D2.3: Business Plan Design
Creators: name: Merida-Campos, Carlos
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Deliverable
HPC
Research infrastructure
EFQM Model
RADAR Logic

description: After almost four years of functioning as a legal entity, PRACE has successfully dealt with the inherent difficulties of creating an international research infrastructure. The amount of effort invested in managing this achievement has been exceptional and at this point in time, while PRACE is finalising its strategy beyond the initial period, it is advisable to consider options for systematising internal processes and optimising their management while achieving a higher rate of effectiveness and leadership of a world class research infrastructure. This document reports the result of research work in the area of excellence frameworks for organisations with a world leadership objective and associated management techniques. It also provides a tailored advice for PRACE to be considered in the short-to medium- term. This exercise, however, does not represent an obligation for the association, that may consider accepting, modifying, or indefinitely delaying its implementation.<br> The proposed guidelines and actions are based on the EFQM Excellence Framework Model, used by over 30000 European organisations. This model identifies the organisational and management elements that excellent organisations have in common. It delivers a guideline for those organisations that aspires to evolve towards excellence. Based on the EFQM model, WP2 created a survey for PRACE submitted to the Chairman of the Board of Directors who provided feedback on the importance and maturity of each element of the model. On the basis of this, WP2 developed the different organisational elements highlighted in the EFQM model. Depending on the relevance assessed, some elements have been developed further than others. The list of elements is as follows:<br> Vision: providing guidelines and motivation of an agreed view. Values: providing guidelines and motivation of PRACE values. Policies &amp; Processes: providing methodology for designing, monitoring and improving PRACE processes. KPI ScoreCard design: providing guidelines for integrating the use of KPI as a regular tool in PRACE management; both for evaluating the external impact as well as internal operations. Management Process: suggesting a general management process based on roles and tasks including other elements developed in the document. Risk Management: providing guidelines for risk evaluation when analysing and designing processes for PRACE. Management process assessment: providing guidelines for integrating an assessment sub-process for the different management processes. Management of priorities: providing guidelines for a methodological treatment of priorities. Human Resources management: providing guidelines for defining PRACE processes related to skills management, appraisal processes and fostering a cooperative and creative culture. Financial management: highlighting the key elements to be considered in defining financial processes. Stakeholders management: providing guidelines and tools to leverage PRACE’s relationship with stakeholders; defining a general process for managing them. External factors analysis: providing guidelines to analyse relevant external factors for PRACE to be considered in Strategic reviews and stakeholders management. Partnership management: providing guidelines and a suggested process for managing partnerships in PRACE in a process-oriented manner. Partnership selection and acquisition: providing guidelines in this sub-process of the partnership management. User analysis: providing guidelines on how to analyse and leverage information on users for the benefit of PRACE, its users and Stakeholders. Marketing management: providing guidelines on which information to use and how to use it to better promote and build the PRACE brand. This document has been conceived as a reference guide for further work in developing a more process oriented organisation. The different elements are often related and it is advisable to read the entire document to have all the necessary elements in mind to implement the mechanisms described.