and speculates on the implications for investors of the NZSE’s New Capital Market due to be launched in mid-2000.

Note:
This article accompanies a series of cases. For a Case Resource library providing see:

Mellalieu, P. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

Citation:
Willis, A., Mellalieu, P. J., & Emerson, L. (2000). Walking the Streets: Shareholder Profiles and  Perspectives on a High Technology Startup Company. In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1). Canterbury University, Christchurch: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1465814/

This presentation is based on the more extensive papers:

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006a). Creating Enterprise in Extreme Environments: Strategic Leadership from an Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Botswana (p. 67). Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://web.me.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/18_Creating_enterprise_in_extreme_environments__Strategic_leadership_from_an_entrepreneurship_development_centre_at_the_University_of_Botswana.html

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006b). Fitness for purpose - Capacity building for enterprise development and entrepreneurship in southern Africa (Special issue on quality assurance in higher education). Lonaka - Bulletin of the Centre for Academic Development, University of Botswana, Botswana, 67–85. Retrieved from http://web.me.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2006/10/2_Fitness_for_purpose__Capacity-building_for_enterprise_development_and_entrepreneurship_in_southern_Africa.html

When we think of Botswana we think immediately of the country’s immense natural beauty and spectacular wildlife. World-class entrepreneurship is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Unitec Associate Professor Peter Mellalieu is improving this situation.

Botswana is a southern African country of 1.7 million people in a land-locked area twice the size of New Zealand. New Zealanders may know the country for its tourist destinations such as
the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert. Botswana rightly prides itself as the most stable democracy in sub-Saharan Africa. To some extent, this stability has derived from a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption.

Following independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, the country had the good fortune to discover abundant mineral wealth in the form of diamonds. However, the country’s leaders now recognise that once the “easy wealth” from diamonds is exhausted, new forms of wealth creation will be required. These new forms will be based on human endeavour, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

For a more extensive report, see:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Creating Enterprise in Extreme Environments: Strategic Leadership from an Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Botswana (p. 67). Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://web.me.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/18_Creating_enterprise_in_extreme_environments__Strategic_leadership_from_an_entrepreneurship_development_centre_at_the_University_of_Botswana.html

Can you really teach someone to be an entrepreneur? It is a job with highly individual traits such as ambition, optimism, risk-taking and a sense of urgency. Universities are focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship as the Government looks to small and medium enterprises to deliver jobs and economic growth. Professor Howard Frederick, director of the New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Unitec, says you probably cannot teach people to be entrepreneurs. But part of the solution lies in education and training, he says. "In New Zealand there is an emphasis on management whereas at Unitec we teach people to be employers rather than employees." With the right programme students can learn new entrepreneurial skills. An entrepreneur takes innovation and gives it a commercial application, but it is rare that one person performs both roles. So what does that mean for New Zealand - counted in the Bartercard New Zealand GEM report among the most entrepreneurial countries in the world - and with its reputation for No 8 wire innovation? We may be so blessed but that has not translated into sufficient growth to sustain living standards on a par with Australia. Frederick's research for the New Zealand arm of the global GEM study shows New Zealand entrepreneurs often lack a sense of urgency about growth. "If the country is to get ahead ... we need to take entrepreneurship more seriously."

"In October 2011, a team of business students from Unitec Institute of Technology presented a workshop introducing pupils at Nga Kakano o te Kaihanga Trust school (Nga Kakano School) to the principles of business finance and law. The highly interactive workshop engaged the school pupils to such an extent that the Principal, Te Rangi Allen, invited Unitec teacher Peter Mellalieu and his student Aroha Vause to explore how business education could be introduced into the Nga Kakano School’s educational programme.

As a precursor to pursuing the initiative for introducing what later became known as ‘Education for Enterprise’ (E4E) into the school, Vause and Mellalieu conducted an assessment of the broader development issues facing the school, informed by the principles of Strategic Audit (Mellalieu, 1992). This article presents the issues as identified in October 2011, and outlines the subsequent progress towards addressing the issues through implementation of selected strategic development initiatives."

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J., Vause, A., Coleman, E. B., & Kearns, N. (2014). Education for enterprise at Nga Kakano school: A case study for reducing youth disadvantage [Presentation proposal]. In 59th Annual Conference, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. Dublin: International Council for Small Business (ICSB). Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/5911503/Education_for_enterprise_at_Nga_Kakano_school_A_case_study_for_reducing_youth_disadvantage

Citation:
"Mellalieu, P., & Vause, A. (2012, March 17). Advancing educational outcomes through Education for Enterprise in a Maori/Pacifika school: The case of Nga Kakano Christian Reo Rua Kura Part ONE: Strategic development issues. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved March 17, 2012, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/19444076798/advancing-educational-outcomes-through-education-for"

Examines the definitions, functions, organisation and production technology of the small business, as an aid to guiding improvements in their productivity. Particularly relevant to the context of small business development in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s.

Network optimisation techniques are easy to use and can solve large optimization problems quickly when compared with techniques such as Linear Programming. By the early 1980s, network optimization techniques had been developed, extended, and applied to a far wider range of problems than the earlier Out-of-Kilter network optimization algorithm. For example, through the incorporation of LP-like side constraints, and flow gains and losses. This paper describes these developments from the perspective of the operations research/ modelling practitioner rather than the algorithmist. Several practical applications to agribusiness and the criminal justice system are used to illustrate the capability of the new network optimisation algorithms.

Citation:
Kearney, T. D., Hall, K. R., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1984). Recent Advances in Network Optimization Methods and Applications. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569500/Recent_Advances_in_Network_Optimization_Methods_and_Applications

The paper describes the development of the first application of Expert Systems (artificial intelligence) technology to agriculture in New Zealand. Specifically, a prototype expert system is described that was designed with the ultimate intention to provide lay people, such as farmers, to identify the cause of crop damage in agricultural crops and indicate possible treatments. The specific expert system was 'taught' to identify 22 diseases in 16 types of wheat and 13 diseases in 23 types of barley. The advantages of using the expert system approach are outlined. The history of how the new technology was introduced to New Zealand's agricultural research and advisory services agencies is detailed.

"The paper explores policy proposals for raising the quality of products and services manufactured and/or offered for sale in New Zealand. The context for the study was that New Zealand manufacturers operated under a highly-protected regime of import quota, import licensing, and tariff protection. Consequently, several studies remarked on the inferior quality of product and service delivered in New Zealand compared with overseas markets.

Discusses the rationale for improving quality for reasons such as safety, value for money, resource conservation, export promotion and design aesthetics. Explores the interplay of public and private sector legislation including the Sale of Goods Act, Consumer Information Act, and Commerce Act. Examines the role and interplay of institutions concerned with quality improvement including the Consumers Institute, the Standards Association of New Zealand, the Industrial Design Council, and other interest groups including the NZ Manufacturers Federation and Retailers Federation.

A forensic analysis of government expenditures pertaining to consumer protection and the improvement of industry and commerce identifies a grave imbalance in favor of NZ-based manufacturing in contrast to consumer protection. Recommends redressing the imbalance through raising the real value of government grants to the NZ Standards Association, Industrial Design Council, and Consumers Institute with a focus on raining the demand sophistication of retailers and end-consumers. Advocates that quality-related legislation should be given more ‘bite’, for example through compulsory adoption of elected national standards, and adoption of legislation based on the US Consumer Product Safety Act. Recommends increasing the range of technical and educational training in quality management to cope with the requirements of both large scale multi-nationals and the more common small-medium enterprise prevalent in New Zealand."

Citation:
"Mellalieu, P. J. (1976, November). Improving the quality of goods produced in New Zealand (Year paper for Policy Analysis, Master of Public Policy). Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand."

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1978). The Management of Quality. Wellington, New Zealand: Productivity Centre, Department of Trade & Industry. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569521/The_Management_of_Quality

Mellalieu, P. J. (1978). Case study: Total Quality Control at W Graham Hitchins Ltd. Productivity & Technology, NZ Department of Trade & Industry, 1(78), 8–10. http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571203/Case_study_Total_Quality_Control_at_W_Graham_Hitchins_Ltd

Introduces a practical approach to managing the quality of products and services throughout the entire value chain from design through delivery and service. Focusses especially on the needs of small-medium enterprise and short-run manufacturing or bespoke services.

Citation:
"Mellalieu, P. J. (1978). The Management of Quality. Wellington, New Zealand: Productivity Centre, Department of Trade & Industry.

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1978). Case study: Total Quality Control at W Graham Hitchins Ltd. Productivity & Technology, NZ Department of Trade & Industry, 1(78), 8–10. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571203/Case_study_Total_Quality_Control_at_W_Graham_Hitchins_Ltd"

Mellalieu, P. J. (1976, November). Improving the quality of goods produced in New Zealand (Year paper for Policy Analysis, Master of Public Policy). Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1579713/Improving_the_quality_of_goods_produced_in_New_Zealand

Provides illustration of one problem brought to an industrial problem solving consultancy workshop held at Massey University. The particular problem concerned the manufacture of casein using the process of acidifying milk using a bacterial colony. For production planning purposes it was desirable to either reduce the variation in total acidification time, or predict when the acidification process would compete. The paper identifies sources of variation, such as milk temperature, milk quality, and initial bacterial concentration. The paper is a comprehensive, practical example of how experimental observations and mathematics can be applied to achieve the objectives of an industrial process.

How do you create a system for orchestrating the generation, collection, evaluation, and implementation of novel ideas in a 2000-person corporate enterprise?


In 2006, Elizabeth COLEMAN was recruited to introduce innovation processes within IAG: the  Insurance Australia Group in New Zealand.

Beth joined IAG following her post-graduate studies in business innovation and entrepreneurship at Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland.


Beth began her career in product innovation at Texas Instruments in California, migrating her skills from her earlier teaching career in Boston. The move into information technology led Beth to develop new customer engagement programs for ComputerLand (US), Microsoft, Texas Instruments, and AutoCAD.


An invitation to join ComputerLand (New Zealand) as a specialist technology expert brought her to New Zealand in the mid-80s.  Later joining Telecom as manager of their Information Technology Support division broadened her knowledge of new business and systems development and advanced her interest in business innovation and intrapreneurship.


Beth has led several consulting teams that assisted businesses to design new systems, processes and structures informed by market research.


YOUR MISSION

Now Beth is charged with massively expanding her IAG IDEA Pipeline from its pilot deployment for a small cluster of passionate users throughout the entire IAG corporation. Beth invites your ideas.

Data obtained by remote sensing systems, including multispectral scanners carried on satellites or aircraft, can be used for crop and biomass inventory, monitoring, and forecasting. Pilot projects have demonstrated the potential application of these technologies in New Zealand. If the planned acquisition of a receiving station for digital satellite imagery commences in 1985, this should allow New Zealand agricultural researchers and planners to take advantage of the new technology by 1988.

