South Wales Business Review Volume 7 Issue 1

Vol 7 Issue 1 2016

Adolygiad Busnes De Cymru

Activating Economies How Sport and Culture Contribute to Vibrant Local Economies Dr Paul Thomas on Welsh Sporting Success How Creativity is Transforming City Centres Developing Talent the Ospreys Way Swansea Business School Ysgol Fusnes Abertawe

inside | SOUTH WALES BUSINESS REVIEW

3 Editorial:

SPORT AND CULTURE – the Impact on Wales’s Economy

4 The Big Interview: PAUL THOMAS

8 Sport and the City:

Autumn 2016 Volume 7 Issue 1

14 Industry View:

20 News and Events

16 Point of View:

22 Book Review: BLACK BOX THINKING

GALACTICOS TO HOMEMADE

ONE MORE ROUND

BY MATTHEW SYED

18 Opinion:

24 Next Issue:

THE TRUE VALUE OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

MASS PARTICIPATION SPORT ALIVE AND KICKING IN SWANSEA

10 Think Piece:

CULTURAL CAPITAL

12 Case Study: CREATIVE BUBBLE

Alternative formats If you require this document in an alternative format (e.g. Welsh, large print or text file for use with a text reader), please email swbr@uwtsd.ac.uk Fformatau eraill Os hoffech y ddogfen hon mewn fformat arall (e.e. Cymraeg, print mawr neu ffeil tesun i’w ddefnyddio gyda darllenydd tesun), anfonwch e-bost i: swbr@uwtsd.ac.uk ISSN 2049-5544 Disclaimer: The articles in this publication represent the views of the authors, not those of the University. The University does not accept responsibility for the contents of articles by individual authors. Please contact the editor if you have further queries.

Ymwadiad: Mae’r erthyglau yn y cyhoeddiad hwn yn cynrychioli barn yr awduron, nid rhai UWTSD. Nid yw’r Brifysgol yn derbyn cyfrifoldeb am gynnwys erthyglau awduron unigol. Cysylltwch â’r golygydd os oes gennych gwestiynau pellach.

Registered Charity Number / Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig 1149535 © UWTSD 2016. All rights reserved/ cedwir pob hawl.

Cover image: ©archetype/shutterstock This Page: ©DigitalStorm/shutterstock

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CONTACT US / CYSYLLTWCH Â NI Web/ Gwefan: www.uwtsd.ac.uk/swbr Email/ E-bost: swbr@uwtsd.ac.uk Twitter: @SWBusReview

Post:

Lucy Griffiths

South Wales Business Review Adolygiad Busnes De Cymru Swansea Business Campus Campws Busnes Abertawe University of Wales Trinity Saint David Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant High Street / Stryd Fawr Swansea / Abertawe SA1 1NE

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PRODUCTION TEAM Editor: Lucy Griffiths Editorial Board: Christopher Thomas Jayne Woodman Manjit Biant Jamie Tavender

Editorial: Sport and Culture – the Impact on Wales’s Economy

Design & Print: UWTSD TEL

Selected Contributors:  Rhodri Walters

Rhodri is an experienced business owner and PRINCE2 qualified project manager with a background in the public, private and third sectors. His career to date has been based around the development and management of projects within areas such as higher education, social enterprise, procurement, public sector commissioning and support for vulnerable groups.

Rhodri is entrepreneurial by nature and started his first retail business at 18.

He still runs this business and has since diversified his business interests to include a residential property development business.

 Chris Thomas

Chris lectures in eBusiness, Entrepreneurship and Marketing at Swansea Business School. He has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, including running his own businesses, and is part of the team of UWTSD Lecturers who recently took part in the Swansea Half Marathon in memory of former colleague Owen Lewis.

 Andrew Thomas

Andrew is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Management and Business at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

He is currently researching customer experience in sports stadia and player development and brings to his teaching a wealth of experience in sports development roles from organisations including the WRU and the Ospreys.

Lucy Griffiths Editor

In the afterglow of standout performances in Euro 2016 and the Olympic Games, sport in Wales is on a high, and with next year declared the ‘Year of Legends’

by Visit Wales, our cultural heritage will also be at the forefront of the public imagination. Sport and culture are hugely important to the Welsh identity and to our sense of nationhood, but they are also important to our economy too.

With a Welsh presence in the Premiership and high profile TV and film productions leading the way, Wales’s sport and culture are not only playing a role in sustaining our internal economy, but are a means of selling Wales to the world.

In this issue we explore the impact of sport and culture on the Welsh economy, from examples of sports stars who have shown incredible strength and resilience, through to local projects that are transforming our city centres. Our interview with Sport Wales Chair, Dr Paul Thomas, probably sums this up the best – highlighting how far we’ve come, but also the work still to be done in valuing the contributions these industries make.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Our next edition will focus on Wales’s export economy and the impact of Brexit - please email us at swbr@uwtsd.ac.uk if you are interested in contributing.

Best wishes Lucy

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The Big Interview: Paul Thomas, Chair of Sport Wales Following one of Wales’s most successful sporting summers ever, we met up with the Chair of Sport Wales, Dr Paul Thomas, to talk about the impact sport has on the Welsh economy, and how Sport Wales are working to build on the recent achievements of our elite sportspeople.

SWBR It has been quite a year for Welsh Sport - what’s your take on the impact of the high profile Welsh performances we’ve seen on the country as a whole?

PT Well, it’s official – it unites a proud sporting nation! Our research after the Euros proved that success at that level and on such a scale really does bring communities closer together. We are immensely proud of what our Welsh sportsmen and women have achieved on the world stage over the past couple of months and of what’s to come from our Welsh athletes in the Paralympics.

We firmly believe that this success has not only united the nation, but provides a level of inspiration to children, young people and adults. What is for certain is that every Olympian, Paralympian and member of the Welsh football team started somewhere, usually at a community club or opportunity that supported their love for a particular activity. It’s for us to build on this now and look at ways in which we can reach and enthuse more people to get involved and find their activity or sport.

