Since 2003, there has
been an unprecedented growth in the demand for engineering, technical and
project services in the mineral industries. This demand for services became
evident in Australia
earlier than many other markets and has since spread globally. This growth has
created significant issues for the strategic direction and planning by the
service provider. Such strategic questions include:- how fast to grow, how to
recruit, train and integrate new staff, what market sectors to service, the
selection of targeted customer sectors and managing strategic growth with short
term demands and commercial reality. These factors are discussed using in depth
experiences and examples that illustrate these strategic approaches. The
relevance of this new industry environment to New Zealand
services will be highly discussed.