Cricket leader Mal Speed to address Executive Sport Management Program

The management of the International Cricket Council (ICC) arguably involves more complexities than any other sport body according to Mal Speed, former Chief Executive of the ICC and Cricket Australia.

Speed will explain this complexity and outline what he sees as the key features of sport management at the upcoming Executive Sport Management Program, to be held in Melbourne between 16th and 21st November, 2008.

The Executive Sport Management Program, organised by Sport Knowledge Australia, will deliver the latest thinking on topics including performance management and human resources, leadership, governance, sponsorship, change management, finance and commercialisation, advanced negotiations, strategic marketing and strategic planning.

Another topic in the program that has attracted much interest is Knowledge Management - Retaining and Maximising your Knowledge Assets, being addressed by Professor Kristine Toohey, Head, Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management at Griffith University and UTS Adjunct Lecturer Sue Halbwirth a Director of KnowledgeScape Pty Ltd.

Professor Toohey says the benefits of knowledge management are numerous and valuable but that on the flip side, indifference can be costly, stating "the proper management of knowledge allows sports to operate events more efficiently, reduce uncertainty of outcomes, coordinate their operational strategies, expedite policy implementation, and not duplicate effort.

"However, poor information and knowledge management, in any one of the creation, access, and dissemination stages can be a major source of risk to an event. Knowledge management is a multidisciplinary approach to achieving organisational objectives by making best use of knowledge."

Other speakers on the program are:

• Brendan Schwab of the Australian Professional Footballers Association;
• Associate Professor Russell Hoye, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, LaTrobe University;
• Professor Hans Westerbeek, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, La Trobe University; and
• Professor David Shilbury, Head of Bowater School of Marketing and Management, Deakin University

Sport Knowledge Australia (SKA) was established in 2004 with the assistance of the Australian Government to become Australia's International Centre of Excellence in Sports Science and Management.

SKA is owned by The University of Sydney and has offices in Sydney and Melbourne. SKA's resources include those of The University of Sydney, along with other leading universities and leading sport industry practitioners.

For more information go to www.sportedu.org/documents/ESMP04.pdf