SWBR In particular, what impact do you think sport has on our businesses and economy?

PT I think we saw from the Welsh team at Euro 2016 the profile that success at a major tournament can provide 4 | Vol 7 Issue 1 2016

the nation. The fact that we had major international brands such as Adidas and Budweiser marketing directly to a Welsh audience and using the Welsh language demonstrates the impact that sport can have on the perceptions of business. I think it also put a real spring in the step of the nation, a sense of positivity and the ability to succeed if we work together.

Outside of this summer’s events Wales has long been known as a great host for sporting events from Ashes test matches through to Rugby World Cups, the Ryder Cup and next May the Champions League Final. This brings such a wide variety of visitors to the country and our aim is for them to leave with a desire to return.

We also shouldn’t forget what sport provides at a community level. Outside of the leisure and sport economy, it provides an opportunity for young people and adults to develop new skills through coaching and volunteering, it can bring communities together and build resilience. I am a great believer that sport and being active is an excellent grounding for employment.

SWBR How can we build on this success further, both at an elite sport level and in local communities across Wales?

PT Success on the world stage is infectious and as I’ve said, unites communities and inspires. Every year we invest £24m in community sport in Wales. We have seen positive trends in the last few years of increased regular participation across the board and were pleased to see that we had bucked wider UK trends of a slump in participation shortly after the buzz of London 2012 died down. We know that any ‘legacy’ doesn’t happen overnight,

but takes consistency of approach and collaboration, which is something we’ve worked on at Sport Wales. Despite the positive trends we are not complacent.

We want to ensure that our investment is helping to deliver a network of opportunities that enable people to become, and crucially remain active.

The challenge will now be how we take the next step, reaching and enthusing even more people. It should come as no surprise that I won’t be satisfied until every person in Wales has the opportunity to become physically active and I will not shy away from continuing to bang the drum for more opportunities for those under-represented in our participation figures. However we can only truly achieve greater participation and the subsequent impact on the health and well-being of the nation if we are open to working differently and becoming more responsive to the communities that we serve.

Continues Overleaf

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“The fact that we had major international brands such as Adidas and Budweiser marketing directly to a Welsh audience and using the Welsh language demonstrates the impact that sport can have on the perceptions of business.�

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Image: ©Sport Wales

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SWBR What challenges do we still face in engaging people and organisations with sport and demonstrating its benefits?

PT We have to be ready to admit that for some, the word ‘sport’ does not inspire them to get active. Some people have not had positive experiences of sport at school level and are completely put off by the competitive edge to some clubs. This is hard for us to hear as we’re passionate in our belief that sport can play a positive role in everyone’s life, no matter the level of ability or skill. Sport offers something for everyone, but we need to listen to how people want to access opportunities to be active.

We fully believe that being active through sport has a huge role to play in tackling inactivity. We recognise that to achieve this we need to be working effectively with a range of partners from public health and local authorities to housing associations and governing bodies of sport. It is only through collective action, based on joint goals and listening to communities that we will be able to create an environment that enables activity and allows everyone to feel the benefits of a more active, healthier lifestyle.

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We all know that the landscape of sport and physical activity in Wales is changing – traditional models of consumption have served us well, but as people’s lives are changing, driven by technology, we need to not only respond, but raise the bar. People now want to participate in different ways with a strong community focus and we must listen, act and innovate to meet that demand. We should not be intimidated by these changes, but see these as opportunities to review and revise our approach, reaching out to new partners and seeking collaboration in the delivery of the sporting landscape in Wales. Sporting opportunities must be unique, be able to offer clear value for money, drive innovation and be adaptable to change.

We should be working with a diverse range of local groups to empower communities so that they play a full and active role in decision making to ensure that local services meet local needs. Sports clubs are often the hub of the community, and we should look to harness this so that we can maximise the impact on alleviating inequality.

SWBR You’re famous for championing dynamic, peoplecentred organisational models, how are you applying your approach at Sport Wales?

PT In my short time with Sport Wales I’ve been impressed with the passion, knowledge and commitment of the staff and the partners we work with. I think my biggest challenge will be to take a step back and be objective, as sport and being active have been such a central part of my life that my enthusiasm to influence every aspect is something I’ll need to control.

I see the Chair’s role as providing support and appropriate challenge to the Executive, ensuring that the business is not only delivering on the current outcomes, but looking at how these may change in the future. There’s no doubt that with the current pressure on public finances all public bodies will be expected to deliver more with a diminishing resource, so getting the best out of our people is critical.

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Image: ©katatonia82 / Shutterstock.com

“Work with inspirational people and work out what it is that makes them inspirational”

SWBR Finally, what excites you about the future of sport in Wales and the role Sport Wales has to play in creating it?

PT As an organisation Sport Wales is in a strong position to drive the wider physical activity agenda and I am energised by the opportunities this provides. As technology develops we have seen the way in which people want to access activity and the type of activities they want to undertake change rapidly. Responding to changes such as these, keeping the organisation and the offers we invest in relevant to people’s lives is an exciting challenge.

I am keen to see how we can ensure that the voices of participants and our frontline partners are heard more in the planning of our work, ensuring that we are building a sporting environment that instinctively responds to the needs of communities as these change.

Hopefully we can remember that success on the elite level comes from constantly adapting, learning and putting into practice innovation. Never being satisfied with second place. It’s worked pretty well for Welsh sportswomen and men in the last few years, and we want to apply it to our approach to community sport and physical activity. If we embrace the change to come and own it, I believe we can produce a comprehensive, dynamic community sport environment and one of the most active nations in the world.

“...success on the elite level comes from constantly adapting, learning and putting into practice innovation.

Never being satisfied with second place.”