Recent advances in information technology have enabled the application of simulation models for the prediction of crop responses to a wide range of environmental and management effects. Development of such models may help to minimize risky, costly, and time consuming trial-and-error evaluation of agronomic innovations in the wheat industry.

A prototype computer-based ‘expert system’ has been developed that can assist the identification and treatment of wheat diseases. This technology offers improved quality and timeliness of advice which would help reduce crop losses and wastage of fungicides. Further research on this system could add more disease, symptom, and other information to assist at earlier decision-making stages in crop management.

Most industries face production patterns that vary to some extent with the seasons of the year - or even the hours of the day. These seasonal variations result in the requirement to construct excess processing and/or logistics capacity for peak periods, and/or to hold final product inventory produced during off-peak periods. In general, these peak supply variations increase the cost per unit of output.

This study explores the tactical and strategic implications for raw material supply-side management in the New Zealand dairy industry as an illustrative case. We focus attention particularly on the costs and opportunities for managing supply ('smoothing the flush') in the New Zealand dairy industry.

The study presents data showing that the market value of product produced by a typical multi-facility, multi-process dairy company is lowest during the flush supply period. The market value increases markedly in off-peak months as the processing company possesses the flexibility to allocate its raw material to a the most profit-bearing products - an option not available at the capacity-constrained 'flush' point.

The study argues that the New Zealand dairy industry could increase net industry profitability through adopting a (fortnightly?) pricing system for milk received from dairy farmers that reflects the actual net value achievable from the processing of milk at different periods throughout the production season. The recommendation would likely lead to (a) higher average capacity utilisation of dairy processing facilities (b) adjustments to on-farm operations as sub-regional groups of farmers arranged their production to peak earlier or later than the regional industry norm.

For source data used in this presentation, see:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1982). A Decision Support System for Corporate Planning in the New Zealand Dairy Industry (Doctor of Philosophy in mathematics, statistics and operations research). Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10063/568

"In 1983, the author undertook a period of post-doctoral study based in the operations research departments at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Lancaster University, England. The objectives of the overseas study were to report on practical developments in using systems technologies applied to planning activities. Of special concern was the application of such techniques to strategic planning and R&D planning. The report details the itinerary of the tour, observations, and recommendations.

The important developments observed were:

In business situations there is a strong emphasis in providing computer-based end-user oriented systems often using graphics and microcomputers

Artificial intelligence approaches, especially expert systems have already begun to be used by industrial practitioners.

In the United States, research into the planning and operation of flexible manufacturing systems (such as networks of robots) is a topic of high concern amongst operations researchers.

Strategic management is developing a strong discipline in its own right, with traditional operations research techniques being viewed as one of many available analytical tools.

The availability of both software and hardware computer technologies far exceeds the capacity of even large organisations to identify where the technology could be applied, what benefits might occur and how to adopt the technology.

The report recommends that New Zealand’s principle industrial and scientific organisation (DSIR) should play a major role in encouraging the construction of a ‘knowledge infrastructure’ that facilitates effective communication of technological know-how between national knowledge centers. The first generation of such an infrastructure are now emerging, but in a fragmented fashion. DSIR’s attention should focus on the strategic specification of the knowledge infrastructure needed by New Zealand in 1990. This specification will then identify pilot projects that should be commissioned over the next five years to provide the necessary base of experience for the detailed systems design. The report details specific proposals for achieving the recommendations."

Citation:
"Mellalieu, P. J. (1983). In search of optimality: A systems technologist goes east. Overseas study report. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)."

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1985). Some New Directions in Systems Modeling Practice. New Zealand Journal of Technology, 1(4), 223–238.

Kearney, T. D., Hall, K. R., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1984). Recent Advances in Network Optimization Methods and Applications. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569500/Recent_Advances_in_Network_Optimization_Methods_and_Applications

The trend of operations research/management science activity towards the construction of models that will be used recurrently for decision making leads naturally towards the concept of Decision Support Systems (DSS). Factors influencing this trend are identified, and the movement towards DSS construction in New Zealand is reviewed through examination of several successful NZ applications.

To meet the demand for more formal approaches to strategic planning the idea of a Decision Support Group is introduced. A brief examination beyond DSS is made in which it is suggested that more automated methods for implementing management decisions will complete the ‘management control’ cycle.

Systems modeling has an accepted role in improving decision-making within industrial organisations. The effectiveness of systems modeling is being improved through deepening of existing theoretical knowledge; transferring expertise to new application areas; and acquiring and applying new concepts. This paper focuses primarily on the last approach, dealing particularly with the potential offered by ‘expert systems’ and ‘electronic text book’ technologies. An introduction to these technologies is given with specific case study detail.

"A Decision Support System (DSS) is described, the prime objective of which is to aid in the location of new investments in a multi-site, multi-product dairy processing company. A network program model is described which optimises the collection of milk from farm groups (netcells) and the allocation of the milk to a range of final products and byproducts through consideration of product prices, Process costs and transport costs. Constraints include process capacities, overtime capacities, and final product demands. Site dependant product yields are considered through use of an iteration procedure surrounding the network model. This procedure updates estimates of the mean company yield used to set upper and lower arc constraints in the product demand phase of the network model.

Milk tanker collection distances are estimated by an expected travelling salesman distance method in conjunction with accurately measured netcell to factory 'bridging distances' and an inter-factory diversion network of road distances. To cope with daily fixed cost charges, a heuristic procedure employing cost relaxations and a number of pre-solution feasibility tests is used. Seasonally varying factors (milk supply, product yield and farms visited per tanker trip) are accommodated by solving the network model for the average day in each month for twelve months, then summing the results multiplied by the number of production days in each month. Implementation as a DSS was facilitated through use of an interactive computer system incorporating computer-generated graphic displays.

Applications of the DSS to location planning, industry rationalization and other corporate planning activities are described. Recommendations on the use of the model to identify the feasible set of candidates for location studies are made, and methods for identifying the appropriate timing of investments are considered.

Keyword: Corporate planning; Network program system; Operations research; Corporate support; Dairy processing; Dairying planning; 230117 Operations Research; 230299 Statistics"

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1982). A Decision Support System for Corporate Planning in the New Zealand Dairy Industry, Doctor of Philosophy in mathematics, statistics and operations research,. Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

Related see:
Mellalieu, P. J., & Hall, K. R. (1983). An Interactive Planning Model for the New Zealand Dairy Industry. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 34, 521–532. doi:10.1057/jors.1983.119

Mellalieu, P. J. (2010). Smoothing seasonal resource supply in land-based industries: Economic and technical impacts of “smoothing the flush” in New Zealand dairy milk production and processing. Presented at the Unitec Learning, Teaching, and Research Symposium, Auckland, NZ: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1590071/Smoothing_seasonal_resource_supply_in_land-based_industries_Economic_and_technical_impacts_of_smoothing_the_flush_in_New_Zealand_dairy_milk_production_and_processing

Mellalieu, P. J., & Houlistan, M. (1982). Towards decision support systems in New Zealand. Proceedings of the Operations Research Society of New Zealand (ORSNZ), 99–106.

Kearney, T. D., Hall, K. R., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1984). Recent Advances in Network Optimization Methods and Applications. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569500/Recent_Advances_in_Network_Optimization_Methods_and_Applications

Enderwick and Templeton presented an overview of the nature of modern management theory and practice. They demonstrated that science management today is concerned with matters far beyond the traditional areas of the science administrator, such as book keeping, accounts, paying wages, ordering stores, and filing paper. They also showed how the disciplines of management theory and practice have developed well beyond those of the late 19th and 20th centuries. The theories then extant were oriented towards the planning, organisation, leadership, and control of large-scale, mass-production enterprises producing a limited number of products for mass distribution, in periods of market growth.

By the early 1990s, New Zealand had neared completion of the first stage of a management revolution presenting the country with a clearer view of the economic activities that the country might be capable of pursuing competitively into the 21st century. With that clarity, New Zealand began embarking on the second phase of its management revolution, establishing the basis for producing the skills and knowledge necessary to create future services and products. To achieve that task requires a new breed of science manager, competent not only in science, but also contemporary management theory and practice.

Reviews highlights of the conference 'Management of dynamic systems in agriculture' at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) Physics and Engineering Laboratory (PEL). My attendance at this conference led to my recruitment to PEL to undertake my doctoral studies.

See subsequent:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1982). A Decision Support System for Corporate Planning in the New Zealand Dairy Industry (Doctor of Philosophy in mathematics, statistics and operations research). Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10063/568

Mellalieu, P. J., & Hall, K. R. (1983). An Interactive Planning Model for the New Zealand Dairy Industry. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 34, 521–532. doi:10.1057/jors.1983.119

Kearney, T. D., Hall, K. R., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1984). Recent Advances in Network Optimization Methods and Applications. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Presented at the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569500/Recent_Advances_in_Network_Optimization_Methods_and_Applications

The New Zealand pipfruit industry takes around twenty years to develop a new apple variety up to full commercial production. The industry’s success is increasingly dependent on the introduction of new pipfruit products. How can the industry plan for effective research, science, and technology (RS&T) investments for supplying products into an international marketplace which is increasingly volatile?

The future success and economic viability of the New Zealand pipfruit industry depends on innovation: the introduction of new or improved products, processes and services to meet the needs of both existing and new customers. The strategic plan described focuses on opportunities for Research and Development (R&D) to help achieve premium returns from New Zealand's fresh pipfruit exports. The plan provides strategic direction to research users, funders, and providers. The plan excludes consideration of processed pipfruit products.

The project team asked the question "What are the critical issues affecting R&D-based innovation in the New Zealand pipfruit industry?" In response to the question nine critical issues were identified. The issues impact on the industry's R&D investments and research management infrastructure. In considering the nine issues four strategic R&D goal areas were identified: (1) Improving the timeliness and cost-effectiveness of new product and process development; (2) Advancing the adoption of environmentally-sustainable production, handling, and delivery practices in relation to market access requirements; (3) Optimizing market returns through improved prediction and control of product quality; (4) Adopting investment-informed approaches to R&D management, technology transfer, and intellectual property management. The plan identifies specific goals and measures of success for each of the goal areas identified.

If strategic planning is to have a valuable impact on an organization's performance, dispassionate analysis of the plan is obligatory. In a limited context, auditing the strategic plan involves examining the extent to which the plan is being implemented as originally conceived. In a broader context, strategic auditing should also help to identify improvements to the strategic management process itself so the internal auditor might audit: the process used, the plan immediately after it is produced and its implementation three to six months later, and the control and regulatory systems in place to ensure the process is effective.

During the 1970s several countries sought to increase their exports of manufactured products and services. New Zealand’s economic strategy has included this objective. By 1976 export of manufactured products had reached $431.9 million (19 per cent of total exports, $NZ in 1976 values). This level was a substantial increase from the $158.8 million of exports in 1971 (14 per cent of exports). Most exporters of these products and services focussed their attention on finding markets in Australia and the Pacific islands. Subsequently they ventured into America, Europe, and Asia. Throughout these developments exporters have received financial incentives and assistance from the Trade Services Division of the NZ Department of Trade and Industry, and through trade commissioners based in overseas markets.

