Business Soundbites: The Art of Business Analytics

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‘The Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Kent Business School has provided us with the data we need in discussions with Government about the practical implications of leaving the customs union.’

In his presentation at Kent Business School’s Business Soundbites event in May, Port of Dover CEO Tim Waggott was unequivocal about the benefits his organisation had gained from cooperation with the School: ‘Kent Business School has worked with us to meet the increasing business challenge of handling record freight volumes, equating to £119bn of the UK’s trade. It is great to meet so many people tonight who might also be interested in being supported by Kent Business School.’

The Soundbites presentation was centered on the invaluable work carried out by the Kent Business School’s Management Science Group, a team of leading academics looking at improving business efficiency through quantitative analysis of, for example, supply chains and logistics networks. Case study presentations by Mr Waggott and Priority Freight’s Managing Director Neal Williams showed how the application of business analytics had considerably cut operational costs and improved future planning. ‘Drawing expertise from Kent Business School through the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, we are now realising the opportunities we knew existed to further optimise our operation, increase our competitiveness and improve our bottom line,’ said Mr Williams.

The partly government-funded (InnovateUK) Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme is Europe’s leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology, and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base.

The scheme is a three-way partnership between an organisation, a Kent Business School academic and a recently qualified student often referred to as the KTP ‘Associate.’ A KTP can last up to two years as it aims to enable a significant strategic project.

Kent Business School’s Reader in Environmental Systems Dr Jesse O’Hanley, stressed that quantitative business analytics can be applied to virtually every industry, citing examples of the NHS Blood Service and the tourism sector: ‘Our work is very tailor-made. We invest a lot of time getting to know a business. Our initial talks and analysis often help a business to understand where the real problem lies. We may start with problem A but end up solving problem B – some companies have completely changed their operational procedures as a result of working with us.’

Businesses attending the event came away inspired: ‘I found the evening extremely interesting,’ said a representative of South East Water ‘and will definitely come to the next Business Soundbites Event.’

Business representatives from all industries are welcome to attend the Kent Business School Business Soundbites events. For more information, please keep an eye on our networking page or sign up for our business E-newsletter. If you’d like to talk to one of our Management Science academics about how Kent Business School can help make your business more efficient, please drop us an email, or telephone 01227 824068.

Many thanks to all who made this event a success from all at Kent Business School.

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