Emergency help and human services in relation to Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army - Essay Example

?Running head: CASE STUDY REPORT: EMERGENCY HELP AND HUMAN SERVICES IN RELATION TO AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS AND THE SALVATION ARMY Case Study Report: Emergency Help and Human Services in Relation to Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army Insert name Insert course code Insert instructor’s name May 4 2011. Executive summary The recent decades have seen a variety of non-profit organizations arise to participate in the provision of charitable work to the general community. The same field has become an area of concern by researchers and academicians in search for how well these organizations can be productive to the world. The non-profit organizational operations are mostly based on voluntary and are therefore considered as relief provision organizations. Though their operational structures may be similar, major differences are often evident in terms of the organizational structures, leadership styles, and the extent of offering corporate social responsibility among others. The mode of raising funds for such organizations is also mainly done via reliance on external sources, for instance, donor funds, community contributions. The management of the non-profit organizations is also mostly in accordance to the institutional and management theories. The willingness of my company to give away the $200,000 to the two organizations is dependent on the effectiveness of handling their social responsibility to the community. Thus, research will be useful in the making disbursement decisions. However, though many studies have been conducted in regards to the activities of non-profit organizations, no study has directly related a case study for the two organizations as well as a critical comparison between them. The discussion in this case study report aims at investigating the emergency help and human services in relation to Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The comprehension of this aspect is aided by the provision of a concise and objective organizational overview of both organizations in regards to history, mission, size, work, and the achievements of each organization. A critical analysis of comparison and contrast of the two non-for-profit organizations will be ideally provided in this case study. More crucial, recommendations are herein given in regard to allocation of $200,000 to the two organizations depending on their social responsibility. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive summary 2 1.0 Introduction 5 2.0 A concise and objective organizational overview 6 2.1 Australian Red Cross 6 2.2 The Australian Salvation Army 9 3.0 Comparative study of the organizations 11 3.1 Comparison 12 3.2 Contrast 13 4.0 Recommendations for distribution of $200,000 14 5.0 Conclusion 15 List of References 16 Emergency help and human services in relation to Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army 1.0 Introduction Emergency assistance and human help entails utilization of non-profit oriented organizations in the meeting of societal urgent needs. The Australian realms have been adequately dominated by a vast array of non-profit organizations, which are inclusive of Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The main purpose of the operation of these organizations includes the performance of charitable activities in the immediate community as a routine. The creation of a compassionate as well as a dignified society is also the divine role of these organizations, in a bid to act as complements to the exertion of the public sectors. The effectiveness of these human organizations is dependent upon the level of their corporate social responsibility, as well as their operational scope. The donor organizations that fund such voluntary organizations value corporate social responsibility, thus, my organization desires to disburse the available funds in relation to how each of the two companies handle the immediate society. The structure of an organization also determines the usefulness of efficiency and effectiveness measures in handling the required responsibilities. However, though both of the aforementioned organizations are non-profit, their levels of operation are quite distinct in a vast number of ways (National Library of Australia and Commonwealth National Library, 2010). 2.0 A concise and objective organizational overview The two reinstated organizations operate in Australia as non-profit organizations. However, each has its operational structure, history, objectives, size, and work in addition to achievements (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1979). 2.1 Australian Red Cross The Australian Red Cross is often grouped amongst the rampant Red Cross societies that are found in the world. Its history dates back in 1914, when world war one took preeminence in the world, finding many nations fight against one another in competition for territorial control. Lady Helen Munro Ferguson was the main founder of this non-profit organization in Australia, after the inception of British Red Cross. The rate at which the society grew was very rapid owing to the need for provision of aid services to the war victims. This was followed by the initiation of local branches in every place via the propositions of Lady Andrea. The community readily accepted the organization from the beginning in the learning that it was not a profit driven organization, but one to provide human services. The organization started its operations immediately after formation in the performance of activities that were home front like rolling bandages and knitting socks to counter war attacked victims (Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 2007). The main mission of the organization is to work towards achievement of credit as the leading corporate in regards to humanitarian activities. These humanitarian activities are aimed at the improvement of the