The increasing commitment of manufacturers to exporting has attracted interest in understanding the attitudes and behaviors of firms in respect of specific decisions and their decision processes. By 1977 there were approximately 2000 manufacturing firms which were active in exporting. The growth of manufacturers’ involvement in exporting has been paralleled by the provision of a range of government export services based in New Zealand and overseas. The major advisory services offered by the government were those of the Trade Services Division and the Trade Commissioner Service [in 2012, now conducted by TradeNZ]. The work of these two agencies includes: trade policy; trade promotion, and commercial intelligence. Specific services include: negotiating access for NZ products in overseas markets; conducting market surveys; assessment of the sales potential for a specific product; export planning advice; establishment of business contacts; advice on tariffs and quotas; advice on the appointment of agents and distributors; organisation of trade fairs and exhibitions; publicizing of overseas tenders; and advice on shipping and export finance.

The study reported in this paper was initiated to assess the attitudes of current exporters to the foregoing government export services and assessing their relative use of these services. Furthermore, a current profile of the export marketing behaviour of individual firms was determined. The study explores the propositions that: (1) companies who believe government should be involved in the development of exporting will be more frequent users of government export services; (2) companies with a better knowledge of the export assistance activities of government will be more satisfied with the assistance they receive; and (3) companies that are more frequent users of government export services will be more satisfied with tyne help they receive. Suggestions are made about how government services to exporters might better meet the needs of exporters.

An internationally-renowned basic biological science laboratory was faced with diminishing financial support and demands from its stake-holder for more relevant research and increased technology transfer. The case describes the introduction of strategic thinking to a government-funded research laboratory, Applied Biochemistry Division (ABD), as New Zealand entered the early stages of radical public sector reform (“Rogernomics”) in the mid 1980s.


The case outlines the process and results of the strategic orientation process conducted with laboratory staff that established the foundation for a new institutional mission, strategy, and structure. The mission of ABD was defined as being “To create and sustain the foundation of basic science and expertise needed to establish and develop the biochemical, biotechnology, food, and agricultural industries in New Zealand, and to identify and solve significant national problems in those industries by the communication and application of that knowledge and expertise.” In 1987 organisation later became known as DSIR Biotechnology Division until it was substantially restructured to become part of a new, much larger Crown Research Institute (CRI).

A long-range planning model for a large New Zealand dairy company is described. Aspects of the model’s systems design are discussed in relation to the development of an interactive user-oriented system. The system, known as NETPLAN is based on a network flow formulation that maximizes net variable revenues.

Describes the key strategic issues facing the directors of the Manawatu Community Arts Centre Trust Board, the gov- erning agency for the Square Edge Creative Centre: Reducing sponsorship; Lack of strong arts focus and synergy; Poor profitability of retail tenants’ operations; A ‘busy board’ engaged excessively in operational management details, and; Location in an historically significant, but unrefurbished building.

Explores alternative futures, and outlines the basis for a new role and strategy for the centre founded on the idea of becoming (1) the city’s ‘window on the community’s arts, recreation, and culture’ - the first stop for new residents, tourists, students, and long term visitors who wish to learn about and participate in our community’s recreational, arts and cultural activities; and (2) an ‘enterprise incubator’ for a synergistic cluster of arts, culture, design, and related rec- reational activities.

Concludes with the presentation of several strategic themes which are recommended as policy guides for the Board’s activities towards fulfilling the new role: Modernise the the centre’s vision and role; Institute a strategically-focused governing board, and a policy-driven operations management team; ‘Balance the Books’ for operating the centre; En- hance marketing communications between the centre and its key sponsors, friends, tenants and regular users; Improve the profitability of the centre’s tenants and key users; Modernise the centre’s performance, exhibition, and retail envi- ronment in the most important areas in a manner which reflects and reinforces the new role for the centre, and; Selec- tively recruit and develop tenants and key users who can contribute most directly to the realisation of the centre’s new vision.

A Delphi survey of proficient information technology staff and students at a mixed-mode university identified features for a vision for the 'information technology' expereince of business studies students. The study, conducted in 1990, identified the need for: university-established computer network facilities that would facilitate both student-student and staff-student computer-mediated communication; 'Connection Centres' (hubs) located throughout the university campuses that would enable students to connect their portable computers to the university network; and a students' information technology users' club.

The improving performance/price ratio of personal computers implied the prospect of students purchasing or hiring their own computer systems. The Delphi respondents recommended that standards for hardware and software should enable students to select their systems from a wide range of options. This latter recommendation has important implications for the design of student assignments and network connection standards.

Reviewing progress four years after the initial study (conducted in 1990), the university has established the first element neccessary for the implementation of the vision, the establishment of an email system for extramural students.

"A major study released from the Department of Business Administration at Victoria University found that the major benefits expected to be gained by exporters in 1977-78 were, in order of importance, overall increased profitability; growth in sales opportunities; longer production runs; improved cash flows; risk reduction through market diversification; and exposure to new ideas and practices.

The study of the exportport attitudes and directions of a range of manufacturing firms was undertaken by Professor David Cullwick, Professor of Marketing, and Mr Peter Mellalieu. The project is one of several completed as part of an export marketing research programme that commenced in 1973. Information was obtained from 185 firms covering a wide range of types and sizes, accounting for $316 million in exports ($NZ 1978) employing 60,580 persons.

Based on detailed analysis of respondents’ use of external and government export the study recommended specific practices that could improve the utility of government services to exporters. The improvements recommended include: greater publicity of the activities performed by the Department of Trade and Industry to exporters and potential exporters; clear identification of specialist staff for key problems such as joint ventures and licensing agreements; a greater emphasis on commercially-oriented training and development programmes for existing staff including courses in export marketing, marketing management, and general business administration; greater personal contact between department staff and client companies; short-term personnel exchanges between business and government."

Citation:
"Cullwick, T. D. C., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1978). Profitability, sales opportunities and government support - Key business expectations in export effort. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Business Administration, Victoria University of Wellington."

A long-term planning model for a large New Zealand dairy company is described. The model presents an integrated view of the company's operation, including transportation and processing. The model used is based on a network formulation, NETPLAN, developed by the authors to carry out the optimisation. NETPLAN is highly flexible, interactive and provides graphical output of the results. The optimisation maximises net revenue based on product prices, variable process costs and variable transport costs subject to factory capacity, product demand and raw material supply constraints.

See also
Mellalieu, P. J. (1982). A Decision Support System for Corporate Planning in the New Zealand Dairy Industry (Doctor of Philosophy in mathematics, statistics and operations research). Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1465817.

"The context for the need to construct an interactive model of a large New Zealand dairy company is described. The practical aspects of developing the hardware and software necessary for the decision support task are discussed followed by application examples. Comments are made regarding the combination of human judgement skills and mathematical models. Finally, some future developments of the NETPLAN system are outlined.

See also:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1982). A Decision Support System for Corporate Planning in the New Zealand Dairy Industry (Doctor of Philosophy in mathematics, statistics and operations research). Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10063/568 or from http://www.academia.edu/1465817


Mellalieu, P. J., & Hall, K. R. (1983). An Interactive Planning Model for the New Zealand Dairy Industry. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 34, 521–532. doi:10.1057/jors.1983.119

Kearney, T. D., Hall, K. R., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1984). Recent Advances in Network Optimization Methods and Applications. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Presented at the Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Operational Research Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569500/Recent_Advances_in_Network_Optimization_Methods_and_Applications

"

Techniques for assisting the corporate strategic planning task are increasingly being adopted by New Zealand organisations. It is suggested that an appraisal of the contribution of technology to an organization's strengths and weaknesses would assist corporate planners. Such a 'technological appraisal' would examine the potential impact of new technologies or materials, products, processes, and markets. Corporate structures for managing the exploitation of technology should be examined, and outside experts should be called upon to assist in the appraisal. Some examples show how non-traditional technologies (computing and mathematical systems research) have begun to make significant impacts throughout all aspects of the New Zealand dairy industry's production, planning, and distribution activities.

Although several testing mechanisms are available to lecturers to identify students not meeting entry level skills to engage them in bridging courses prior to enrolment in the intended course, implementing these tests is often not an option. Typically, lecturers are obliged to accept all students and subsequently find innovative ways to increase retention/success. We believe that engineering students will be more inclined to improve their behaviour if they are provided with quantitative evidence that their behavioural change can lead to success and improved course grades. Consequently, a year ago an evidence-based tool (MECS: Motivation, Encouragement, Completion, Success) to predict course outcome was developed based on its quantified relationships with student attendance, early engagement, performance in interim assessments using a data mining technique applied to information on a cohort of first year students enrolled in Fluid Mechanics in 2010. The results showed that good attendance in lectures and higher performance in interim summative assessments led to higher final examination results (Fernando & Mellalieu, 2011). The tool also helped lecturer detect at-risk students who need significant intervention by the lecturer, and/or change in behaviour by the student to succeed. The strength of these correlations between the final course outcome and other attributes was so strong that it signalled promising results from an extended study.

This document helps you plan out the time you need to produce an A+ assignment for an undergraduate university assignment, using a project management framework. Some adaptations and extensions need to be made for more advanced work, such as a research report, or a postgraduate assignment.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1999). Creating the A+ assignment: A project management approach (Working Paper). Massey University, College of Business. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518836/

An audio track explaining the document is here:
Mellalieu, P. (2013, March 15). Creating The A Plus Assignment: A Project Management Approach (Audio). Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/45403052813/


See also:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2007, October 18). Model answer: A “Five Paragraph” essay in management. Retrieved July 27, 2009, from http://www.academia.edu/1465813

Mellalieu, P. J. (2010a, November 8). Preparing an essay for a written test or examination (Part B): The Pogorific A+ exam-sitting method. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved November 8, 2010, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/1512453524/

Mellalieu, P. J. (2010b, November 8). Preparing an essay for a written test or examination (Part A). Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved November 8, 2010, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/1512039456/

Lim, M., & Mellalieu, P. (2013, November 18). Developing professional writing using the six trait rubric [video]. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/67325245170/

Mellalieu, P. J. (2013a, October 3). Exemplars and guidance for writing a technical executive summary and report. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/62931215234/exemplars-and-guidance-for-writing-a-technical

Mellalieu, P. J. (2013c, October 3). How should we write? Style guide suggestions for New Zealand business students. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/62961602825/how-should-we-write-style-guide-suggestions-for-new

For teachers in particular, see also:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2013b, October 3). How can we incentivise our students to develop an appropriate professional writing style? My policy and practice. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/62944857816/

Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). Writing to learn argument and persuasion: A “Trojan Horse” for promoting the adoption of “Writing Across the Curriculum” (WAC) principles. Presented at the Unitec Teaching and Learning Symposium, Auckland, NZ: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518834/

This document is a model answer in response to the instruction: “Write a five-paragraph persuasive essay that discusses the statement ‘An effective manager will always be viewed as a successful manager.’” Note the evolution of this article from the author’s brainstorm notes presented in Appendix A. Appendix B annotates the article illustrating the formal structure of the Five Paragraph Essay. You should note the vast improvement resulting from over one hour’s worth of diligent “five paragraph” essay writing, focussed research (re-reading the relevant elements of the text carefully), followed by dinner, then a further 30 minutes of careful re-structuring and editing. Compare the raw facts presented in Robbins, Millet & Waters-Marsh, 2004, p. 8 with the additional arguments, ideas, opinions, and persuasions presented in this essay. “Time is the best editor” (Anne French).