This summer has been about the goals scored on the pitches of France and medals won in Rio, but as a sport and physical activity sector we have to be prepared to use every ounce of inspiration to engage more people in becoming active.

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Sport and the City: Mass Participation Sport Alive and Kicking in Swansea Chris Thomas

UWTSD Lecturer Chris Thomas reflects on the impact of mass participation sport events on our region, both in terms of promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting the economy.

With the dust now settled on the Olympics in Rio there will be the inevitable questions regarding legacy benefits for the people of Brazil. Key benefits cited by Olympic committees cover three main areas: regeneration - improvements in housing and infrastructure; economic – increased income from tourism, trade and inward investment; and sport – encouraging participation though the development of better facilities. The benefits of the former two are easily quantifiable, but with respect to the latter, there is little empirical evidence for an ‘if we build it, they will come’ approach to sports.

Governments justify their investment in elite sports by arguing that Olympic success increases mass participation in sport. However, research in this area fails to show any direct connection.

Ironically, in spite of the popularity of mass participation sports such as running, cycling, and triathlon events, there is a lack of studies evaluating their impact on sustained physical activity involvement.

I believe commercially astute customer focused organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors all have a part to play, with Swansea having good examples of all three. Local and national government support is crucial, as is that of the local business community and national brands.

A prime example of this national/ local model can be seen in the recent phenomenon of Parkrun. These are free weekly timed runs around the world in 8 | Vol 7 Issue 1 2016

pleasant parkland surroundings, and are open to everyone. Swansea has its own Parkrun which takes place along the coastal path from Brynmill to Black Pill every Saturday at 9am, regularly attracting over 200 runners. Parkrun works as a social enterprise, with a very small core team. Central costs are met through business sponsorship. Startup costs for a Parkrun are approximately £5,000 which covers all the timing and web technology costs and Parkrun pay half the costs. The rest needs to be sourced locally, possibly from local authorities or local businesses.

Each Parkrun needs the support of active volunteers who steward the course.

Simple to operate technology is given to the organisers to record runners’ times and these are then directly posted to an on-line results page. Runs are not races as such but everyone is timed. This attracts people who might feel excluded from more formal races and incentivises the more competitive. There are currently 412 parkrun courses in the UK. A research study of Britain’s multisport community by the Triathlon Industry Association (TIA) points to another growing area of mass participation sport, namely the triathlon (for those of you not in the know, this consists of a consecutive swim, cycle and run).

Triathlon attracts a large, engaged and affluent base of participating athletes, with an average age of 42 and salary of £48,900, and this is not lost on corporate business with some commentators likening the growth in endurance sports

to the new golf for middle-aged men.

The proportion of women doing triathlon stayed the same in 2015 as the year before, at 28%. Interestingly the research shows that the landmark age of 40 years old clearly represents an important milestone, with an 8% rise in participation for the larger group of those over 40 and a 9% drop for the smaller group of those aged under 40 recorded.

The University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD) was the main sponsor of Wales’s first city centre triathlon in 2016.

Organised by Activity Wales Events who amongst other things produce the Mumbles Triathlon (voted as the UK’s best triathlon in 2013 by Triathlon Magazine readers), the Gower Triathlon, and the Long Course Weekend in Tenby. As with any sponsorship agreement there has to be value for both parties. With UWTSD currently developing its Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter and the swim course being in the adjacent dock, it must have seemed like a match made in heaven to have a city triathlon working with a metropolitan university.

Gary Roethenbaugh of triathlonbusiness. com emphasises the importance of the economic impact of triathlon races in Wales. “The demographic for triathletes is peaking at around 40-44 years of age with an average income of around £45k.

For a participation race of around 1000 people, with the added spectators and recce visits, the economic impact could more than £250,000 per event.”

ADOLYGIAD BUSNES DE CYMRU | More traditional racing events are also still thriving in the Swansea area. The Admiral Swansea Bay 10k which began in 1981 has to grown to become one of the best 10k events in the UK. The event attracts thousands of elite and fun runners to Swansea Bay every September. This year the event came second in the ‘Best 10k in the UK’ category of the UK Running Awards. The event has been awarded a gold standard every year since 2002 by the British Association of Road Races when the system was first introduced. This is in recognition of the events organisation and commitment to the runners. This must be a considerable feather in the cap for Swansea Council who run the event.

Similarly the Swansea Half Marathon which only began in 2014 has quickly grown in reputation to become another event on one’s sporting bucket-list combining the amazing scenery of the coastal path of Swansea Bay with a carnival atmosphere in the city centre. At the same event that the Swansea Bay 10k won its award, the Swansea Half Marathon won second place in the Best Half Marathon in the UK (with several GB international runners lining up in 2016).

The organisers have ambitious plans to grow the race to international status by 2017 by becoming an International Associated Athletics Federation (IAAF) accredited race.

Find out more:

parkrun.org.uk/swanseabay/ swanseatriathlon.com swanseabay10k.com swanseahalfmarathon.co.uk

Images: ©Activity Wales Events and Swansea Half Marathon

So if you are a competitor looking to race in the footsteps of the elite, or just looking at improving your mobility, Swansea has something to offer everyone whilst taking in some of the best vistas that Wales has to offer. Oh, and did I mention that, unlike a lot of races in Wales, another great advantage of these courses…they are flat. If your business is looking to target affluent and/or health conscious consumers maybe it’s time to partner with a local sporting event near you?

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Think Piece: Cultural Capital Lucy Griffiths

Lucy Griffiths explores what culture means, for us as individuals, and to the Welsh economy, suggesting that we may need to look beyond Wales to see ourselves most clearly.

What exactly is culture? Could you put your finger on what it really means, at a personal level, at a regional level, at a national level or at the level of humanity as a whole? It’s a word that can take us in many directions, from our habits to our history, from our language to our livelihoods, and from the arts to politics. But what does culture really mean to us here in Wales in terms of its impact on our nation’s social and economic wellbeing?