lives of the Australian people, especially those that are vulnerable to diseases as well as other needs. This mission is fulfilled via conduction of activities that can promote humanitarian laws in addition to values. The other missions of the organization are inclusive of the prevention and alleviation of human affliction in areas of prevalence. The protection of life as well as health in addition to the enhancement of human respect in all realms is also a long-term goal for the organization. The intervention of conflicts and emergency cases that is human-based explains also a long-term strategy for the organization. The other long-term mission for the organization entails the enhancement of social welfare and health as well as deterrence of disease. The organization was also formed with the intention of encouraging and creation of a ground for voluntary services to the immediate community whenever a contentious issue is at hand. The organization’s work is the running of a vast number of distinct projects and activities with an intention of increasing awareness to the republic of Australia concerning issues of concern that are deemed to have negative effects. The working schedules are mainly geared towards support and not for profit gains in any form. There is a broad range of services that are offered to the Australian community by the Red Cross society, which are inclusive of services of blood to those people that are in need due to infection by fatal diseases. Offering of first aid services is also done by the Red Cross national wide. For instance, they are always found in the international fields where international events are taking place offering free first aid activities or at small affordable fees, which is not meant for profit but for organizational maintenance (Australian Red Cross profile, 2011). The organization is also responsible for delivery of emergency services to the part of their society that is in need of them. They are inclusive of quick transport services for patients that are in need of treatment, First aid services to those that are involved in accidents etc. They also play a major role in the provision of youth education in regard to the services as well as training them to be responsible for their neighbors by volunteering in activities for the community. They also engage the youth in their activities as a way of creating awareness to the general society on fatal issues that may create a negative influence. The Australian Red Cross is a large organization, owing to its connection with the international Red Cross society. Its operations are usually on large-scale basis, reaching a vast number of people in Australia, and always present in times of arising societal issues (Hall, 2003). The Australian Red Cross is widely identified by the government as well as the public due to its overwhelming achievements in the years it has been in operation. The fact that it is part of the International Red Cross provides evidence for the achievements in sustainability and productivity. Their participation in the Red Crescent Movement demonstrates their outgoing and cooperative nature. Their participation in these largest humanitarian movements in the world provides an invaluable evidence for the already achieved success. The operational years have seen the movement comprise of figures above 97 million volunteers world in the world context. More over, the organization has been operating without government influence or even other influences about political, cultural, as well as religious group. The volunteers serving in this group in Australia are acknowledged for their passion and commitment in regards to countering of every disaster. Whenever an issue arises including the rise of fire, drought, floods etc, or any other form of natural catastrophe, they are always in readiness to participate fully in those activities for non-profit. The funding of the entire Australian organization is done through corporate partnerships as well as donations by public. The volunteers are also known to work 24/7 in aid for families that are disadvantaged. Thus, the organization is great in its operations in the assistance of their people in Australia and therefore a great rate of promoting corporate social responsibility (FitzSimons, Williamson, and Laughren, 2011). 2.2 The Australian Salvation Army The Salvation Army in Australia constitutes large organizational structures, and its main aim is the spread of Christian evangelical values to nations as well as social ethics to people all over the world. The organizational is international and currently operating in a hundred countries. The identification of the organization in the world over the years has been enabled via the charitable work done by the movement. William and Catherine Booth founded the movement in 1865 in the United Kingdom. It was originally founded as the East London Christian Mission and organized in the form of a quasi structure with military foundation. The mainstream protestant is the theology of the operation in the Salvation Army worldwide. The military foundation was the base for which the organization was modeled, and a flag was to be utilized together with army uniform and other related armor in the attendance of meetings as well as mission work. Among the first converts of the army were those people lured in activities that are considered as societal vices, and are inclusive of alcoholics, prostitutes, morphine addicts in addition to other undesirables. The church operated in the UK London since its inception up to 1880 when it started to establish its activities in other countries. The 1880 saw the organization establish itself in Australia, Untied states and Ireland. The 19th century has seen the organization experience a rapid growth in Australia due to its increased commitment in the evangelical as well as the social enhancement work. Their work does not distinguish who to attend to and who not to be attended since their aim to assist every person regardless of their