Hi Stephen,

I was not put in charge of anything. I simply took up the challenge Nick
Nissley made and offered my experience as the former owner of a successful
event conference company to assist in making sure the conference could
proceed and used the same planning methodology for failing or problematic
conferences I have done in the past to achieve that goal. 

You are correct in stating I set Match 31 as a deadline for dates, figures,
budgets and logistics and I gave clear reasons for that apart from my
availability - most importantly the building of confidence, ensuring venue,
payment and pricing was in place and potential delegates could start making
airfare bookings and accommodation.

Your last email of March 29 to me read as follows

" As I expected, my Head of Department has forwarded my request to a
committee for decision, despite its urgency. From my side I will obviously
have difficulties regarding local arrangements and if we are to become a
full conference secretariat at a distance that has additional resource
complexities, so we will have to see - we may simply not have the resources
available at such short notice. It would help me very much to know what was
the agreement you had with Essex, if we are to be regarded as taking their
place? I also have NO information from Essex on the database, the current
state of admissions etc. This situation is not likely to be persuasive!"

This email gave me no confidence you or your university could deliver. If I
have read this incorrectly, if I have acted pre-emptively I am sorry. 

My only concern has been to ensure the conference proceeds and the 5th Art
of Management Conference has on the table an offer that will work from
Concordia University. In that respect I have completed what I set out to do.

The question I have Steve L is can the University of York deliver in a
timely, co-ordinated, professional and proper fashion? 

In the meantime, I am happy step aside entirely under these circumstances,

Kind regards,
Ralph
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Aesthetics, Creativity, and Organisations Research Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, 30 March 2010 5:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: 5th Art of Management UpDate - Academic Convenor Assistance

Dear Ralph

I am afraid I have to question at what point you were put in charge of the 
tendering process for the conference, by whom and by what authority you can 
make this offer. You have seized an opportunity and the urgency to make a 
decision is founded entirely in your own inability to take part in the 
planning after March 31st.

Why you want to control this is your own issue. The conference was never an 
AACORN conference although it may have become one. You have misrepresented 
my emails in which I was simply being straightforward about the 
decision-making process which may take a few days more.

I am offended at the way in which you are ready to dismiss the work that 
others have put into this and your eagerness to pursue your own agenda 
regardless.

I think to deal this way with a reputable world class academic institution 
will only reflect badly on AACORN and cheapens the spirit in which the 
conference was conceived. Having put the proposal to a reputable public 
institution which is only following its necessary processes of due 
diligence I find this course of action unethical. I did not think that we 
were operating a fish market.

I also think that your figures are somewhat optimistic given the size of 
academic budgets in the current financial environment.

Best regards

Steve


On Mar 30 2010, Chris Poulson wrote:

>Hi Ralph
>
>Some folks will require publication proceedings to be eligible for  
>funding. Another task/expense will be the cost of compiling full  
>papers and putting them on a DVD with an ISSN so it is a  
>"publication."  Jane had a deadline of July 15th for getting full  
>papers in.
>
>Sorry to add another task to the list!
>Chris
>
>On Mar 29, 2010, at 3:57 PM, Ralph Kerle wrote:
>
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> Wow, from all the streams and papers I have seen - what a conference  
>> this will be. The artists in particular have devised some  
>> presentations in and around Istanbul itself that seem - well worthy  
>> of the Venice/Istanbul Biennales, at least!! I can see where Ian,  
>> Ceri and Jane were taking this event and I must say from an  
>> insider's position, it looks very very exciting! Another level up  
>> from Banff!
>>
>> The important issue here though is many of these project are reliant  
>> on the presenters or attendees receiving travel funds and support  
>> from their respective institutions based on the conference having an  
>> academic convenor.
>>
>> Steve Linstead has advised that his request for rapid approval for  
>> academic convenor status at University of York has been deferred to  
>> a Committee and he is concerned the approval may take time and there  
>> is no certain outcome.
>>
>> So we are in need for this particular conference at least of an  
>> institution that can provide us IMMEDIATELY with academic convenor  
>> status so those with approved papers and are presenting can obtain  
>> funds and come.
>>
>> From a University's commercial risk perspective, I can advise the  
>> following (these are only straw figures)
>>
>> Revenue - Total Estimate E55,000
>>
>> We have 67 committed registrants (two more have arrived whilst I am  
>> writing this) with clear indication of at least another 40 to 50 in  
>> streams who have not registered giving us at this stage estimated  
>> 110  registrations.
>>
>> With an indicative conference fee (not yet agreed or publicised) of  
>> E500  estimated revenue is E55,000
>>
>> Costs - Total Estimate E32,000
>>
>> Fixed Costs
>> Venue - free of charge
>> Conference Secretariat E5000
>> Administration, Stationery, Computer Hire, Communication and Support  
>> on Site E5000
>>
>> Variable Costs
>> Food for the Conference E130
>> Internet Booking and Banking Fees E50 per delegate
>> Printing and Stationary E40 per delegate.
>>
>> Estimated Gross Profit E23,000
>>
>> Thus, the risk is absolutely negligible with the potential for a  
>> newly formed entity for Art of Management Conferences to have a nice  
>> lump sum in the bank to proceed in the future.
>>
>> On behalf of the 5th Art of Management Conference stream convenors  
>> and presenters, I would now like to offer this opportunity to the  
>> first academic institution that can offer us this service.
>>
>> ACCORNers, right now,  this is the only impediment to the conference  
>> proceeding.
>>
>> Have we got a taker,
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Ralph
>>
>>
>> Ralph Kerle
>> Executive Chairman
>> The Creative Leadership Forum
>> www.thecreativeleadershipforum.com
>> +61 29403 5327 m 0412 559 603
>> <image004.png>  Ralph Kerle on LInkedIn
>> <image003.png>Ralph Kerle on Twitter (@creativematters)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>