ABSTRACT
IT TOOK OVER four years after the launch to consolidate The Big Issue. A strategic plan was formulated and people were recruited into management to streamline the company. Until that point, the haphazard and unconventional way that the company had been thrown together affected its performance. As the company grew and the Foundation was established, a more precise and organized strategy was needed. The contradiction that this threw up meant that The Big Issue’s quirkiness was threatened. The excitement and dedication of the founding staff was bound to be reined as the company professionalized. John Bird’s role as the visionary needed supplementing with good organizational skills, by people who could manage and develop the company on a daily basis.