See also:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2001, October 11). Creating the A+ assignment: A project management approach (Revised). Retrieved October 1, 2009, from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518836/Creating_the_A_assignment_A_project_management_approach

Lim, M., & Mellalieu, P. (2013, November 18). Developing professional writing using the six trait rubric [video]. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/67325245170/developing-professional-writing-using-the-six

""Higher educational institutions are focussing increased attention on identifying which students are likely to succeed - or fail - in their tertiary studies. Culver (2010, 2011), for instance, reports on the business case for, and services provided by the Noel-Levitz consultancy for improving institutional retention in North America. In New Zealand, government funding for higher education is increasingly being redirected towards a focus on outputs (such as course completions) rather than inputs (student enrollments) (Ministry of Education, 2010).


Anticipating this context, I constructed a prototype Decision Support System (ReXS) to provide my students the means to predict their personal academic success and final grade as they progressed through a first-year (freshman) course ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship’. Data mining of previous semesters’ course results identified the crucial importance of a student's ability to write formal academic English as demonstrated in a written case study assignment. Several students’ immediate reaction to a presentation introducing them to ReXS was unexpectedly enthusiastic and they became ‘early adopter’ users. ‘Late adopter’ users of ReXS also gained confidence in identifying the degree of effort they needed to apply to complete the course succesfully through their Final Test.


Whilst ReXS is a bespoke solution tailored to the particular assessment regime of a particular course, I believe the principles of its design and construction can be applied to any assessed course in higher education. Certainly, my students indicated they would welcome widespread adoption of the approach in other courses in their study program. The presentation provides an opportunity to discuss: Reactions from the student users of ReXS; Illustrations of the predictions made by the ReXS; How the principles underlying the Decision Support System can be extended to other courses; Opportunities for improving the utility of ReXS for students, academic, and administrative staff. "

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). Predicting success, excellence, and retention from students’ early course performance: progress results from a data-mining-based decision support system in a first year tertiary education programme. In XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1572513/

Related:
Fernando, D. A. K., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). An evidence-based predictive model for motivating engagement, completion, and success in freshmen engineering students [Paper #151]. In Developing Engineers for Social Justice: Community Involvement, Ethics & Sustainability (pp. 312–318). Perth: Australasian Association for Engineering Education. Retrieved from http://www.aaee.com.au/conferences/2011/papers/index.html#F

Fernando, D. A. K., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2012). Effectiveness of an evidence-based predictive model for motivating success in freshmen engineering students [Paper 95]. In The Profession of Engineering Education: Advancing Teaching, Research and Careers. Melbourne, Australia: Australasian Association for Engineering Education. Retrieved from http://www.aaee.com.au/conferences/2012/documents/abstracts/aaee2012-submission-95.pdf
"

"In general, teachers deploy several methods to encourage their students to engage early with their learning during their course of study. These methods include: presentation of previous years’ pass/fail rates; feedback from previous students; and anecdotal evidence suggesting that active engagement, punctuality in attending lectures, and good performance in interim assessments will contribute to success. However, we suspect that engineering students will be more inclined to improve positively their behaviour if they are provided with ’engineering-like’ evidence that their behavioural change can lead to success and improved course grades. Furthermore, we suspect that students will embrace a conceptual and logical tool that allows them to take control of the course outcome they seek.

A tool based on these principles has already been accepted and used enthusiastically by some students in another department at Unitec Institute of Technology (Mellalieu, 2011).  Inspired by the success of this approach, we have conducted a data mining analysis of previous students’ class attendance and assessment performance records to develop a similar tool for a freshman course within an undergraduate engineering technology programme at the same institution. The model underpinning the tool demonstrates empirically that better attendance in lectures and higher performance in interim summative assessments leads to higher final examination results. Furthermore, the tool enables the lecturer to achieve early detection of ‘at risk’ and struggling students who may not achieve successful course completion without a significant intervention by the teacher, and/or change in behaviour by the student. At Unitec, a conscious effort is made to attract to engineering education students from communities whose representation hitherto has been low. Identifying and following up those who may be experiencing difficulties is crucial for their retention.

All New Zealand tertiary institutes are now increasing their focus on successful completions (output) rather than the number of enrolments (input); the tool described is one useful approach to providing necessary and timely additional support to students at risk of failing to complete.

Citation:
Fernando, D. A. K., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). An evidence-based predictive model for motivating engagement, completion, and success in freshmen engineering students [Paper #151]. In Developing Engineers for Social Justice: Community Involvement, Ethics & Sustainability (pp. 312–318). Perth: Australasian Association for Engineering Education. Retrieved from http://www.aaee.com.au/conferences/2011/papers/index.html#F

See also related:
Fernando, D. A. K., & Mellalieu, P. J. (2012). Effectiveness of an evidence-based predictive model for motivating success in freshmen engineering students [Paper 95]. In The Profession of Engineering Education: Advancing Teaching, Research and Careers. Melbourne, Australia: Australasian Association for Engineering Education. Retrieved from http://www.aaee.com.au/conferences/2012/documents/abstracts/aaee2012-submission-95.pdf

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). Predicting success, excellence, and retention from students’ early course performance: progress results from a data-mining-based decision support system in a first year tertiary education programme. In XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1572513/

Discusses the managed use of reflective learning as part of a complex computer-based strategy simulation, the Business Strategy Game. Introduces the practice of using a Csikszentmihalian Stressometer to aid the students and teachers monitor their state of stress, anxiety, control, and flow throughout the duration of the course.

How do you teach trainers and educators how to design and deliver safe and impactful experiential education programmes? This report describes an eight-month, part-time, university-level for-credit course that developed participants’ leadership, task management, and team building skills within an experiential learning framework. Furthermore, the participants were coached in the task of designing and delivering experiential training programmes to several client groups such as a bicycle retailer and a conservation trust. The course exposes participants to several types of experiential learning including Revans’ action learning and outdoor adventure learning.

In response to feedback from employers that was critical of business graduates’ writing capability, the article presents the results of a process of continuous innovation that aimed to develop business students' skills in formal writing, especially written persuasive argument. The learning environment created to achieve this task was informed by a selection of the principles and practices of a Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programme implemented in New Zealand (Emerson, 1999, 2002, 2004).


The techniques were deployed within one specific course - organisational behaviour - in a class where students had little affection for formal writing tasks. Furthermore, the institution had no commitment towards implementing a formal WAC programme, and the teacher/researcher had no formal education in language teaching. Consequently, the study presents results of a 'pathfinder' study aimed at probing the extent to which WAC principles might be of value in achieving the learning outcomes sought by the business school.


An orchestrated sequence of interventions included the adoption of five-paragraph essay writing, Halswell’s Minimal Marking (1983), peer critiques, and McAlpine’s Global English (1997) as a style guide. A Small Group Instructional Diagnostic (SGID) conducted at the conclusion of the formal teaching sessions identified the reasons why most students valued the interventions as contributing to important developments in their academic literacy.


Carroll (2005) argues that ‘teachers themselves remain the most significant facilitator of students’ adjustments to studying in English’. Accordingly, the investigation presents practical strategies that can be implemented by a motivated teacher in a variety of courses - irrespective of course content - in a manner which minimises risk to both student and teacher, and do not require extensive language teaching skills on the part of the teacher.

Should outdoor adventure learning be incorporated into business education?

What is outdoor adventure learning?

Does outdoor learning have a role to play in university-based business education programmes?

How do you teach educators who wish to use the methods of outdoor experiential education?

The project explored the nature and value of outdoor adventure learning in a university context. The two-day programme aimed to be a challenging, affordable, safe, and fun way to develop participants’ leadership, communication, and team working skills. The participants were university students enrolled in undergraduate business studies and sports programmes. Activities included a cave rescue, mountain biking, orienteering, rock climbing, and dragon boating.

Participants reported that their main aims in attending the programme were to learn new skills, participate in new activities, and meet new people. These aims were strongly met for most participants.

As a basis for designing future programmes, we sought to identify which of the course designers’ learning outcomes were achieved by which activity. We were surprised to find that the participants considered that different objectives were reinforced by a particular activity. Further, each participant noted that many objectives were achieved by a particular activity. From this feedback, we wondered if it was possible to design adventure learning programmes that would achieve specific, targeted learning outcomes. We came to understand this anomalous situation from the writings of educators Boud, Cohen, and Walker (1983). These authors note that “learning always relates ... to what has gone before. There is never a clean slate upon which to begin.... Earlier experiences - which had positive or negative affect - stimulate or suppress new learning.” (p. 8). We realised that in a given activity - such as a cave rescue - each student took different roles - leader, team worker, observer - and that they thereby learned something difference as a consequence of that role.

Follow-up discussions with participants led to the design of a for-credit academic course, the Action Learning Management Practicum. The course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to design, develop, and execute their own experiential-based programmes utilising outdoor adventure, role play, and action learning pedagogies.


The full article covers these topics:

•A new era in management education

•Adventure learning: A role in management education?

•Designing the pilot action learning practicum

•Delivering the pilot programme

Subsequent developments are discussed here:

Leberman, S., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1996). ALP-DevCo and the Action Learning Programme: A Trojan Horse for Moving from Mystery to Mastery [Training educators to use experiential education using an isomorphically-framed training-products development company]. Presented at the Action Learning, Action Research & Process Management Professional Conference, (ALARPM), University of Queensland, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/8_Training_educators_to_use_experiential_education_using_an_isomorphically-framed_training-products_development_company.html

Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning through a university-located reality-TV and master class: Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW)™. International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs). Presented at the International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs), Rennes, France: Centre Études et Recherche EURO PME, Rennes International School of Business. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/emw1998

Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Beyond the Case Method: A Master Class for Enterprise Development. Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 6th Annual Conference. The University of Auckland N.Z.: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571134/Beyond_the_Case_Method_A_Master_Class_for_Enterprise_Development






•Learning form the pilot action learning practicum

•The action learning management practicum: A for-credit academic course

•Conclusions and future directions.

