Learn the key steps in developing a business case and how to communicate it to key stakeholders to win support of a new project or initiative.

Managers at all levels create business cases to gain support for new organizational decisions, to initiate action, or to obtain resources for an initiative. A business case answers the question “what happens if we take this course of action” and is often presented as a well written document or short presentation.  It lays out the rationale for new strategic opportunities.  Participants will learn how to assess the opportunity and risks, build the financial case, create the implementation action plan, and communicate the overall rationale for the new course of action to stakeholders.

Key Learning Outcomes

• Identifying and qualifying opportunities into business cases
• Assessing the opportunity and the alternatives
• Strategic questions to consider
• Analyzing the risks
• Developing strong supporting budgets and methodology
• Managing stakeholders
• Implementing the action plan
• Communicating your case

Course Duration: 1 day | Continuing Education Contact Hours: 7

Course Endorsements and Partnerships

This course qualifies as credits toward the International Association of Business Communicators' (IABC) professional certifications.

When applying to sit for either the exam for Communications Management Professional (CMP)(R) or Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP)(R) or to apply for recertification, Gardiner Centre courses can be an integral part of your application package.

To learn more about this global standard certification, visit: gcccouncil.org. To inquire about sitting for a certification exam, contact the local IABC NL chapter at iabcnl@gmail.com, or visit: iabcnl.com.

Who Should Attend

Instructor(s)

Tom Cooper (he/him)

Dr. Tom Cooper is a Professor at the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University, where he lectures in the areas of strategy, risk management, management consulting and ethics/values at both an undergraduate and graduate level. His research is primarily focused on the interplay between strategy and risk management. Tom also has research interests in participatory approaches to research and doing business in remote areas.

Tom also acts as an advisor to a number of organizations in Canada and is a Certified Management Consultant. He has sat on the Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador (ICANL) as an appointed public representative since 2008. He was a member of the Governance as well as the Strategic Planning Committee of ICANL. He has also acted as a committee member of the CPA TSC’s Governance and Strategic Planning subcommittees. He is the current Chair of Startup Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a mentor with Futurpreneur and is a past a Board Member with the Atlantic Chapter of the Certified Management Consultants.

Prior to taking his position at Memorial, Tom was a Senior Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Performance Improvement Consulting practice in London. Tom worked as a senior consultant in this area for ten years with clients in the United Kingdom, Europe and North America.

Tom's research has been published widely in industry and academic publications. He has been quoted in the Financial Times of London, BBC World Service, CBC, Atlantic Business, and other industry publications. He holds a Ph.D. in Business from the Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, United Kingdom.