Free Reports from Executives Online

Executives Online has published a number of research reports exploring topics of interest to our clients and candidates. These reports are available for free, below.

• Business Exposure
• The New Interim Report – trends in the interim management market
• Talking Recruitment
• 2007-2008 Turnaround Guide
• Supply Chain Europe article – on Supply Change Management
• Challenge of Change – on Change Management in UKplc
• Recruitment Forum Report – debate on recruitment's role in corporate success
• Executive Talent 2006 – research into the priorities, methods and challenges of recruiting senior executives
• IoD Factsheet on Interim Management
• Europe – Still Open for Business?
• Now Management
• Contact! – trends in the call centre industry
• The Pharma Report
• On the Up: Interim Managers – article in Edge magazine

Business Exposure

One of the key reasons companies come to us is because a senior director has unexpectedly left the company, or their traditional recruitment method is failing and they urgently need to plug the gap. The aim of this report is to identify the level of exposure created in companies by these unexpected gaps or slow permanent recruitment. Drawing on 102 surveys among HR managers and line managers responsible for hiring executive roles, Executives Online has published this new research report.

We look at how common the problem is. We explore the roles which are the most vulnerable, and those which are toughest to fill. We consider the problems companies face when they can’t solve a senior recruitment problem, the damage that results, and the steps companies might take to minimise it.
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The New Interim Report

Executives Online's publication The Interim Report explores the types of organisational change which often result in an interim manager being required, day rates and utilisation of interim managers themselves, and the diverse benefits clients derive from leveraging interims. Our latest report includes a new section focusing on business exposure: a sudden gap in an organisation's management team and the slow pace of permanent recruitment rank strongly among reasons clients engage an interim manager. The New Interim Report also includes sections on interim managers as agents of change, women in interim management, and interims as candidates for permanent executive roles.
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Talking Recruitment

In this article, published in the November 2007 issue of the North East Times, Paul Barron, Director - Executives Online North, discusses how he views the recruitment situation in the region and current demand for interim managers in the North East.
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2007-2008 Turnaround Guide

This guide has been published by the Turnaround Management Association TMA (UK), the professional organisation where executives and professionals from all disciplines can exchange information, ideas and knowledge about the turnaround industry. The guide contains a wealth of resources useful to anyone involved in corporate rescue and recovery, as well as an overview of the industry and predictions about future trends and events in turnaround.
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Supply Chain Europe article

This exclusive feature written by Norrie Johnston, Executive Chairman of Executives Online for Supply Chain Europe, explores the recruitment challenges facing supply chain dependent businesses. Using the latest research, interviews with senior executives, and case studies, it considers why supply chain pressures just aren’t being met fast enough by conventional recruitment today. It pinpoints where the problems lie and examines the impact of key developments such job boards. This is an invaluable read for anyone whose recruitment strategy isn’t keeping pace with their supply chain needs.
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Challenge of Change

In Executive Online's Challenge of Change report we explore how UK companies view and manage change. This groundbreaking report updates our original Challenge of Change report, published in 2002, with new research involving nearly 400 senior executives in roles where they’re responsible for business transformation programmes. It explores such challenging questions as: Is change used as a strategic tool to create better companies that are more able to remain successful, or is it used reactively, in an inward-facing way? What techniques and resources are being used to deliver change? How important are senior managers in this process? And above all, how successful are change programmes?
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Recruitment Forum Report

Is recruitment a support function or a business driver? Where does recruitment goes wrong? Is it measured enough? What are the effect and importance of labour mobility, cultural fit, and the HR department in ensuring competitive advantage through people? Nine business leaders from organisations as diverse as Ipsos MORI, British Energy Direct and The Post Office recently gathered at an Executives Online hosted roundtable to debate these issues, under the guidance of leading broadcaster, Evan Davis. This report draws together the discussion and conclusions the group reached.
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Executive Talent 2006

The recruitment industry isn’t keeping pace with the needs of even the largest companies, says Executive Talent 2006, an in-depth study of 102 senior directors and HR managers. Despite over 80% of companies having established relationships with retained agencies, 60% struggle to find executives with the right experience. It quantifies that companies lose two full years of senior executive time per annum, because they can’t find people fast enough. Other topics include recruitment spend by category, toughest roles to fill, and specific challenges faced by smaller organisations.
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IoD Factsheet on Interim Management

In an exclusive initiative, Executives Online has linked-up with the Institute of Directors to sponsor the definitive Business Factsheet on Interim Management, the first in a series produced by the IoD as part of its online business advice service for its 55,000 members. Executives Online worked with Richard Donkin, Careers Editor at The Financial Times, to produce the factsheet. It outlines the history of interim management, how an interim executive can add value to a business, the process behind finding the right interim manager, and how to get the most out of the experience.
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Europe – Still Open for Business?

Is Europe open for business? This is the question that Atradius, a global risk management and financial solutions provider, asked an assembled roundtable of Europe watchers – business executives, analysts and commentators – all experts in their own field and well versed in the ways of European business. Norrie Johnston, Executive Chairman of Executives Online, joined the panel to represent and comment upon issues related to leadership resourcing and human capital. The group debated such issues as: Where should Europe go from here? What are the real problems we are struggling with? How do we compete with low-cost developing nations? Are there still opportunities to do business within Europe? And, most importantly, what can individual companies do to ensure they survive and thrive during this time of change? The themes and main topics of the debate are developed in this report, which we believe makes for insightful reading, analysing some of the challenges that Europe faces and identifying the opportunities for business that remain.
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Now Management Report

Executives Online has produced the Now Management Report using research carried out with senior managers and directors of 100 UK businesses in the spring of 2004. It explores the recent emergence of a new style of management over the past few years, one that is quick, responsive, flexible and ultimately geared to delivering short-term goals – and which we have dubbed "Now management".
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Contact!

Written by highly skilled contact centre managers from within the Executives Online talent bank, the articles in this report explore the growing role that contact centres are playing in helping companies deliver service and grow profits. In this groundbreaking report, ten talented contact centre managers share their perspectives on staff management, market segmentation, multi-contact centres, and alignment with corporate strategy. The articles in this report offer a fresh look at the challenges of establishing, sustaining and growing a successful contact centre today, from experts responsible for creating some of the most effectives centres in the UK.
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The Pharma Report

The pharmaceutical sector is one of the world’s most complex and compelling industries, known as highly profitable but also highly competitive and subject to big external forces in the form of international intellectual property law and governmental regulation. The articles in this report have been written by three professionals from the Executives Online’s talent bank. The articles cover key topics impacting on the pharmaceutical industry, including a comprehensive survey of flexible working practices and policies in the industry, production forecasting and supply chain management, and customer satisfaction. They illustrate an understanding of the issues affecting the industry, but more importantly, they demonstrate the ability of the right talent to provide solutions, make changes and help pharmaceutical companies do better.
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On the Up: Interim Managers

This article from Edge magazine was published in spring 2005 explains how interims are used for traditional gap-filling, to strengthen a project team, or to manage change. It also features several case studies from organisations that have successfully used interims and gives prospective clients a clear picture of the benefits and process of bringing in an interim manager.
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