status. For instance, their first work was based on preaching to the poor by William Booth as well as preaching to the poor by Catherine Booth. Their source of funding relies heavily on donations from well-wishers in the society, donor agencies, as well as their own set strategies for fundraising. The model of a non-profit organization works for the help of the community in regards to all life aspects and the value for corporate social responsibility is high (Irvine, 2001). The organization is very large in Australia, owing to its division into the East and the southern territories under their own independent governance structures. There are also divisions based on divisional management in a bid to simplify the management structure. The overall management is based in London UK and all other organizations in other countries are answerable to these headquarters managed by a general. The organization works as agency for relief in the mode of a non-governmental operation and is always among the first groups to arrive at tragedy incidents of various levels, especially in after man-made or natural disasters. They have also been an instrument for assisting people in reconstructing their lives as well as in the alleviation of suffering in many world regions. For instance, the Indian Ocean Tsunamis saw the group arrive immediately after the incidence to retrieve and bury those people that have died in such phenomenon. The organization is also ideally identified in the offer of aid during the Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Hugo incidents that happened in the United States, which are taken as the worst sites of disaster occurrence in history. The sum-total of the work done by these organizations includes provision of relief food, reconstructing homes for those people affected by disasters, supply of drinking water to those people that have been affected by heat wave incidents like the 2005 in the US. They are also known as major participants in the 2005 hurricanes of Katrina and Rita as well as the 2006 earthquake of Indonesia (Irvine, 2001). Their achievements over the operational years are quite overwhelming to all in the world. The inception of such a group when it is a single opening and the ultimate penetration to the whole world is a long-term rationale to explain major achievements. The operation of the organization is now widely known to have taken pre-eminence in 124 nations worldwide. Their organizational structure is also excellent and it has managed to drive excellence in the operation of the organization over the years. The reputation of this organization improves everyday in Australia as a result of their enthusiasm in the provision of social and Christian values to the citizens. A 1994 Chronicle of Philanthropy, whose study was focused on the popularity and credibility of non-profit organizations, established the Salvation Army to be in the fourth position among the charity organizations. Thus, they have achieved a great deal of success over the years. The mission of the Salvation Army since its inception in 1865 has been to become the best chartable organization in the global context in the enhancement of Christian values as well as the charitable deeds to their societies. The aid in regard to the social, political, cultural, and economic realms is also part of the aspirations of this organization that was established in accordance to the requirement of the institutional theory (Parnaby, 2002). 3.0 Comparative study of the organizations The Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army are non-profit based organizations and therefore their operational context and participatory are alike. However, there a vat number of distinctions and similarities, which are, based on organizational structure, organizational culture, diversity management, ethics and corporate social responsibility, marketing and promotion and leadership styles in addition to leadership management as well as recruitment of volunteers (Jaray, 2006). 3.1 Comparison The fact that both operate as non-profit organizations demonstrates many similarities. The main aims of the formation of such organizations are also similar in that both are out for the benefit of the society’s welfare promotion and not for self-gain. The context of corporate social responsibility shows both of the organizations as corporately appropriate. The Red Cross provides aids of relief to the society in terms of material support and inclusive of hospital-related care for instance blood services. The Salvation Army takes care of the spiritual beliefs of the society and at the same time provides relief services. Therefore, their corporate social responsibility is ample in all realms. The organizational structure also has some comparison since it is hierarchical in both of them, where there is a top leadership managing in the assistance of the other middle-level employees. The organizational staff motivation and recruitment share similar grounds in the non-profit organizations where some work within it as the management that also rely on the funds that are generated by the organization via fundraising projects. The rest of the people are normally recruited as volunteers to participate in the activities that are deemed important. The marketing and promotion in both organizations are done via the participation in the societal activities like earthquake disasters and offering of relief services the community who are the major consumers. The conversion of diverse people to Christianity for Salvation Army and the recruitment of sick and affected people to participate in projects by the Red Cross is rationale for promotion. They are also ample in diversity management processes where there is no selection of people supposed to work for the organizations. Similarly, the disastrous place attended to by these organization are not dependent upon language languages and tribes but on the basis of humanitarian values and laws (Parnaby, 2002). 