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Can culture be an asset, a form of capital, in itself? Well some certainly think so. In fact the notion of ‘cultural capital’ as a form of capital was established by the French philosopher and sociologist Pierre Bourdieu who cited it alongside economic and social capital in his 1986 essay ‘The forms of Capital’. In this piece he describes the three capital forms thus: ‘capital can present itself in three fundamental guises: as economic capital, which is immediately and directly convertible into money and may be institutionalized in the forms of property rights; as cultural capital, which is convertible, on certain

conditions, into economic capital and may be institutionalized in the forms of educational qualifications; and as social capital, made up of social obligations (‘connections’), which is convertible, in certain conditions, into economic capital and may be institutionalized in the forms of a title of nobility.’

One of Bourdieu’s key points is that cultural capital is often somewhat hidden, unrecognised, and unarticulated. Culture, it seems, is not easy to describe, let alone place a value on.

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Well let’s start by thinking about some of the potential benefits ‘culture’ can bring us. Clearly, there are benefits in terms of wellbeing, community and social belonging that come from recognising and valuing our past and present, whether through the arts, the Welsh language, our sports, our food and our traditions. There are elements here of preservation, that connect us with our distant past, but also the importance of newer traditions. Take, for example, the celebrations taking place in Cardiff this year to commemorate the author Roald Dahl, which have become a major focal point for celebrating creativity from Wales.

It’s also interesting to hear that Visit Wales have designated 2017 the ‘Year of Legends’, a year long celebration of the legends of Wales, new and old, from our ancient Celtic past to the stars of the successful Welsh football team. By creating a focal point around which these stories can emerge and be told, we can reinforce what it means to be Welsh, both to those from outside Wales, and to ourselves.

Tourism is of course one, hugely important, sector of the Welsh economy that can benefit from a Welsh cultural identity, but we should not ignore the potential for ‘Welshness’ to also play

a part in attracting inward investment, of people and finance. What is it that would draw a business from outside Wales to locate themselves here, and what reasons are there for enterprising people from Wales to stay? Culture is hugely important within businesses, and the ability to access skilled people with the right attitude, is likely to be key to any decision to locate. Also crucial is the environment, the geography and feel of a place. It’s often said that many entrepreneurs were originally attracted to California because it offered them a fantastic lifestyle along with access to the people and financial resources needed to fuel start-ups. Can Wales offer these things too? If so, why aren’t we shouting about it from the rooftops?

when presenting Wales to the rest of the world. This is particularly important as we are often our own harshest critics, and it’s very easy to dismiss as unimportant something that others value very highly…

It remains that there are many many ways in which we could define Welsh culture, but, paradoxically, some of the most clear-sighted views on Welshness may come from those who have observed it and perhaps chosen to be a part of it, rather than those immersed in it from birth. So why not ask someone you know who is not from Wales what they think Welsh culture is? You may be surprised by their answers…

Culture is, of course, much much more than a branding exercise, but if we never stop to think about it, how can we truly know who we are, let alone communicate it effectively to the rest of the world?

As someone whose work is often led by design thinking principles, learning from your ‘users’, in this case those who are likely to perceive and potentially engage with Welsh culture from the outside, is something I think can be hugely valuable in terms of understanding a problem or issue, before you start to design a solution. It may seem counterintuitive, but maybe what we really need to be doing is looking outside Wales for clues to what makes us most Welsh. By holding a mirror up to us, people from outside Wales may be able to show us the very best of ourselves, and enable us to use those insights to our best advantage

“Culture is hugely important within businesses, and the ability to access skilled people withthe right attitude, is likely to be key to any decision to locate.”

Image: ©Shaun Jeffers / Shutterstock.com

So what does that mean for us in exploring the value of culture to the Welsh economy and to our society?

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Case Study: Creative Bubble - The Power of Creativity to Enhance City Centres Lucy Beddall

Lucy Beddall explains how the Creative Bubble initiative, a partnership between the Swansea Business Improvement District and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, has injected some creative spark into Swansea’s City Centre.

Swansea BID (Business Improvement District) represents over 800 businesses and organisations in Swansea City Centre. Their mission is to make Swansea a better place to shop, visit, study, stay and work in. In 2013 Russell Greenslade, Chief Executive of Swansea BID, approached UWTSD to discuss ways in which the two organisations could work together to increase footfall in Swansea and encourage graduate start-ups in the City Centre. From this initial meeting, Creative Bubble was conceived.

Based in an empty retail unit in Cradock Street, Creative Bubble is a space where students can realise their ideas through art exhibitions, performances, pop-up shops and workshops – all managed by the students themselves. It enhances their learning experience and increases their employability skills. Creative Bubble supports Swansea’s emerging artists and entrepreneurs by giving them a safe space to try out their ideas. It also showcases their skills and crafts to the general public and local businesses.

One of Creative Bubble’s successful projects is ‘Pizza with a Pro’. This is a monthly evening event where students from a variety of courses are invited to 12 | Vol 7 Issue 1 2016

attend a session or workshop with an entrepreneur. Over pizza, the professional will share their industry experiences and the challenges of starting their own businesses. Often there are opportunities for the students to get involved with the business through employment or work placements. By meeting successful local business owners, it demonstrates what can be achieved in Swansea. It is a City on the cusp of great change and there are opportunities for students and graduates to be part of that. Swansea wants to keep our enterprising students when they graduate, they are the fuel to regeneration and a successful economic future.

In addition to activity in the shop, Creative Bubble also supports Swansea BID in their own City Centre promotional activity. Students are often employed as Ambassadors/Hosts and assist in activities such as handing out maps to shoppers or dressing up as Elves at Christmas. A Creative Bubble Summer Stage, managed by students, runs throughout the Summer months

entertaining shoppers with music and poetry – and many of the performers are students from the Swansea and Carmarthen campuses.

