2. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
USING THE RIVER PATH
APPROACH
Knowledge has become the key economic
resource and the dominant, if not the only,
source of competitive advantage.
Peter Drucker
“
3. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Headlines
• Independent knowledge consultancy, founded in
1997
• Pathfinders in research, strategic counsel and
creative solutions
• Experience of working with the world’s largest
private and public sector organisations
• Track record of successful collaboration with other
consultancies and associates
5. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
The River Path approach
What’s your problem?
Complex, hard to define
Crosses boundaries
Tight time pressures
Needs a fresh approach
What’s our solution?
Bespoke methodologies
Adaptable, resourceful
Fast, attention-grabbing
Turning results into action
6. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
River Path services
• Research
– Scanning the environment
– From ‘what you know’ to ‘what you don’t know’
• Strategic counsel
– Robust, independent assessment
– Controlling risks, increasing innovation
• Creative solutions
– Transformative thinking
– Prototypes and pilots
7. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
River Path toolkit
• Research
– Communication audits
– Top level briefings
– Rigorous think pieces
• Strategic Counsel
– Scoping reports
– Strategy labs
– Scenario planning
• Creative Solutions
– Creative labs
– Identity, experience and branding
– Social software and cutting edge technologies
9. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 1: Opinion Former Research
• Client: Vodafone
• Annual research into attitudes of key stakeholders for
Vodafone’s corporate communications team
• In-depth telephone interview methodology combining
quantitative and qualitative question sets
• Exhaustive analysis in report and presentation form to guide
planning and benchmark against competitors
• Substantial trend data emerging as year 5 approaches
10. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 2: Analysis of Complex Issues
• Client: World Economic Forum
• Analysis and presentation of annual research into private
sector responses to HIV/AIDS
• Detailed analysis of data from 8000+ business leaders in over
100 countries to build global picture of concerns, action and
views of the future
• Creation of report and executive summary for publication and
annual launch at Davos
• Working in partnership with Harvard School of Public Health
11. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Selected publications
• Something to be done: treating HIV/AIDS,
David E Bloom and River Path Associates, Science, Volume 288,
pp2171-2173, June 2000
• A Long Peace? The future of unionism,
Mick Fealty, Trevor Ringland and David Steven, Joseph Rowntree
Trust, 2003
• Governance Matters: the role of governance in Asian
development,
David E Bloom, Larry Rosenberg, David Steven and Mark Weston,
World Economics, Volume 5, Number 4, October-December 2004
13. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 1: Strategic Development
• Client: Alpha Airports Group
• Series of workshops on the strategic development of Alpha
Airports Group’s retail operation
• Joint exercise with Alpha’s most important customer,
Manchester Airport
• Developed and presented an innovative vision for the future of
the ‘airport experience’
• Foundation for development of strategic alliance between
Alpha and Manchester Airport
14. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 2: Fundamental Reviews
• Client: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Independent strategic review of the Westminster Foundation
for Democracy
• Assessed the effectiveness of the Foundation and outlined
options for its future role
• Recommendations made to FCO ministers, and put out to
public consultation
• Field work in Sierra Leone, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia
and Montenegro
16. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 1: Strategic Communications
• Client: One 2 One/T-Mobile
• Everything Communicates - River Path programme helping
position One 2 One to market itself to small businesses
• Series of activities including an awards programme for
business support organisations
• Culminated in ‘Everything Communicates’ – a definitive guide
to communication for small business owners
• Partnership with CDT Design
17. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 2: Online and Social Software
• Client: European Network for Debt and Development
• Website tracking the appointment of a new head of the World
Bank
• A ‘must read’ for Bank senior management, US government
officials, and the media
• International media coverage following President Bush’s
controversial nomination of Paul Wolfowitz
• Extended River Path’s impressive track record of innovation in
blogging and use of other forms of social software
19. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 1: Strategic Development
• Client: University of East London
• Strategic and business development for a 120m2
gaming lab
being built in UEL’s Knowledge Dock
• Focus (i) Casual gaming: gaming for non-gamers; (ii) Active
gaming - physical/virtual crossover; (iii) Life-gaming - play-
focused emergent communities
• Hub for UEL’s dispersed knowledge centres; interface to
corporates/SMEs/public sector
• Experience-based foresight, strategic development,
organisational learning
20. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Case Study 2: Programme Design
• Client: British Council
• A global programme for the British Council to coincide with G8
and EU presidencies, and post-Kyoto climate change talks
• Aimed to reframe the international climate change debate
through a focus on the energy challenges facing the world’s
greatest cities.
• Partnership with Magnum Photography, Climate Group, Open
Democracy
• £4-6m programme with activity in 60 countries – ran through
2006
• River Path now reviewing and refreshing programme design
21. River Path AssociatesThe Basics
Don't get involved in partial problems, but always
take flight to where there is a free view over the whole single
great problem, even if this view is still not a clear one.
Wittgenstein
“
For more information, or to obtain samples of our
published work, contact:
Victoria Collis on 01202 849993,
or via victoria@riverpath.com or...
David Steven on 01202 849993,
or via david@riverpath.com.
