Search Conference

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Brief Description:

Search Conference is a planning method that enables people to create the most desirable future for their community or organisation. This is a plan they can take responsibility for carrying out themselves.

Description:

A Search Conference's goal is to produce a relationship between your organisation and it's uncertain future. It is designed to identify an end goal and increase strategic planning by giving people more control over direction.

A Search Conference is a participatory process where groups of individuals search through possible future environments for: 1. Desired outcomes and 2. To create a plan for achieving it.

The process is collaborative and emphasises experientation. This is achieved through the interaction of the participants who identify and evaluate trends in their environment. The process allows for the creation of shared visions and helps their realisation by creating teams who are responsible for working out the specifics of how to make the plan happen.

Used For:

Used primarily for organisations, private companies or public agencies; but also to bring together people with diverse, often conflicting, perspectives within a community or region.

Suitable participants:

Twenty to Fifty people from within the organisation or community.

Cost:

Medium

Costs include the organising and hosting of an off-site event, hiring a venue and providing accomodation.

Time Requirements:

The conference is normally two days and two nights, preferably off-site. People immerse themselves in a
social island setting in which they form new relationships and commitments

When To Use / What It Can Deliver:

To develop a plan for merging their business strategies or integrating
their service delivery

For networks, organisations, or institutes that need to be built from scratch to deal with issues in the changing environment.

When Not To Use / What It Cannot Deliver:

If the work environment is not rapidly changing.

Strengths:

Empowering - those responsible for different aspects of the business plan for and have the necessary authority to implement those plans.

Active - success comes from sensing trends and initiating change by exploring all possibilities.

Simple, straightforward.

Weaknesses:

A small sample not representative enough.

Recommendations may not suit organisation or company.

Origin:

The Search Conference has been used around the world for more than 30 year. Fred Emery and Eric Trist
introduced the first Search Conference in 1959 to merge two aircraft engine manufacturers in Great Britain.
Fred and Merrelyn Emery have continued to research and develop the method ever since. The Search
Conferences has become popular in the USA in recent years with successful applications in business,
communities, and government.

Case Studies:

Related Methods

Real Time Strategic Change

Restrictions In Use

None

Further Information

For further information, please see:

http://www.elementsuk.com/libraryofarticles/searchconference.pdf

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