Written communication is essential for all teachers and students of business. All business graduates will need to communicate with people who use English as their alternative language. For example, a graduate is likely to communicate with importers, exporters, and international clients, and their professional colleagues. Global English is a concise guide for writing and speaking English that can be learned easily. Accordingly, business educators should require students to use Global English as part of their written and oral communications. Students and staff should all learn and teach Global English in our business school!

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Writing to learn argument and persuasion: A “Trojan Horse” for promoting the adoption of “Writing Across the Curriculum” (WAC) principles (Working paper). Auckland, NZ: Unitec New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Retrieved from http://web.me.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Blog/Entries/2009/9/30_Slide_show__Writing_to_learn_argument_and_persuasion.html


Mellalieu, P. J. (2007, July 6). The Massey Writing Across the Curriculum Model: A manifesto for the renaissance of an international business school? Peter Mellalieu - Teacher. Retrieved October 11, 2009, from http://preview.tinyurl.com/masseywac

This seminar is motivated in response to the question: How do teachers empower their students to engage actively in learning centred directly on students’ own needs, requirements, talents, and capabilities?

Strengths-based formal education and training was first introduced for business students at Unitec Institute of Technology’s international business school programmes in New Zealand from 2001.


In 2010, a pilot initiative was undertaken to extend strengths-based education within the business school for every student as part of a first-year compulsory undergraduate course in innovation and entrepreneurship. Specifically, each student was required to complete the academic requirements for the course through developing a professional learning agenda portfolio (PLA). The PLA assignment guides the student to identify, confirm, and build on their natural strengths through constructing a vision for their desired career in 2020. Furthermore, students elaborate on their career vision through identifying the short and medium term professional development steps they require to undertake. Their action plan includes identifying WHAT formal educational classes they will study, and - significantly - HOW they will approach their learning of their chosen courses.



All students in the class undertook the Gallup-Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0 instrument as a key foundation for identifying their natural habits of thinking, emotional strengths, and inter/intra-personal disposition. A creative, enterprising assignment extending over the 12-week course provided one basis for students deploying their identified strengths to best effect within the context of a team project.

Note:
The link to the article includes an audio recording of the seminar.

"Describes a university-based professional development programme through which the competency of practicing entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives is captured and transferred to course participants through the teaching format of a 'live-to-air academic chat show and master class’: Enterprise MasterWorks. Course participants take part in preparing and delivering each episode through their involvement as background researchers, interviewers, host facilitators, workshop participants or courseware designers. The learning environment so created ‘practices what it preaches demonstrating participation, constant challenge, and continuous innovation focussed on the participants’ own learning objectives. Introduces the background behind the creation of the course; key benefits and drawbacks as viewed by the course participants; and prospective future developments.

This is an earlier summary of:

Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning through a university-located reality-TV and master class: Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW)™. International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs). Presented at the International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs), Rennes, France: Centre Études et Recherche EURO PME, Rennes International School of Business. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518817/

In August 2005, I travelled to work at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FGCU and Unitec New Zealand. This report reflects on my experiences teaching at FGCU, my visits to several sites of techno- logical innovation such as the NASA Kennedy Space Centre, and my experience of two extreme weather events: Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Wilma.
FGCU is a state university, recently established, and located between Fort Myers and Naples, Southwest Florida. The Southwest Florida region is growing at a very fast rate, on account of its attractive (warm and sunny) climate, and the recreational resources (fishing, water sports, The Everglades) of the Gulf of Mexico. Accordingly, the university is developing at a fast rate. FGCU is planning for an enrollment of 15,000 students within the next 10 years. There is a substantial building programme, funded partly by the state of Florida, and partly through donors. The multi-million dollar donations seem to me extraordinary generous given the young age of the university: the donations do not come from wealthy retiring alumni - there are none yet!

How could the Massey Writing Across the Curriculum model be adapted to the context of a renewing international business school? The Massey model was developed in the context of a research-focussed university science faculty (Emerson, 2004). The Unitec Business School is undergoing pre-revolutionary changes in response to policy changes at the institutional and national educational levels. The business school possesses a cohort of staff with strong capabilities in communications. Furthermore, members of the school hold strong commitments towards developing pedagogies that support learning that is relevant to the real world contexts into which students will graduate. Accordingly, it is possible to devise a manifesto for implementing curriculum development in the Unitec Business School by drawing from the lessons of the Massey Writing Across the Curriculum experience.

In mid-1987 I received a telephone call from a university in New Zealand inviting me to take up a teaching position. I was working out the end of my employment with a high-tech systems company in Belgium. The call from the Dean of the Faculty of Business was timely. I recall investigating another position in systems engineering at New Zealand's principal telecommunications provider.


After deliberation, I accepted the position at Massey University. Specifically, I was attracted by the prospect of teaching a subject for which I had a great passion and some consulting experience: strategic management (Mellalieu, 1982; Mellalieu & Hall, 1983; Mellalieu, 1987).


The Dean's phone call arose from an earlier meeting I had instigated with staff at Massey University. That meeting - in 1985 - was prior to our family embarking on several years Overseas Experience (OE) in Europe. I was working as an industrial scientist in Palmerston North at what is now part of a Crown Research Institute (CRI). I met several staff in Massey's marketing department to express my interest in becoming a university teacher. Those teachers with whom I had met in 1985 responded to the Dean's search for a candidate to take up a teaching position.

My overall teaching philosophy (here) underpins my approach to the teaching of students in first-year courses.

I have particular aims for students who are engaged in their first year of studies at a tertiary institution. My comments are specifically focussed on students entering a three year bachelors programme.

My aims are

Establish expectations for the requirements for academic success when considered over students’ three-year programme

Provide foundation stones and scaffolds useful for future studies

Help students identify their strengths, interests, and goals for their tertiary study

Help students develop a personal learning agenda for how they will orchestrate their studies beyond my class

Help students build interpersonal networks of support with peer and senior students

I will discuss each of the foregoing aims with respect to my first-year course Unitec BSNS 5391 Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Unitec Institute of Technology declaims that it provides “real world learning” to its students. Accordingly, there are six key concepts that all business students should learn. However, what pedagogical approaches should be adopted so that students not only know the concepts, but also, that students have confidence to apply the concepts to the real problems they will face in their workplace? The ALAPA framework and Action Learning are two examples of pedagogies highly relevant to achieving this goal.

Several publications are reviewed that have considered the education of managers in a variety of settings. The articles question the universal adoption of US business methods, and illustrate how different methods are appropriate for different stages of a country's economic development. To illustrate these themes, a recent study of US management education is compared with a review of Japanese management development methods.

The following is advice I gave to my students of Innovation and Entrepreneurship as they prepare for their final test. The test is 2 hours in length, and comprises 50 % short essay answers, and 50 % multiple choice questions.

See related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010, November 8). Preparing an essay for a written test or examination (Part B): The Pogorific A+ exam-sitting method. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved November 8, 2010, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/1512453524/scheduling-time-in-a-test

Mellalieu, P. J. (2001, October 11). Creating the A+ assignment: A project management approach (Revised). Retrieved October 1, 2009, from http://tinyurl.com/5rj996m

In Part A I explained how to write a short essay in a test. The following table suggests how you could allocate your time to maximize your productivity and grades from a test or examination experience including essays and other componets. It relies on the notion that “Time is the best editor” (Anne French). In other words, “incubation time” is helpful in extracting creative ideas from a well-prepared mind.

Related - Part A
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010, November 8). Preparing an essay for a written test or examination (Part A). Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved November 8, 2010, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/1512039456/short-essay-advice

A reflective essay on a decade of using strengths-based teaching through Unitec Institute of Technology’s New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship located in the Faculty of Creative Industries and Business, Auckland, New Zealand.

I teach a course Innovation and Entrepreneurship BSNS 5391 that now comprises one compulsory component of Unitec’s Bachelor of Business degree. The course is novel in several respects. However, here I reflect principally on my use in the course of a strengths-based teaching approach informed by the principles of positive psychology, and the online StrengthsFinder 2.0 ‘talent’ assessment instrument.

The course was designed several years ago. Until 2010 it was an elective component of the degree. The course tended to attract a several international exchange students from Europe and the Americas, and local students very focussed on creating their own small enterprise. With typically five students per year, the course was taught on a tutorial basis.

When the course was made compulsory this year, I expected a larger class size. In fact, about 40 students enrolled. I anticipated that there might be some reluctant participants who would assume the course was a small business administration course. More than half indicated their ambition to work in a corporate, whilst less than one-quarter indicated their interest in either starting a new enterprise, or working in a small business. Consequently, I state BOLDLY in the course handbook that the course focus is innovation in existing companies, corporates, and new ventures. Secondly, that the agent of innovation is ‘someone’ called an entrepreneur … or intrapreneur if you act within an exising enterprise. Thirdly, that your role may be that of someone who collaborates with the entrepreneur to act as a high-performing new venture team.

How do teachers empower their students to engage actively in learning centred directly on students’ own needs, requirements, talents, and capabilities?

Strengths-based formal education and training was first introduced for business students at Unitec Institute of Technology’s international business school programmes in New Zealand from 2001.

The seminar presents the opportunity for students and staff to engage directly with two students who undertook the two courses in which the strengths- based approach was utilised.

See also:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010, August 24). Strengths-based professional development in a faculty of creative industries and business (Part 1). Innovation & chaos ... in search of l’excellence. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/980175705/history-of-bsns-5391

The article responds to the apposite questions: What new key initiatives could be adopted by a newly- reformed, tertiary-sector, dual-mode school of business, innovation, and enterprise to "jazz up" its practical application of modern information and communication technologies, and other innovations in teaching and learning? ... How should the new initiatives be deployed in order to embrace not only the school's current core teaching activities, but also the school’s need to create and introduce risk- managed learning environments and learning adventures that give credence to the school’s aspiration to deliver "real world" and research-informed learning? The school is preparing for amalgamation and strategic turnaround under a newly-appointed head of school. Accordingly, how can practical changes be implemented quickly, reliably, and cost-effectively? How best can existing resources, distinctive strengths, and existing staff competencies be leveraged to achieve productive results? What are the key barriers to success that must be overcome?


See earlier paper:
Mellalieu, P. J., & Hooper, J. (1994). A Vision for the Information Technology Experience in a University-Based Business School. Department of Management Systems Discussion Paper. Presented at the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAME), Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518832/A_Vision_for_the_Information_Technology_Experience_in_a_University-based_Business_School

In developed countries, the education divide between students with access and those without access to elite education providers has deepened. Students who have limited access to ‘elite’ education are at risk of joining a vicious circle of low educational outcomes, and displaying behaviours that make escape from poverty difficult. The case study details the journey of a high school that embarked on a path to engage all of its students in 'Education for Enterprise' (E4E) as a curriculum foundation to help its students achieve educational outcomes that better position them for modern citizenship and promising career pathways. The strategic change implemented by the school was informed by strategic audit and idealised design, but ultimately was pursued in an enterprising and opportunistic fashion. A distinctive teaching and learning environment is emerging combining indigenous (Māori), Western, and contemporary pedagogies: Te Kaupapa Ngā Kākano.