BA Brand and Advertising graduate, Ross Weaver, who took part in Creative Bubble projects during his time at UWTSD said “Creative Bubble gave me the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs in my future industry. Since then I have had some fantastic experience working for a creative agency in Swansea. I have just graduated and feel equipped with new skills, contacts and confidence in what I can achieve.”

Russell Greenslade, Chief Executive of Swansea BID, speaking about the impact of the initiative, said “I am delighted at how successful Creative Bubble has been. Not only does it benefit the students in their studies and employability in the future but it also helps to recruit more people into the City Centre. It also creates new City Centre businesses adding to the economy and contributes to the vibrant

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atmosphere in Swansea. It was recently shortlisted as one of the most successful projects run by a British BID and has been recognised by Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) as good practice in increasing employability skills in students.”

It’s the forward thinking of Swansea BID and UWTSD that has made this initiative a success. Recognising the powerful combination of creative and commercial thinking on both the students and the City has allowed the project to grow and evolve. In 2015 alone, over 400 students ran their own shop based activity with 4,000 people being welcomed through the door. It’s very exciting seeing a student’s face when we hand over the key to the shop for a couple of weeks – it’s real and the possibilities of what they can achieve in the space are endless.

For more information about Creative Bubble and Swansea BID visit: uwtsd.ac.uk/creative-bubble swanseabid.co.uk

Images: ©Creative Bubble

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Industry View: Galacticos to Homemade (why developing local talent matters) Andrew Thomas

Sports Management Lecturer and Sports Development Expert Andrew Thomas shows how other businesses can learn from the approaches to coach and player development taken by Welsh rugby team The Ospreys…

Regional and professional rugby is now over a decade old in Wales and during this period the stars of the game have shone brightly at the Liberty Stadium; from Jerry Collins to Justin Marshall, the Ospreys regularly purchased ready-made international talent. During this period of relative success the Ospreys won four Pro12/ Celtic League Titles, reached the Heineken Cup (Europe’s premier club competition) quarter finals on three occasions and won the Anglo Welsh Cup in 2008. At one stage the Welsh National Team had 13 Ospreys players starting a Test Match. The international search for talent spanned the globe with additional recruits and high profile coaches a common theme for the team. More recently, however, financial pressures within the region and the wider professional game within Wales have created a greater impetus for teams to focus on developing the local talent that emerges through the various development pathways.

Over the last 5 years, whilst the competitive nature of the regional teams within Wales has diminished, the Wales National Team benefited from Welsh players gaining increased exposure within the regions, or in some cases over the border, to win the Grand Slam in 2005, 2008, 2012 and the 6 Nations title in 2013, along with putting in two 14 | Vol 7 Issue 1 2016

competitive performances at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. There is a constant trade-off between a successful international team and competitive regional teams given the congestion and overlap of the international calendar where the best Welsh players are not always available to represent their region. However, the real cash cow for the game is International Rugby, and more specifically the 6 Nations Championship where TV revenues, gate receipts, sponsorship and secondary spend help support the elite and community levels of the game.

Since their inception the Ospreys have always had a philosophy of developing from within and have produced some of Welsh rugby’s best players from

Shane Williams and Dan Biggar to Adam Jones and Alun Wyn Jones. This is also true off the field with Steve Tandy now Head Coach, Andy Lloyd recruitment and retention manager while Andrew Millward is now the Managing Director.

The Ospreys focus on a player-centred/ individual-centred model where its key success focuses on developing better coaches within its regional age grade setup while also providing masterclass sessions and online support for Schools and Community Clubs.

For them, “Coach is King”, setting a vision that allows the player to operate efficiently and providing them with the tools to do their job. Players usually develop through the development pyramid (left) which reinforces the need to develop all coaches within the pathway.

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Is Talent Born or Developed?

The nurture and nature debate presents differing perspectives on development. The overall perspective considers if players are born talented or develop over time. The ‘nurturers’ generally argue that talent is the result of the development environment from club and school through to the elite age grade systems which underpin the development structure within professional rugby. Those who believe in natural talent, however, differ in believing that talent is innate and the product of inherited genetic attributes. From a rugby development perspective the ‘middle majority’ take a slightly combined approach where genetic differences (Height, Weight, Speed, Flexibility) can give participants a particular advantage in a certain positions after prolonged development. However, rugby is still a sport which allows various individuals of varying body types (Ectomorph, Mesomorph or Endomorph) to participate in the community and elite game.

What Can Other Organisations Learn from the Ospreys Approach?

So, what can other organisations learn from the approaches taken by the Ospreys to develop local talent? Well, we know that uncertainty in the global business market is likely to continue given the recent Brexit vote. During these periods of change, organisations should be investing in their human capital over the long term. However, many organisations instinctively reduce their training budgets when times are difficult, so investment in staff declines and a skills shortage can emerge which then fails to reignite growth in the company.

Organisations can learn the lessons from player development pathways by creating a culture where improving the ability of employees within the organisation is a

constant embedded expectation. The Ospreys ensure continuous development of their players and coaches with constant CPD opportunities, player led notational analysis sessions, obtaining technical industry qualifications and sharing best practice through mentorship schemes where age grade coaches shadow senior professional coaches and academy players train with the First Team. Employers can follow the Ospreys approach by identifying the development needs of individuals, designing a shared, employee-led programme of development, implementing or delivering the programme and evaluating outcomes against predetermined targets on a constant basis.

Constantly looking for opportunities to learn, not just within your own immediate environment, but from elsewhere, can also help you stay ahead of your competitors.

For example, as part of the Ospreys’ drive towards excellence the senior coaching team visited Melbourne Rebels and Wellington Hurricanes Super 15 teams in the 2015 off season, plus Essendon and the Western Bulldogs Aussie Rules Teams and the Melbourne Storm Rugby League Giants to challenge their understanding and consider future improvements in their player development system. This culture of continuous improvement is embedded both on and off the field, and is something many other organisations could seek to emulate in these unstable times.

