Durham Business School has a solid reputation for providing a wide range of support to regional businesses, including “members” of the Top 250.

Durham Business School has a solid reputation for providing a wide range of support to regional businesses, including “members” of the Top 250.

Local companies have access to the school’s wealth of expertise in a variety of ways, including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and MBA Business Projects.

By taking part in Durham Business School’s MBA Business Project initiative and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), companies throughout the North East stand to gain at little or no extra cost.

The school’s 12-week Business Project initiative, for example, puts companies in touch with MBA students who then work closely with the organisation to investigate and assist in identifying and tackling real business issues.

The initiative operates as a partnership between the business school and the host company, giving benefits to both.

Once a project is agreed, the students utilise their MBA knowledge by applying key skills, including problem solving, judgment and leadership capabilities, to live business scenarios.

In return, the host company receives a Business Project report to take forward, which includes recommendations for building competitive advantage and improving performance.

Newcastle Building Society (NBS) recently launched its second MBA Business Project with Durham following the success of the first.

Tony Pierce, commercial accountant at NBS, explains: “The first project last year was very successful. It focused on our Bridge Lending activity.

“The remit was to explore opportunities and threats associated with expanding our product offering within this market.

“The student worked extremely hard and produced an in-depth report complete with a structured delivery plan.

“The whole process made a positive and quantifiable contribution to the company, which is why we have launched a new project to look at the feasibility of extending our Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs).

“When it’s complete, the information will feed directly into our overall business development strategy. The Business Projects are proving a win-win for both NBS and the MBA student, who is gaining tangible business experience.”

Tracey Wallis Million, Durham Business School’s corporate relations manager, said: “The projects can provide invaluable support to businesses of all sizes.

“Hosting a Durham MBA Business Project gives companies access to an international cohort of experienced MBA students from a leading business school.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for companies to gain fresh insight, solutions and recommendations on current business issues.”

Durham Business School’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships work similarly and are also popular with local firms seeking a holistic approach to improving efficiency and increasing their profitability.

Experts at the school work with the organisation to define a specific project. Together they recruit a student with relevant expertise and qualifications to carry it out.

The KTP can last from one to three years and the overall aim is to help the business make a step-change in a high priority area.

The school’s KTP initiative has benefited businesses of all sizes in most industries and commercial sectors.

The successful, home-grown Esh Group in County Durham tackles a range of construction activities from landscaping and fencing, to building and civil engineering across the North East.

Its turnover exceeds £150m a year. Being part of, and supporting the local economy has always been part of the Esh culture. It has more than a dozen subsidiary companies including Lumsden & Carroll Construction and Dunelm Property Services.

The company wanted to capture the effect its trading activity has on the local economy, as well as the wider region.

Esh Group’s business development director, Bill McCafferty, explains: “We are in the second year of a KTP project in partnership with Durham Business School. KTPs provide an excellent opportunity for companies to get an external perspective on a current business issue and help to identify practical solutions.

“What the Business School, through the work of the KTP Associate, has established is that every £1 that Esh Group receives in income is worth £2.38 in total to the local economy.

“We are now seeking to capture the further added value we deliver to the communities where we work through our various corporate and social responsibility (CSR) activities, from grass roots to board level.

“This part of the KTP project will also involve raising the awareness of CSR to SMEs in the region, many of whom will unknowingly be already delivering it in some form.

“We directly employ 1,000 people across the group who are involved in various CSR activities. Many are official programmes.

“These include The Grow with Esh primary school scheme, Fit for Employment and the Esh Charitable Trust. But many are more general or ad hoc and simply going unrecorded.

“This is how we identified the need to develop a CSR policy, to make everyone in the organisation aware of CSR and its added value for the local community and the company.

“Our KTP associate is in her second year as the Ambassador for CSR across the group and is making an audit of activity to identify best practice and create and implement a formal CSR policy.”

Tracey Wallis Million, says: “KTPs and Business Projects offer advantages to both parties. Company and student are researching mutually beneficial interests and the companies are contributing to the development of some very enthusiastic and intelligent individuals.”