"In developed countries, the education divide between students with access and those without access to elite education providers has deepened. Students who have limited access to ‘elite’ education are at risk of joining a vicious circle of low educational outcomes, and behaviours that make escape from poverty difficult. This case study details the journey of a high school that embarked on a path to engage all of its students in 'Education for Enterprise' (E4E) as a curriculum foundation to help its students achieve educational outcomes that better position them for modern citizenship and promising career pathways. The strategic change implemented by the school was informed by strategic audit and idealised design, but ultimately was pursued in an enterprising and opportunistic fashion. A distinctive teaching and learning environment is emerging combining indigenous (Maori), Western, and contemporary pedagogies: Te kaupapa Nga Kakano.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J., Kearns, N., Vause, A., & Coleman, E. B. (2014). Reducing Youth Disadvantage through Education for Enterprise: A Case Study of Nga Kakano School. In A paper submitted for presentation at World Business and Economics Research Conference 2014. Auckland.
"

"Examines the strengths and limitations of the case method as a teaching tool for developing the professional competence of personnel engaged in strategic management and enterprise development projects. Reports on progress towards introducing a new pedagogical genre for educators, trainers and consultants informed by the notion of a ‘master class for entrepreneurs’. The approach, Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW), extends on the traditional case study method of teaching by offering multi-media material that is timely, lively, relevant to the context of small enterprise and new venture development, and augmented with written material comparable to the traditional case format.

Illustrates the EMW approach in detail for one prototype package based on the foundation and growth of the New Zealand ‘born global’ company Pacific Lithium Limited, and its founding entrepreneur, Robin Johannink. Outlines results from trials of the pedagogical ‘package’ in several situations and presents future development intentions. for the production and dissemination of the EMW courseware packages. Argues that the EMW approach provides a cost-effective approach for surfacing the tacit knowledge of a high-performing (‘masterful’) enterprise developer, and passing on that knowledge to selected learning partners."

Citation:
"Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Beyond the Case Method: A Master Class for Enterprise Development. Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 6th Annual Conference. The University of Auckland N.Z.: New Zealand Strategic Management Society.

Case resource library:
For a Case Resource library providing Part A, Part B, Part C of the Pacific Lithium case, and other resources, see:

Mellalieu, P. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

See also related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning through a university-located reality-TV and master class: Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW)™. International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs), Rennes, France: Centre Études et Recherche EURO PME, Rennes International School of Business. http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518817/

Mellalieu, P. J., & Holland, R. (1998, February). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship [Video]. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved December 30, 2013, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/71680403728/

"How do an inventor and an entrepreneur with a bright idea tackle two giant lithium mineral processing companies to take the US$ 10 billion per year lithium battery industry? The case study reports the journey from start-up to early growth of a company established in New Zealand to commercialise leading edge lithium battery technologies for the mobile electronics and electric vehicle industries. At the start of the company’s foundation, lithium demand was expected to grow substantially in response to the rapid growth in demand for end-user products requiring the light, long-charge features of lithium batteries: video camera, mobile phones, laptop computers ... and the “holy grail”: electric vehicles.

The case details aspects of global lithium production and consumption, the key personalities, the startup and the key challenges facing the early years of Pacific Lithium.

The case concludes on an optimistic note. However, in order not to upset a good story, I will avoid revealing here the subsequent developments in the story.

The case can be used for teaching purposes in several ways. Students can be asked to update the case to the current day. Alternatively, the full case can be presented to students as a sequence of parts, A, B and C.

The case can be used for teaching purposes in several ways. Students can be asked to update the case to the current day. Alternatively, the full case can be presented to students as a sequence of parts.

The Case Library documents present the case as a series of parts, plus additional research materials.

Mellalieu, P. J., Sun, J. G., & Willis, A. (1999). Pacific Lithium (A): The Energy behind the Mobile Society. In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 7th Annual Conference (Vol. 1). Palmerston North, N.Z.: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1465808/


Mellalieu, P. J., & Sun, J. G. (1999). Pacific Lithium (B): Think Global! Act Global! In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 7th Annual Conference (Vol. 1). Palmerston North, N.Z.: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1510453

Mellalieu, P. J., & Sun, J. G. (2000). Pacific Lithium (C): Flight of the Phoenix. In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1). Canterbury University, Christchurch: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1510450

Integrated case:

Mellalieu, P. J., Sun, J. G., & Willis, A. (2000). Pacific Lithium: Stored Energy for the Mobile Society - Case study. New Zealand Strategic Management, 4 (Winter)(3), 51–64. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1512250

Company website:

Pacific Lithium (NZ) Limited. (n.d.). Retrieved July 8, 2011, from http://www.pacificlithium.co.nz/index.htm

Related resources:

Mellalieu, P. J. (1999). Beyond the Case Method: A Master Class for Enterprise Development. In Think Global! Act Global! The role and impact of strategic management in the development of small enterprise and new ventures: Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 7th Annual Conference (Vol. 1, pp. 293–304). Massey University, Palmerston North: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571134


Mellalieu, P. J. (2001). New Myths for a Very New World: The Mythic Journey as a Basis for Learning About Entrepreneurial Start-Ups. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Thinking. Auckland, NZ. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1465816/


Willis, A., Mellalieu, P. J., & Emerson, L. (2000). Walking the Streets: Shareholder Profiles and  Perspectives on a High Technology Startup Company. In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1). Canterbury University, Christchurch: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1465814/

Ober, J. A. (1998). Lithium in 1997. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved from http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/lithium/450497.pdf

Citation:

Mellalieu, P. J. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

Graham Hitchins came to Blenheim, New Zealand, from Britain after a successful career in the building trade and manufacture of synthetic resins. Having the import agency for a line of protective coating materials for buildings he began investigating a new formulation. Thus began the Hitchins group of companies. In 1977 W Graham Hitchins Ltd won a New Zealand Export Award. Although employing a staff of under 40 people, exports reached over 40 per cent of its total sales. The article discusses the history of the company, its services to building restoration, and the practical systems of quality control implemented within the company.

The study reports how the New Zealand company Ceramco (formerly Crown Lynn Potteries) became an international business enterprise. The report describes how the specialized ceramics subsidiary grew from the company’s established manufacturing of bricks and roof tiles to become a company exporting from New Zealand. The subsequent evolution of Ceramco to attain global horizons with world-wide manufacturing and marketing operations is discussed. Particular attention is paid to policy changes in New Zealand’s macro-economic environment that facilitated the establishment of the company’s protected crockery manufacturing business, export subsidies, and grants for off-shore manufacture.

Citation:
"Mellalieu, P. J. (1976, October). The international business performance of Ceramco Limited with reference to the crockery trade (Term paper for International Business, Master of Public Policy). Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand."

"In 2005, I embarked on a programme to design and facilitate a series of ‘capacity building’ workshops in enterprise development with the University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana in southern Africa. The workshops were designed to help faculty members experience the practical foundations for the delivery of effective enterprise development education programmes for world-class entrepreneurs and their supporters: their co-partners, investors, advisors, teachers, trainers - and entrepreneurs-to-be. Part of the task involved advising on how to develop the university’s existing Business Clinic into an Entrepreneurship Development Centre serving prospective entrepreneurs and the supporters described earlier. This blueprint for this development is presented in Mellalieu (2006a) and summarised in Mellalieu (2006b).

In order to demonstrate the value and practice of 'real world learning', I lead four teams to provide advice to entrepreneurs founded on four ‘live’ cases of an entrepreneurial start-up or SME growth opportunity. The workshop teams first updated the ‘live’ cases in conversation with ‘their’ entrepreneurial client. Finally, each team presented their analysis and advice back to the case client in the final plenary session of the workshop. Two of the cases, Heroic Fashion Designers and Brackendene Lodge are presented here.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). An extreme case: Two cases for enterprise development workshops in Botswana (Case and workshop notes). Auckland, NZ: Unitec New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NZCIE).

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006a). Creating Enterprise in Extreme Environments: Strategic Leadership from an Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Botswana (p. 67). Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571451/

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006b). Case study: Capacity building for entrepreneur enabling in Southern Africa. International Indigenous Journal of Entrepreneurship, Advancement, Strategy and Education, 2(1). Retrieved from http://www.indigenousjournal.com/IIJEASVolIIIss1Mellalieu.pdf

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006c). Fitness for purpose - Capacity building for enterprise development and entrepreneurship in southern Africa (Special issue on quality assurance in higher education). Lonaka - Bulletin of the Centre for Academic Development, University of Botswana, Botswana, 67–85. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571464/

"INTRODUCTION The government of Botswana has set itself the challenge of developing an ‘innovative and prosperous nation’. However, “an over- dependence on diamonds, high unemployment levels, and unacceptably high levels of poverty and inequality - both in terms of assets and income - are persistent problems." (Clover, 2003) One approach to overcoming these persistent problems is to create an abundance of “grass roots” support for enterprising behaviour throughout the nation. Unfortunately, the principal focus of Botswana’s current formal education system appears mainly to educate job- takers for the public sector and larger companies. For instance, accounting studies are the most popular programmes in the University of Botswana’s Faculty of Business.

This case summarises the author’s experience designing and executing four capacity-building workshops for prospective entrepreneur-enablers whilst he was based at the University of Botswana, Gaborone. The workshops drew on experiential methodologies. In particular, the participants were tasked to work in problem-based learning teams focussed on providing practical advice to real entrepreneurs for whom the author had written introductory case studies. (Mellalieu, 2006)

RESULTS Through the workshop process, the participants recognised the value of the problem-based learning approach. For instance, they developed confidence in providing advice beyond their subject specialty. The experience of running the first three workshops lead to the design of a robust, scaleable programme format for a three-hour networking and knowledge exchange workshop - branded as Enterprise in ActionTM. One pilot of the Enterprise in Action workshop format was tested and received enthusiastic response from the participants.

CONCLUSION Botswana has an urgent need to create an enterprising culture. As a pre-requisite to achieving this outcome, an abundance of competent entrepreneur-enablers must be identified and developed throughout the country. The successful trial of the Enterprise in Action format lays a tested foundation for pursuing this initiative."

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006b, October 1). Case Study: Capacity building for entrepreneur enabling in southern Africa - International Indigenous Journal of Entrepreneurship, Advancement, Strategy and Education | Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P3-1247162911.html

Related:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2006a). Creating Enterprise in Extreme Environments: Strategic Leadership from an Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Botswana. Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571451/Creating_Enterprise_in_Extreme_Environments_Strategic_Leadership_from_an_Entrepreneurship_Development_Centre_at_the_University_of_Botswana


Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). An extreme case: Two cases for enterprise development workshops in Botswana (Case and workshop notes). Auckland, NZ: Unitec New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NZCIE). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1513178

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Creating entrepreneurs in extreme environments: The case of Botswana. Advance, (Winter), 8–9.