Image: ©vidguten/shutterstock

As a result the Ospreys and the wider development pathway within the WRU considers integrating key behavioural attributes into the players’ development over a prolonged cycle in line with the Minis to Millennium pathway. The pyramid (left) provides opportunities for the masses to participate but in addition the Ospreys curriculum focuses on developing 6 key pillars: Technical, Tactical, Nutritional, Physical, Physiological and the Holistic development of the player over the long term. These approaches are constantly revisited to ensure that the Ospreys remain at the forefront of rugby development within Wales.

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| SOUTH WALES BUSINESS REVIEW

Point of View: One More Round Manjit Biant

Swansea Business School Lecturer Manjit Biant reflects on the importance of resilience and persistence, and what we can learn from the stories of sports stars who have overcome great adversity.

I was part of that generation that grew up with the Rocky Balboa movies – from the original Rocky all the way through to the latest Creed film. I distinctly remember one film, Rocky V, where there was a scene when Rocky was knocked down, and his trainer said “get up – one more round”.

When it comes to sport there is a lot of money involved these days, it’s an industry, but let us just pause a moment and think of sport itself, what it means to those who came from nothing and achieved something. Those in sport who were knocked down but rose to fight one more round because it is these heroes that can inspire us to live our lives with the determination and resilience required to achieve our own success. Sport inspires achievement like nothing else in our human world, and stories of sportspeople overcoming significant challenges can drive us on in whatever we choose to do. Let me share with you some of the amazing stories that have inspired me – from Wales and beyond:

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Wilma Rudolph

Bethany Hamilton

David Roberts

Born in June 1940, Wilma Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world by the 1960s. She was the first American female track and field athlete to gain 3 gold medals in a single Olympic games. Wilma was a black athlete and civil rights activist.

At age 13 Bethany, whilst surfing, was attacked by a shark, which severed her left arm. After losing 60% of her blood it was a miracle she survived.

David Evan Roberts CBE (born 25 May 1980), is a Welsh swimmer. An eleventime Paralympic gold medallist, he is one of Great Britain’s most successful Paralympians ever.

“My mother taught me very early to believe I could achieve any accomplishment I wanted to. The first was to walk without braces.

I ran and ran and ran every day, and I acquired this sense of determination, this sense of spirit that I would never, never give up, no matter what else happened.

Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose... If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.”

Ben Hogan On February 2, 1949 at the age of 36, golfer Ben Hogan and his wife were in a head-on collision with a bus, in a brave move to shield and protect his wife, he actually saved his own life, as had he stayed in the driving seat he would have been crushed, and most likely killed instantly.

He was left with multiple fractures and life-threatening blood clots which cause him to suffer circulation problems and other physical problems for the remainder of his life. His doctors said he might never walk again.

Through determined effort and walking to strengthen his body he was able to compete again. Ben Hogan made his comeback, and just 16 months later he won the US Open and ultimately 5 more major golf tournaments. His achievements in golf are only superseded in some minds by Tiger Woods.

John Hartson Swansea born John Hartson became the most expensive teen footballer player in British history when it came to club transfers. He stormed the UK football world with his skills and talents. He spent time at a number of major clubs including Arsenal, West Ham, Wimbledon, and Celtic, and was a key player in the Welsh national team, earning more than 50 caps.

“But my greatest victory of all was beating cancer,” he says. “No doubt about that.”

In 2009, after a period of ill health, he discovered that he had testicular cancer and it had spread to his brain. Hartson went through extensive cancer treatment, which was extremely successful.

He said “In the last six years I have bounced back. Surviving cancer, and living to see my children grow up, is massive. I have a different perception of life right now and am just so glad I came through my illness. What I have achieved since in terms of my health, and my cancer foundation, makes me a lot more proud than anything I achieved in football terms.”

After his victory over cancer he has now set up the John Hartson Foundation for Testicular cancer awareness, which uses the slogan “Grab life by the Balls”.

John says “So please, grab life by the balls – literally, in terms of checking yourself regularly and getting anything unusual checked out by your GP, but also by joining in the Foundation’s fundraising efforts to help others living with cancer.

It’s okay people saying I’m a fighter but I was only doing what came naturally. I’ve got so much to live for.”

David was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age eleven and was encouraged to participate in swimming activities as a form of physical therapy. He currently holds a joint record for the most Paralympic titles ever won by a British athlete.

Dave is a professional disabled swimmer who represents Caerphilly County Swim Squad, Wales and Great Britain. David was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in Cardiff on June 5, 2009.

Despite his disabilities he has overcome them and achieved much, from hard work and determination David is an inspiration to many who think about giving up.

“Impossible is not a fact.

It’s an Opinion.”

A piece on great comebacks wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the selfproclaimed ‘greatest’ boxer of all time, the recently departed Muhammad Ali. His words still sting like a bee…

“I’ve wrestled with alligators; I’ve tussled with a whale; I done handcuffed lightning & thrown thunder in jail….

I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick…

I make medicine sick.”

Muhammad Ali Beyond the boxing ring, Ali’s legacy includes the courage of his convictions, life of service, and empowerment of others to fight for a cause. He once said “Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion.”

To be a champion, we need to hear him.

When we are knocked down - let us get back up and fight one more round.

Image: ©Refat/shutterstock

What makes her story so amazing is that as a child of four Rudolph contracted infantile paralysis (caused by the polio virus). She recovered, but wore a brace on her left leg and foot (which had become twisted as a result) until she was nine. She was required to wear an orthopedic shoe for support of her foot for another two years. Wilma tells her own story best:

Determined not to be defeated by the water and later a desire to inspire people to overcome their fears she went back into competitive surfing. Training and developing the skill to surf with one arm she won a number of surfing competitions. Bethany’s autobiography “Soul Surfer” was made into a movie of the same name in 2011.

johnhartsonfoundation.co.uk Vol 7 Issue 1 2016 | 17

| SOUTH WALES BUSINESS REVIEW

Opinion: The True Value of Social Enterprise Rhodri Walters

Rhodri Walters from the Gwlad Project at UWTSD challenges some of the misconceptions that surround social enterprises, and makes the case for their place in our economy and society.

