Cash Flow Concerns For Collaborative Groups Who Fail To Call In Debts

Sept. 25, 2009 - PRLog -- Collaborative working expert William Buist has raised concerns that many could be jumping into collaborative group arrangements only to lose sight of the value additions and transfers of time, effort and skills that are going on between the various companies making up the group.

“The temptation to work for the good of the group and therefore, perhaps not raise or chase late invoices internally, means that some aspects of the collaboration may fail if one or other member of the group feels they’re not getting a fair return for the effort that they are adding to the team,” says Buist, MD of Abelard Management Services and President of the Blackstar Life Members Community on business social network Ecademy.

Buist recommends that whilst companies remain separate, it is important to maintain a strict invoicing and payment structure internally as well as externally to ensure that those imbalances are fairly dealt with.  

“The graphic designer in a collaborate group for example may feel they are providing more time and effort than someone providing strategic support which is only used intermittently and without a formal payment structure, this member could quickly tire of the arrangement and feel they are being taken for granted. However, if all of the parties invoice and are paid as normal then the flows of money will cancel out within the group where the collaborative effect is identical. Any imbalances in terms of effort, inputs or costs also gets properly handled in the books of all of the businesses so that their results truly reflect the impact of the collaboration and not the impact of their mutual goodwill.”

“The key message here is that money was invented as a means of measuring fair exchange, and exchanging it in the context of a collaboration certainly works well. When the collaborators know their value is being fairly rewarded, then they will commit a fair effort to delivering the best result they can,” says Buist.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

William Buist is Managing Director of Abelard Management Services, which specialises in developments in the Societal Web.

William focuses on online community development, social networking and collaborative development within and between businesses.   Amongst his many clients, he has facilitated the growth of the Ecademy Life Members Community – a premium global group of Entrepreneurs and Business Owners of which he is now the Group President.

William is also the author of ‘At Your Fingertips: A guide to successful online business networking' (£5.99, Word4Word) which draws on his own experience of using and working in online network as part of his own marketing and development strategy and highlights the challenges that many face.

William is no stranger to the public arena, and regularly speaks at events and conferences and as a guest speaker at corporate events.

William can provide advice and comment on a wide range of issues including the Societal Web, social and business networking, stakeholder engagement via online communities, team development, high performance teams, on-line communities, delivering change, project management and change management.

For more information visit www.societal-web.com

For press enquiries please contact Rebecca King on 01603 283 503 or email Rebecca@mediajems.co.uk