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006). Fitness for purpose - Capacity building for enterprise development and entrepreneurship in southern Africa (Special issue on quality assurance in higher education). Lonaka - Bulletin of the Centre for Academic Development, University of Botswana, Botswana, 67–85. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571464/Fitness_for_purpose_-_Capacity_building_for_enterprise_development_and_entrepreneurship_in_southern_Africa_Special_issue_on_quality_assurance_in_higher_education_

""How does an entrepreneur and an inventor with a bright idea to extract lithium from seawater tackle the two giant lithium mineral processing companies to take the US $10 billion per year lithium battery industry? What lessons can you take from their results that you can apply in your own enterprise? What advice can you give to help the company succeed in its quest?

The world market for high performance batteries has been estimated as growing at a rate of 25% per year and is likely to reach a world demand of US $10 billion by the year 2002. With the growth in demand for portable powered equipment, and the imminent introduction of electric cars in the early decades of the next century, lithium-based products appear to have a promising future as an energy storage medium. New Zealand-based Pacific Lithium Limited is emerging as a world class competitive player in this ‘energetic’ market.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J., Sun, J. G., & Willis, A. (1999). Pacific Lithium (A): The Energy behind the Mobile Society. In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 7th Annual Conference (Vol. 1). Palmerston North, N.Z.: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1465808/

Case resource library:
This is the FIRST installment in a series of cases. For a Case Resource library providing Part B, Part C and other resources, see:

Mellalieu, P. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

"A group of investors are backing a radical new lithium extraction technology in the hope of breaking a world monopoly on the precious metal....a trial shipment of one tonne of the material was sent to Japan last year... Mr. Johannink said the lithium market was worth US $500 million” - National Business Review (November, 1994).

In Pacific Lithium (A), John Broome had offered Robin Johannink the opportunity to develop his technology for extracting lithium from seawater, and thereby enabling entry into the world lithium market, especially for lithium-based batteries. Johannink researched the lithium market and the cost advantages of Broome’s technology and concluded that a business opportunity existed. He was also impressed by Broome’s passion for the project, his philosophy being to “get the right people, with the right skill, doing the right things... in the early stages of development of a risky venture, risk can be mitigated through non-risky people”

Johannink agreed to support Broome’s technology and develop the project. Broome transferred all his know-how, proprietary knowledge and entitlement to the technology in return for shares in the proposed company. The company would raise the capital and provide Broome the facilities needed to develop the technology into a commercially viable business. Johannink developed a rudimentary business plan, and spent the next nine months doorknocking to raise seed capital from twenty six investors (including his own funds) to get the prototype up and running. Eventually, Pacific Lithium Limited was set up in February 1994.

The National Business Review (November, 1994) introduced the company and revealed the involvement of The Helicopter Line Executive Director, Christopher Alpe, as chairman of the Pacific Lithium Limited board. Alpe directed New Zealand’s leading tourist operator, which included interests in motor homes, helicopters, jet boats, hotels and theatres and the Kelly Tarlton aquariums.

Following a shareholders’ meeting in November, the company announced several ambitios intentions including to list on the New Zealand sharemarket “sooner rather than later”.

In a report in the NZ Herald, Johannink expressed his view that “Lithium was seen as a strategic mineral of the future, particularly with the growth in demand for lithium rechargeable batteries. Lithium batteries performed far better than conventional batteries, and their wide availability would lead towards the rapid development of batteries for the electric car industry”

By 1995 the following company vision had emerged: “To provide lithium-based energy storage systems that will generate environmental benefits across the globe”.

Case resource library:
This is the SECOND installment in a series of cases. For a Case Resource library providing Part B, Part C and other resources, see:

Mellalieu, P. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J., & Sun, J. G. (1999). Pacific Lithium (B): Think Global! Act Global! In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 7th Annual Conference (Vol. 1). Palmerston North, N.Z.: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1510453

"New Zealand-based Pacific Lithium Limited (PLL) was established in 1994 to develop a world-competitive business based on the extraction of lithium from seawater, using a new adsorption technology developed by chemical engineer John Bloom (Sun, Mellalieu & Willis, 1999). Through the fundraising efforts of entrepreneur Robin Johannink, the company subsequently raised NZ $10 million from shareholders, including a 12% stake in the company from Vertex Asia (a technology subsidiary of the Singapore government) and a further 8.6% from a key customer: Japanese trading company Nisho Iwai. By late 1995, the company had started building a processing plant at Whakerewa, near the Thames Estuary, but later suspended construction of the facility as its seawater lithium adsorption technology had not achieved optimum economic levels of lithium recovery. Since the company’s foundation, several new companies had entered the world lithium supply market (Sun & Mellalieu, 1999).

Note:
This is the THIRD installment in a series of cases. For a Case Resource library providing Part A, Part B and other resources, see:
Mellalieu, P. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J., & Sun, J. G. (2000). Pacific Lithium (C): Flight of the Phoenix. In Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1). Canterbury University, Christchurch: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1510450

""Pacific Lithium Limited is a recently-established company that has recruited some of the best of the world’s technologists to commercialize leading-edge lithium battery technologies for the mobile electronics and electric vehicle industries.

How do an entrepreneur and an inventor with a bright idea to extract lithium from seawater tackle the two giant lithium mineral processing companies to take the US $10 billion per year lithium battery industry?

The world market for high performance batteries has been estimated as growing at a rate of 25% per year and is likely to reach a world demand of US $10 billion by the year 2002. With the growth in demand for portable powered equipment, and the imminent introduction of electric cars in the early decades of the next century, lithium-based products appear to have a promising future as an energy storage medium. New Zealand-based Pacific Lithium Limited – PLL - is emerging as a world class competitive player in this ‘energetic’ market.

PLL was established in 1994 to develop a world-competitive business based on the extraction of lithium from seawater, using a new adsorption technology developed by chemical engineer John Bloom. By late 1999, through the fundraising efforts of entrepreneur Robin Johannink, the company had raised $US 25 million from 600 shareholders, including a substantial stake from Vertex Asia (a technology subsidiary of the Singapore government) and a further stake from a key customer: Japanese trading company Nissho Iwai.

The case continues with a description of some of the properties of lithium and its products. Next, we present the historical sequence of events covering the establishment of Pacific Lithium, and the industry and market conditions prevailing at several points in the journey.

Case resource library for the story of Pacific Lithium:
The case can be used for teaching purposes in several ways. Students can be asked to update the case to the current day. Alternatively, the full case can be presented to students as a sequence of parts, A, B and C, presented in the Case Resource Library.

Mellalieu, P. J. (n.d.). Pacific Lithium Ltd - Case resource library. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from https://www.academia.edu/1513410/Pacific_Lithium_Ltd_-_Case_resource_library

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J., Sun, J. G., & Willis, A. (2000). Pacific Lithium: Stored Energy for the Mobile Society - Case study. New Zealand Strategic Management, 4 (Winter)(3), 51–64. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/1512250/Pacific_Lithium_Stored_Energy_for_the_Mobile_Society_-_Case_study

"Peter Mellalieu reviews the progress results from introducing unique educational programmes in innovation and entrepreneurship. In the interview, he responds to such questions as:

- Can entrepreneurs be taught?
- How are entrepreneurs best developed?
- How can the success of entrepreneur development programmes be evaluated?

Interview broadcast live on Telstra Saturn Business, Television ONE, Auckland, New Zealand.  February 2002."

""This audio tutorial helps you plan out the time you need to produce an A+ assignment for an undergraduate university assignment. The approach is informed by a project management framework.  The tutorial extends on one of my more popular documents on Academia.edu: here: http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518836/Creating_the_A_assignment_A_project_management_approach

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. (2013, March 15). Creating The A Plus Assignment: A Project Management Approach (Audio). Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/45403052813/"

Related Video:
Lim, M., & Mellalieu, P. (2013, November 18). Developing professional writing using the six trait rubric [video]. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/67325245170/

I have launched an applied research and teaching initiative aimed at drawing lessons FROM and WITH 'exemplary green enterprise'. My focus is on for-profit and not-for loss small-medium enterprise (SMEs) in the Auckland and neighbouring regions of Aotearoa/New Zealand. SMEs are the most challenged when it comes to becoming an environmentally-sustainable leader.

This video records my first "pitch" of the proposal to senior professors at Unitec Institute of Technology. The structure of my pitch is my first attempt at using the guidelines advocated by Guy Kawasaki (2004) in his wonderful chapter: The art of pitching. In 'The art of the start: the time-tested, battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything' (p. Ch. 3). Portfolio.

The timing of the video is:
00 m 00 Introduction and context for the pitch: Marcus Williams, Dean of Research, Faculty of Creative Industries and Business, Unitec

01 m 00 Pitch: Introducing Enterprise GreenWorks: Associate Professor Peter Mellalieu

14 m 10 Concept demonstration, based on Enterprise MasterWorks 1996-1999

19 m 00 Discussion questions


Background
An exemplary green enterprise seeks to achieve a zero environmental impact or have a net positive (regenerative) impact on the environment. The international exemplar is Interface Flor with its Mission Zero pursuit of a zero environmental footprint by 2020.

One component of this research and teaching journey will be a series of "reality TV" episodes, tentatively named Enterprise GreenWorks (EGW). Each episode of Enterprise GreenWorks will provide a representative of the exemplary green enterprise the opportunity to challenge my colleagues and students to "attack" an environmental opportunity or challenge they face for their enterprise (rather like "The Apprentice"). The guest green "master" will then select which of the proposals for solution they find most attractive. A new venture team will then progress research and development of the proposal with the client/master.

The notion of "Lessons WITH" implies that all participants in the project learn from each other - whether business "master", student, teacher, researcher, or consultant. Collectively, I terms these participants "learning partners". The lessons/programme episodes, captured in a variety of digital media, will be made widely available in as open source as possible, eg through the Apple iTunes University, Apple eBooks, YouTube.

To assist my project, I seek your nomination or self-selection as an exemplary green enterprise. Anyone who wishes to sponsor or provide resources in cash or kind is equally welcome to offer their participation. The project is conducted through Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland.

For an example of the reality TV format that informs the design of Enterprise GreenWorks, see this (pre-historic/pre-digital !) video produced in the 1990s by Peter Mellalieu and his students/learning partners.