Social Enterprise UK’s website tells us that ‘Social enterprises trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment. They make their money from selling goods and services in the open market, but they reinvest their profits back into the business or the local community. So when they profit, society profits.’

Social enterprise is therefore an attractive concept to many – a potential holy grail of business not just for personal profit but for the good of people, communities and the environment. This is why it has become fashionable over recent years with everyone from local to national government seeing social enterprise as a potential cure for all society’s ills – you may remember the fanfares for the much heralded ‘Big Society’ but have probably heard much less about it lately. That’s because, just like anything else which becomes fashionable, the novelty can quickly wear off after a little while.

The problem is that many people have confused social enterprise with doing things cheaply or free of charge through the use of volunteers. People may have thought that ‘not for profit’ meant using free labour and undercutting the private sector. Social enterprises can of course be very competitive on price and may 18 | Vol 7 Issue 1 2016

operate in ways or in sectors where the private sector can’t compete, but they are not about crystallising a volunteer army to fill the gaps left by government cutbacks.

The private sector may sometimes be heard bemoaning the unfair advantage that social enterprises have when they have been beaten to a contract by a social enterprise – however, the social enterprise may of course simply have been more innovative, energetic and competitive than their private sector brethren!

Innovative and Different Whilst operating in any sector social enterprises often do things in new or different ways – think, for example, about The Big Issue, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurants, The Eden Project or Divine Chocolate. The key difference is that a ‘social’ dividend is created rather than private profits.

I was asked to give a talk to a group of students from China a few years ago and when discussing social enterprise, the concept was met with confusion.

Understandably, in hindsight, they asked how this concept was any different to communism or their understanding of a traditional charity or NGO i.e. the concept of profits being reinvested for the good of society as opposed to individuals.

It was a very good question and, whilst it stumped me at first, the answer helped to also clarify for me how different social enterprise is to the rest of the traditional ‘third sector’ or charity sector in the UK. The answer is that social enterprise isn’t ‘not-for-profit’ at all, it’s about generating as much profit as possible, it’s simply that this profit isn’t just measured in terms of financial results. Social enterprises will often measure their results in terms of their ‘triple bottom line’ (Social, Environmental and Financial) with the numbers of lives changed for the better or their positive contributions to the community or environment celebrated equally, if not more, than their financial results.

Unique Mind-set At the heart of any social enterprise is, like any other business, the entrepreneur – in this case the social entrepreneur.

Social entrepreneurs, like any other entrepreneurs, are a disparate group of people who, without going too deeply into entrepreneurship theory, are often driven by a strong motivational force linked to formative experiences in their lives.

In the private sector, it may be that for some entrepreneurs the drive is for financial security, material possessions,

ADOLYGIAD BUSNES DE CYMRU | personal fulfilment, proving others wrong or securing independence. The social entrepreneur is, however, often in possession of a very different mindset, set of motivations and a hunger for social justice where their success is measured in terms of social inequalities addressed, environmental challenges tackled, communities regenerated or the number of opportunities given to otherwise excluded individuals.

It is important to note that becoming involved with a social enterprise doesn’t necessarily involve signing up to a career of poverty, limited opportunities and low wages. Social Enterprises are ‘proper’ businesses who pay competitive wages and are often very good employers who understand the importance of a healthy work/life balance. They often have high staff satisfaction and retention rates due to the fulfilment which making a visible difference to lives gives the founders and staff – a feeling which extends well beyond their last pay-packet.

“Social Enterprises are ‘proper’ businesses who pay competitive wages and are often very good employers who understand the importance of a healthy work/life balance.”

Competitiveness Social enterprises can also be ‘extra’ competitive due to two factors:

The social drive – whilst the profit motive is a strong motivational force in the private sector, you can be pretty sure that it is rarely a stronger motivator than the inspiration driving a social entrepreneur when pursuing social dividends such as creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities, combating social exclusion, or making environmental improvements.

Social Enterprises and the GWLAD Project Like many entrepreneurs or those running small businesses, social entrepreneurs and those running social enterprises have achieved tremendous success but may have gaps in their expertise or may not have any formal business training.

We offer a range of modules which could help improve the performance of your enterprise. We can particularly help in the areas of leadership and management

and help show how integrating key business concepts such as LEAN and value chain analysis can help improve your triple bottom line.

If you are currently involved in, or are thinking of starting a social enterprise, please get in touch with the team at the GWLAD project on 01267 225167 or on gwlad@uwtsd.ac.uk.

This project has been supported by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government.

Image: ©DigitalStorm/shutterstock

The Extra 10% - Let us, for argument’s sake, say that any given enterprise aims for a profit margin of 10% to ensure an adequate rate of return for its stakeholders or shareholders. If, with all other things being equal, we take away the need to redistribute profits then suddenly a social enterprise has an extra 10% margin with which it can either reinvest, improve quality or reduce prices.

We need social enterprises to support our economy, society and environment – so maybe it’s time we gave them the recognition they deserve.

