We're off!

The search for the MERIT 2015 Champion, who will be the 25th Champion, has started. The first round is always difficult to interpret with data from late teams awaited.

The top six who are currently from Hong Kong, India, UK, India, UK, QATAR with Australia and the Netherlands close by demonstrate the international competition this year with the 2014 winner coming from Hong Kong.

The spread of scores is not yet a worry for those that are lower down. Changes of 15% to 20% in one round are not uncommon and with 7 round to go everyone is still competing.

MERIT requires the juggling of a whole range of management decisions: head office staffing which affects the efficiency of the company operations; marketing; estimating; bidding; selecting project managers; setting up the project workforce; managing the company finances borrowing or investing, retaining profits, shareholders dividends, turnover:capital capacity etc all against a background of competition and some uncertainty. Success results from making the best decisions on most of the issues. Real company directors face the same challenges and compromises and they too try to make the best decisions. It’s time to think like directors and act like directors.

Good luck to all.