Mellalieu, P. J. (1996). Enterprise MasterWorks: An exemplary project-based learning context for enterprise development and innovation [Video playlist]. Massey University, Palmerston North. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL27Aj98lQ6w5WaOqrNaKsksvETNc92Bho

White paper: research agenda and rationale
Mellalieu, P. J., & Gunaratne, K. A. (2013, December 2). From recycling to regeneration: lessons WITH exemplary green enterprise: A research agenda. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/68753786836/from-recycling-to-regeneration-lessons-with-exemplary

LinkedIn discussion thread:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2013, December 16). From recycling to regeneration: Lessons WITH exemplary green enterprise - Discussion. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://www.linkedin.com/groups/From-recycling-regeneration-Lessons-exemplary-105503.S.5818099735789064196?qid=a482b681-ae3c-42b5-921f-266a721212d0&trk=groups_most_popular-0-b-ttl&goback=%2Egmp_105503

Mary Lim and Peter Mellalieu explain to students how to improve their assignment grades through addressing the six dimensions of writing quality.

Citation:
Lim, M., & Mellalieu, P. (2013, November 18). Developing professional writing using the six trait rubric [video]. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/67325245170/

Related:
Mellalieu, P. (2013, March 15). Creating The A Plus Assignment: A Project Management Approach (Audio). Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/45403052813/

The NZ pipfruit industry takes around twenty years to develop a new apple variety through to full commercial production. The industry’s success is increasingly dependent on the introduction of new products. How can the industry plan for effective research, science, and technology investments for supplying products into an international marketplace which is increasingly diverse and competitive?

In this workshop at Massey University, Turitea Campus, Stephen Legg introduces Peter Mellalieu to discuss the development of a strategic Research and Development Plan for the NZ pipfruit industry.

The project involved wide consultation with industry stakeholders including growers, researchers, and ENZA NZ (International) - the single-desk export marketer of apples and pears.

Traditional approaches to R&D management are driven from the “bench scientist”:  bottom-up and project-driven. In contrast, the planning process used for the pipfruit industry incorporated a “Third Generation” R&D management perspective (Wheelwright & Clark, 1992) which pursues a philosophy of partnership between R&D management and other elements of the industry’s general management including marketing and sales, processing and logistics, legal affairs, and human resource management.

The strategic plan is being used  by researchers to develop research proposals, and by funding agencies to guide their priorities for funding.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J., & Legg, S. (2014, January 4). Research-based innovation strategy and the New Zealand pipfruit industry [EMW-Beta]. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved January 3, 2014, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/72108982030/

Related:
Hill, R., Jones, G., Hewitt, E., Banks, N., Scott, D., Mellalieu, P. J., … Kingston, C. (1996). A strategic research and development plan for the New Zealand pipfruit industry (Strategic plan) (p. 48). Hastings, New Zealand: Pipfruit R&D Strategic Planning Group. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1569486/

Mellalieu, P. J. (1997). Research-based innovation strategy and the New Zealand pipfruit industry. New Zealand Strategic Management, 3(2 (Spring)), 52–63. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1510480/

The Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW) project-based learning format engages students in producing their own learning through a hybrid combination of several extant genre, including "reality TV" and the musician's masterclass. First, EMW draws inspiration from a music student's master-class in which a leading practitioner imparts their knowledge and skill through providing a critically constructive appreciation of a student's performance. Second, an episode of EMW is produced and recorded as "live-to-air" reality-TV format. Think "The Apprentice" or "Survivor". However, EMW pursues learning outcomes that contrast vastly to these popular, competitive "Reality TV" genre. For instance, "The Apprentice" aims to eliminate the contestants thereby identifying the "best" apprentice candidate to uptake an elite career opening. In contrast, the aim of EMW is to generate for ALL learning partners insights, ideas, shared learning, and commitments to action particularly around the themes of innovation, creativity, and enterprise. The proceedings of an EMW episode are broadcast live, and recorded for subsequent educational use in reflection, review, teaching, and publication in multimedia formats.

A key feature of the EMW format is the notion of "kaizen" or continuous improvement. Every episode includes a built-in reflective moment where the learning partners (students, guests masters, teachers) draw insights and suggestions for improving the production process and outcome value of future episodes.

EMW was co-created by the students and teachers of the Enterprise Development group, Department of Management Systems, Massey University, between 1996 - 1999 under the facilitation of Peter J Mellalieu. All video production was undertaken using S-VHS analogue video recording equipment.... and a lonely Macintosh laptop, The TV studio used analog equipment purchased in the late 1980s. This is one reason for the use of brown paper instead of whiteboards - to avoid camera flare. Live broadcast was achieved through closed-circuit TV and telephone dial-in conference calls. Today, one might use Skype Video.

Subsequent derivatives of the EMW format include: Enterprise in Action (EiA) and Education MasterWorks, and Enterprise GreenWorks.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (1996). Enterprise MasterWorks: An exemplary project-based learning context for enterprise development and innovation [Video playlist]. Massey University, Palmerston North. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL27Aj98lQ6w5WaOqrNaKsksvETNc92Bho

Related:
Further information about the history of Enterprise MasterWorks and the Massey University course Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship, see:


Mellalieu, Peter J. (1998). Creating the virtual learning enterprise: Lessons from Enterprise MasterWorks. In 6th New Zealand Strategic Management Educators Conference. Auckland University: New Zealand Strategic Management Society/Auckland University. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571162/Creating_the_virtual_learning_enterprise_Lessons_from_Enterprise_MasterWorks

Mellalieu, Peter John. (1998). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning through a university-located reality-TV and master class: Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW)™. In International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs). Rennes, France: Centre Études et Recherche EURO PME, Rennes International School of Business. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1518817/Weaving_the_threads_of_innovation_creativity_and_entrepreneurial_learning_through_a_university-located_reality-TV_and_master_class_Enterprise_

Mellalieu, Peter John. (1999). Beyond the Case Method: A Master Class for Enterprise Development. In Think Global! Act Global! The role and impact of strategic management in the development of small enterprise and new ventures: Proceedings of the Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society, 7th Annual Conference (Vol. 1, pp. 293--304). Massey University, Palmerston North: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from http://unitec.academia.edu/PeterMellalieu/Papers/1571134/Beyond_the_Case_Method_A_Master_Class_for_Enterprise_Development

"Unitec associate professor of business innovation and entrepreneurship, Peter Mellalieu, reveals his idiosyncratic passion for derelict and repurposed dairy factories. Peter argues that if we attempt to foresee the possible futures we might experience over the next ten years, then  we need to examine at least the previous 40 years of history. Interviewer Karen McCarthy also discusses with Tim Mackle the impending changes to the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act, and Dairy NZ’s new research and development initiatives to improve sustainable farm practice through reducing nutrient and waste runoff into river waters.

Citation:
"Straight Talk 2012 Episode 14. (2012, May 6).Straight Talk. Auckland, N.Z.: Country 99. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPEBGQVu32I&feature=youtube_gdata_player""

Introduction to Business Process Improvement at Unitec
This video overviews the scope, course content, and learning outcomes of the course Business Process Improvement, BSNS 6350, at Unitec Institute of Technology.

Citation:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2013, August 19). Introduction to Business Process Improvement at Unitec. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/55844795959/introduction-to-business-process-improvement-at

The document infographic mentioned in the video is here:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2013, July). Introduction to Business Process Improvement at Unitec [Infographic]. Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/49418067/BPI%202013.pdf

In developed countries, the education divide between students with access  and those without access to elite education providers has deepened. Students who have limited access to ‘elite’ education are at risk of joining a vicious circle of low educational outcomes, inadequate and inappropriate training for the emerging workplace, and behaviours that make escape from poverty difficult (Boven, Harland & Grace, 2011). This case study explores the lessons to be learned from a school that has embarked on a path to engage all of its students in 'Education for Enterprise' as a curriculum foundation to help its students aspire and achieve educational outcomes that better position them for modern citizenship, tertiary education, or other promising career pathways.

Related information:
Boven, R., Harland, C., & Grace, L. (2011). More ladders, fewer snakes: Two proposals to reduce youth disadvantage (Discussion Paper 2011/1). Auckland, N.Z.: The New Zealand Institute. Retrieved from http://stakeholderstrategies.co.nz/files/REPORT%20-%20More%20ladders%20fewer%20snakes.pdf

Mellalieu, P., & Vause, A. (2012, March 17). Advancing educational outcomes through Education for Enterprise in a Maori/Pacifika school: The case of Nga Kakano Christian Reo Rua Kura Part ONE: Strategic development issues. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved March 17, 2012, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/19444076798/advancing-educational-outcomes-through-education-for

“I know there’s a problem, but what do I do?”. This question confounds both students, teachers, and small-medium enterprise (SMEs) as they contemplate the eclectic challenges of environmental sustainability. The challenges seem huge. The possibility that any effort we might take as an individual appears as ineffective as adding an extra drop of water to an ocean. Furthermore, any more ambitious effort we might take to “change the world” is probably doomed to lead us on a path of failure and despair. Nevertheless, there are actions we each can take to improve the environmental sustainability of our households, our communities, our professions, our workplaces, our ventures. However, the choice of actions and their consequent impact is unique to each person’s context,  capabilities, and motivations. Furthermore, the steps we take as individuals will inspire a growing “coalition of the willing” to develop their personal sustainability agenda thereby growing productive impact.

This paper reports the progress on the launch of a project designed to empower a multi-disciplinary faculty of students and teachers to identify and implement practical actions towards improving environmental sustainability in their multiple contexts. Specifically, the project is focussed on drawing lessons FOR and WITH  SMEs who have the ambition to achieve a zero or positive environmental impact as a by-product (or product) of their operations. For the purpose of this paper, an SME is defined broadly, to include for-profit, not-for-loss, start-up, and short-lived/project ventures such as movie, theatrical, or event productions, with under 100 employees.

A workshop proposal submitted to:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2014). From recycling to regeneration: lessons WITH exemplary green enterprise [Proposal]. In 59th Annual Conference, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. Dublin. Retrieved from http://www.icsb2014.org/

There is an important - increasingly urgent - challenge for educators to learn how to empower their students as informed, competent, and confident change-masters for environmentally-sustainable practice within their employment, families, communities, and professions. In particular, we face a special challenge in assisting small-medium enterprise (with under 100 employees) to respond to the New Zealand and international ‘green wave disruptions’ of supply-chain and end-customer demand for assured 'green' products and services.  We intend to realise this aim for Unitec Institute of Technology through a combined R&D and pedagogical development programme identifying best-practice lessons from ambitious and/or high-achieving, environmentally sustainable small-medium enterprise operating in New Zealand and overseas. In particular, we will draw - and share through our teaching and consultancy - lessons from those enterprise that have moved successfully beyond recycling and waste reduction to environmental regeneration and restoration. We take as our inspiration the 1996 - 2013 achievements of multinational carpet manufacturer Interface with its “Mission Zero” ambition to have a zero environmental footprint by 2020 (Anderson & White, 2009, 2011). One element in our research programme includes adapting the Enterprise Masterworks project-based learning/"Reality TV" format (Mellalieu, 1998, 1989) as a mechanism for capturing and distributing the lessons we learn through an updated vehicle, Enterprise GreenWorks (EGW) (Mellalieu, 2011).