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News and Events

Events @ Swansea Business School

For full details and booking for any of the below events please contact: Jamie Tavender (Faculty Marketing Officer) jamie.tavender@uwtsd.ac.uk

12th October, 4pm

Beyond Budgeting – A management model for new business and people realities, the Statoil implementation journey

Bjarte Bogsnes, VP Performance Management Development CFO Performance Management and Risk, Statoil ASA

13th October, 6pm

Logistical Support for SME Exporters

Gary Baylis, Westhaven Worldwide Logistics

14th November, 6pm

Using LinkedIn to Enhance your Career

Nigel T Packer, Pelatis Online Ltd

15th November, 1pm

Enterprising Leadership and Motivation for your Team

Joy Ogeh-Hutfield, Joy Transformations

17th November, 2pm

Robert Owen Challenge

Enterprise competition, sponsored by the CMI

14th December, 10am-3pm

Business Update Conference

Conference for school and college students, in partnership with the Swansea Business Studies Teachers Group and Welsh Economic and Business Society

Anna Bastek – From ‘Couch Potato’ to Ironman in a Year Swansea Entrepreneur Anna Bastek believes in the power of exercise to enhance both personal wellbeing and business success. The founder of Wolfestone Translation and VoiceBox has transformed her lifestyle over the past year, culminating in her recent participation in the Ironman Sweden event, raising funds for Tenovus Cancer Care.

Anna said ‘Last year I was a very inactive person. I couldn’t run, didn’t have a road bike and I had a fear of putting my face under water. Sport has never been my thing. I was challenged by friends to do a triathlon which I thought only crazy people

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did! I signed up for a gym and started training and calling myself a triathlete!

After a few months I managed to complete it as one of the last people on the finish line. I was hooked. And I signed up for an Ironman which is 3.8km sea swim, 180km bike and a full marathon, cut-off time is 16h! It’s absolutely crazy, I know! But I don’t do things by halves...”

At the time of writing Anna had raised more than £1200 for Tenovus. If you’d like to support Anna by making a donation to Tenovus Cancer Care, please visit her Just Giving page: justgiving. com/fundraising/anna-bastek1

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Sell-out TEDx Swansea Features UWTSD Speakers The global phenomenon that is ‘TED’ came to Swansea once again this summer with another sell-out TEDx event at the City’s Grand Theatre. Tickets for TEDx Swansea sold out within three days of going on sale and the event was the number one trending topic on Twitter on the day of the performances.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David was a proud sponsor of the event, which featured speakers including UWTSD’s Professor Andy Penaluna, regular guest speaker at Swansea Business School, Nigel Packer, and South Wales Business Review Editor Lucy Griffiths, alongside Kunal Patel whose company Power and Water is collaborating with the University, and Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Swansea University.

Since being posted online, the talks have gained an international audience and have sparked debate on topics including education, technology and science.

To view all of this year’s TEDx Swansea talks online, visit www.tedxswansea.com or follow the team on Twitter @TEDxSwansea.

Staff Run Swansea Half in Memory of Former Colleague A group of UWTSD staff ran the Swansea Half Marathon this year in memory of a former Swansea Business School colleague Owen Lewis.

Andrew Thomas, Rebecca Speakman, Ben Duxbury, Chris Thomas, Nina Patton, Suzanne Wells, Beth Cummings, Antje Cockrill, Sandra Dettmer, Sian Davies and Alison Connaughton, joined 8,000 athletes competing in the event.

Sports Management Lecturer Andrew Thomas, who has completed several half marathons and 10k events over the years, said: “A former colleague Owen Lewis recently passed away due to ill health so it was also a good opportunity for the faculty to pay their respects and to run in his memory.

Owen completed several distance running events while at the University and had run for Wales in his earlier years. Owen was a Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the University and he taught on the MBA programme. Historically he had worked in the private sector for the local authority and a health board within the region.”

The event has also allowed several members of the team to return to active participation in sport, having made a significant change over the last 3 months which links to the Sport Wales ‘Hooked on Sport’ strategy. In Carmarthen, colleagues have worked alongside students studying personal training which helped link their academic study to practical planning for participants entering a half marathon.

Sian Davies Faculty Administrator said: “It was a good opportunity for personal training students to share their knowledge and help some members of the faculty team prepare for a monumental challenge.”

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Book Review: Why Failure Is So Important To Success Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed. Publisher, John Murray.

Reviewed by Lucy Griffiths Black Box Thinking is Matthew Syed’s follow up to the hugely successful ‘Bounce’ in which he explored the role of sheer hard work, in the the form of practice, in creating success, bringing to bear his own experience of this as a professional sportsperson.

This time, Syed tackles success once again, but this time from the perspective of our attitude towards failure, suggesting that fear of failure (and our desire to avoid it, cover it up, ignore it) actually compounds our propensity to make the same mistakes, again and again and again.

The first chapter provides some stark examples of this in action, contrasting the ways in which the airline industry and the medical industry approach failure.

The airline industry, with its meticulous approach to recording, reviewing and responding to errors (human or mechanical), comes out very well (hence the book’s title), however, I warn you, that having read the examples from the world of medicine you may be wary of ever entering a hospital again!

If you’ve read Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Outliers’ you will see some parallels here (as in Syed’s first book Bounce). In particular the exploration of culture, and its impact on how we respond in stressful situations where the consequences of failure are at their greatest.

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Syed’s overall thesis is that we need to create cultures where failure is not hidden, but is embraced as an opportunity to learn, and in this way we can continue to make those marginal gains that move us ever forward towards our goals. This kind of thinking is used by sports teams and increasingly by businesses, but in our everyday lives too, there is huge potential for this approach. Perhaps, in accepting that we are not perfect, and allowing ourselves to admit this and learn from our mistakes, we can be a little kinder to ourselves at the same time…

NE W

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MSc Trading and Financial Markets This innovative new programme, offered in conjunction with OSTC, a leading global trading company that specialises in exchange traded products, will prepare you for a career in financial trading and is open to graduates of all disciplines.

Swansea Business School Vol 7 Issue 1 2016 | 23 uwtsd.ac.uk/postgraduate

Open For Business

Next Issue Out Spring 2017

To reserve a copy please visit www.uwtsd.ac.uk/swbr or email your name and address to: swbr@uwtsd.ac.uk

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