Message from CEO
It is fitting that this issue of SAMRO Notes is our Spring issue because the analogy of new life is a perfect one for the organisation as we head into the last third of 2005.
As you can see from the special cover of this publication, SAMRO is now an organisation with a bold new logo; a focused, forward-looking and totally fresh corporate identity that is the most obvious sign of the changes that are taking place within our structures.
The essence of that change is contained in the statement, "SAMRO is committed to encourage the musical endeavor of composers, authors and publishers by ensuring that they receive their fair economic reward from all music users, thereby increasing the sustainability and value of music to society."
This has come about because the scenario in which we have always operated – the music business, and in particular, the field of performing rights – has changed from being stable to being dynamic, from being simple to being complex one and from being controlled to being unpredictable. Globally we have seen the most rapid changes taking place, among these an explosion of new technology, a growth in new users of music, a move from process driven work to knowledge work, the introduction of digital rights management systems and demands for better customer service.
What this means is that SAMRO only has a sustainable future if we consistently meet the real needs of our rights holders and licensees – and it is this that we are measuring our changes against.
Our new corporate identity is the most visible aspect of SAMRO’s changes, but we are already implementing structural and operational changes that will direct impact on the interface we have with our members and clients. From September 1st, everything we now do at SAMRO is based on outcomes and not activities and this has entailed a re -organization of management, and a real separation of front office activities from back office ones. The new structure, which came about after much consultation with staff and the input of a highly respected strategic advisor, provides role clarity, more focus on key issues and a more functional organisation – all of which are very important to the people, organisation, businesses and more that SAMRO interacts with.
SAMRO is undoubtedly the leader in its field in the region in which we operate – but that must be in harmony with the social, political, economic and technology environments. We aim to be a global and African leader too and so we need to operate smarter, more effectively and very dynamically. This is why we have introduced a new management system that empowers employees, that is based on outputs and not activities, and that also measures performance and provides feedback, and provides role clarity.
As I said in the Winter SAMRO Notes, there is still a great deal of work to be done in ensuring better effectiveness and efficiency of your society’s core business, the protection of rights holders’ works in the digital environment and securing the next decade of SAMRO’s development.
In the end, our new brand identity, our new organisational and operational changes, our involvement in broad music business initiatives like the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition and encouragement of new organizations like the Composers Association of South Africa, is all about SAMRO becoming a player, and not a spectator. We are committed to being participants in all areas of the music businesses which takes time – {after all, Lucas Radebe worked hard to be where he is.}
