Keith E Rice - LifeCycle Position Test

...where are You?

Tick (√) whichever of the 3 options you feel is closest to representing Your Company. You must tick only one for each section.

Please add up your A, B and C scores and record them in the Total boxes.

The key below provides an indication of what your answers might signify....

A=Growing Stages (Infancy and Go-Go)
B=Peak Stages (Adolescence-Stability)
C=Ageing Stages (Aristocracy-Recriminations)

If you have more As than Bs or Cs that might indicate your company is on the growing side of the LifeCycle and faced with the daunting challenges of managing sustainable growth; more Cs might indicate your company is on the ageing side and needs to pull itself back to the peak before the rot sets in.

However, please note: this questionnaire is provided as a stimulus to get you thinking and should not be taken as a serious attempt to position your organisation on the LifeCycle. A much more in-depth and detailed analysis would be necessary to position your company accurately.

1. Purpose of the Organisation

A) The Company is the Proprietor's Baby

B) The Company exists to make a reasonable profit by supplying products and/or services the market needs at a price it is prepared to pay

C) The Company is there to maximise returns for the Shareholders

A) The Proprietor seems ambitious enough - but, if there is a plan, it's safely locked up in his/her head

B) The Company has a documented plan; but we consider it highly flexible and are constantly scanning for changes internally and externally

C) Our Vision Statement is contained in our Annual Report and is available to read at various points on our sites

3. Key Performance Indicators

A) The Proprietor looks at the bank balance every week and more often if necessary

B) We have a minimum set of Key Ratios we use as a measure to see how well we are progressing and to inform decision-making

C) A full set of KPIs is made available to Shareholders on an annual basis

A) We can get sales no problem

B) We endeavour to find out what our Customers want - and to meet those needs

C) Our Company has a quite-adequate budget for marketing

5. Information Technology

A) The Proprietor loves Windows Vista!

B) We make great use of ICT but we make sure we don't lose that 'human touch'

C) We have a very sophisticated system which keeps on top of everything and on top of everybody

B) We understand the cost pros and cons of Health & Safety and take reasonable measures

C) Our Company has a fully-documented Health & Safety system - our Health & Safety Manager makes sure that everyone complies

B) We take all factors affecting sustainability into account for future planning

C) The environment is important to our Shareholders; and we make sure we comply with all applicable legislation

8. Employer-Employee Relationships

A) We work for the Proprietor - he/she is the person who embodies what this Company is about

B) Our Company recognises that the calibre and commitment of our people really does make the difference

C) In our Mission Statement, it clearly states that “Our Staff are our greatest asset”

A) All our training is practical 'on-the-job'

B) We give our Staff the training they need to do the job the Company wants and to get some personal satisfaction from it

C) We have Investors in People recognition

A) We do what the Proprietor tells us

B) We make money by making sure Customers get what they want, when they want it, how they want it

C) Our Customers buy what we provide

11. Management Systems

A) We do what the Proprietor tells us

B) We have very well-thought-through systems which people keep to but break when they believe they need to - leading to frequent revision

C) We have ISO 9000 accreditation

12. Customer Specification

A) We do what the Proprietor tells us

B) We make sure we know what the Customer wants - and will deal with variations/amendments (at a reasonable price!)

C) We fully document all the Customer's requirements

13. Quality Auditing

A) The Proprietor tells us when we get it wrong

B) We do the minimum amount of audits necessary but treat them as a learning tool - to give us information to get better

C) We have a comprehensive auditing system to make sure everyone complies with our quality procedures and documented working practices

14. Performance Appraisal

A) People know from the way the Boss treats them if they're living up to expectations - and they certainly know about it if they're not!

B) The annual appraisal is merely a brief review and goal-setting exercise - real appraisal takes place on the job,

C) Performance appraisal takes place twice a year, within a system which ensures Managers treat Staff fairly, with a full appeals procedure