Putting Knowledge to Work

‘Working with MMU is probably the most enlightening piece of academic work I’ve ever done in my life, it was brilliant’.

Oliver Caunt of John Caunt Scientific talks about his experience of working with MMU on a high growth programme called 10,000 Small Businesses.

What course did you do?

John Caunt Scientific Ltd applied for the course 10,000 Small Businesses which is delivered in the North West of England by the Centre of Enterprise, part of MMU’s Business School. The primary aim of 10,000 Small Businesses is really to stimulate the economy through small and medium enterprises like ourselves. MMU’s delivery of the course was outstanding.

The course was split into a number of modules which cover fundamental aspects of running a business. It really opened my eyes into our own business. Being a small, family run business, you tend to be quite inward looking and never let go and reflect on how things are, and where you want to be. This course definitely gave me the opportunity to do this.

How did you and your business benefit from the course?

One of my biggest successes from completing the course is my self- confidence as the new Managing Director. The course has given me the confidence to take over the helm of our business in a positive and knowledgeable way. I am chasing opportunities, looking at strategic alignments and partnerships with companies we would have never considered if it was not for this course. We have applied a vast amount of subtle changes to the business which is now completely reshaping the future.

How did you find working with the university?

Working with MMU was excellent and it far exceeded my expectations. I would strongly recommend this course to anyone as the benefits are so rewarding.

As a result of working with MMU we are now a community of 22 small businesses – plus the next cohort and all the other cohorts that are going to develop and the binding glue that is behind all of that for the North West is MMU, and I think we will always be involved with the university now in one way or another. We’re a family now; I think it definitely feels like that.

Founded in 1975, John Caunt Scientific Ltd is a family owned business which has recently implemented some key strategic changes. John Caunt Scientific Ltd. (JCS) is involved with the manufacture, sales and marketing of nuclear radiation detection, measurement instrumentation and also radiation shielding products.

In March 2011, Oliver successfully applied to join 10,000 Small Businesses in the North West, a fully funded programme that is being delivered by MMU.

McCann Manchester

McCann Manchester is one of the most successful global advertising agencies. A dramatic increase in digital competitor agencies prompted them to seek to differentiate themselves. To stand out from the crowd, improve understanding across the organisation and improve professional development and employee retention, McCann needed to embark on a world-class professional development programme.

We helped McCann to develop a unit in Strategic Planning for Digital Marketing Communications and followed this with an accredited Postgraduate Certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications. Students benefit from up-to-date professional development in-house and rigorous academic study with the Business School. This level of study distinguishes McCann’s employees from others in a saturated graduate workforce whilst instilling a level of understanding about the total operation of the firm.

"Over the years the Business School at Manchester Metropolitan University has provided us with a steady stream of high quality graduates. We worked closely with the Business School to obtain external accreditation for an internal training course that allows employees to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications. This process gave the Business School a good understanding of McCann Manchester and the opportunities we can offer to their students, and has proved to be mutually beneficial."

Tracey Harman

Talent & Development Manager

McCann Manchester

Enterprise Rent A Car

A group of final year Business students were engaged by Enterprise Rent A Car to review, research and develop Enterprise’s Post Graduate Placement and Recruitment Service.

‘The business consultancy team from Manchester Metropolitan University Business School were fantastic. Some of the suggestions they produced coincide with some of the changes we are in the middle of finalising. I am going to quote their research at the next quarterly meeting’

Abul Sharma

Recruitment Supervisor

Enterprise Rent-a-Car

Using a variety of research methods including questionnaires, focus groups and competitive comparisons, the group were able to identify business opportunities which Enterprise were missing and, were able to make a number of suggestions which would put Enterprise ahead of the competition.