3.2 Contrast The organizational structure of the Salvation Army is more complex, owing to the overall management being based in London where the general is located. The organization in Australia is also divided into two territories that are based in the east and the other in the southern region, both with independent commanders in charge of territorial headquarters (THQ). The territories are further split into rampant divisions that are managed by the divisional headquarters (DHQ). The cultural mode of the organization is also hierarchical with the General being the top most management person and based in London. The territorial commanders are appointed by the general and these are charged with the responsibility of appointing those under them on the territorial and divisional levels. On the other hand, the management of the Red Cross is less complicated for it comprises of the council, board as well as the CEO. The president, vice-president, the chair who is concerned with Audit and risk-management and the youth representative are all the entities found in the council. The chairpersons of every other branch and the representatives of all departments are also inclusive in the council as well as the patrons of the society. Generally, every person in management regardless of the minority of the position held is part of the council. The board consists of the above mentioned for persons while CEO is the senior0most person that oversees the operation of the organization. The distinctions exist in management since each organization in the Red Cross has its complete management in every country but come together as a linkage with other organizations in other countries (Tamis, 2005). The leadership style is also by a general located in London and territorial commanders in the various operational countries in the Salvation Army while it is executed by a CEO in the Red Cross who is located in the country. This kind of leadership that is executed from one country to all other countries creates complications in the operational procedures in the Salvation Army’s execution of their desired services than the simple structure of the Red Cross. The staff motivation in Red Cross takes the form of training where new people are taught how to handle the available projects. This is inclusive of all the youth and any other interested persons. The criteria of selecting staff at the Red Cross are based on election that is held in order to get the right candidates while the volunteers are trained. The Salvation Army criterion for selecting leaders is on the basis of appointment by the top management in each level. The handling of corporate social responsibility by the Salvation Army is on a broader context having established its operation in the whole Australian region, though they work on the context of Christianity as well as charitable activity performance. On the other hand, the Red Cross social responsibility is also great, though directed only towards the provision of humanitarian laws and ethics (Tamis, 2005). 4.0 Recommendations for distribution of $200,000 The money available at the company is meant for supporting these organizations in order that they may serve the society via the enhancement of corporate social responsibility. The Australian Red Cross is an organization whose operations are mainly geared towards the provision of humanitarian services alone to their surrounding community. Their operations are also mostly on voluntary basis and its inception was mainly driven towards the offer of humanitarian activities in a bid to promote humanitarian values and laws in the country. On the other hand, the Salvation Army is a non-profit organization as well as a Christian organization. Its emphasis is on social work of evangelizing as well as provision of charitable and relief activities (FitzSimons, Williamson, and Laughren, 2011). Therefore, the corporate social responsibility levels of the Red Cross and those of the Salvation Army are tantamount in the sense that the activities of both are concerned with societal welfare. Therefore, 50% of the funds should be allocated to the army, as the rest of the 50% is allocated to the Red Cross for enhancement of their activities. 5.0 Conclusion Emergency assistance and human help entails the utilization of non-profit oriented organizations in the meeting of societal urgent needs (Eburn, 2010). The case study of the concise and objective overview of the organizations establishes the history, the size, work as well as the general achievements. The two are large organizations with hierarchical leadership styles and complex organizational structures. There are a vast number of distinctions of the two organizations in the governance, the scope corporate social responsibility etc, which are utilized as determinant factors in the distribution of the available funds. Therefore, the findings about the organizations conclude that both organizations be treated equally in regards to funds distribution since they are both instruments for promotion of corporate social responsibility. List of References Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1979. Year book, Australia, Volume 84. Canberra: Aust. Bureau of Statistics. Australian Red Cross profile. 2011. Organisation structure. Australian Red Cross: The power of humanity. ABN. (Online). Available from: http://www.redcross.org.au/aboutus_organisationstructure_default.htm (accessed May 9, 2011). Eburn, M., 2010. Emergency Law: Rights, Liabilities and Duties of Emergency Workers and Volunteers. Sydney: Federation Press. FitzSimons, T., Williamson, D. and Laughren, P., 2011. Australian Documentary: History, Practices and Genres. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Hall, C., 2003. Constructing client hood in social work and human services: interaction, identities, and practices. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Institute of Medicine (U.S.). 2007. Hospital-based emergency care: at the breaking point. Washington DC: National Academies Press. Irvine, H., 2001. How financial statements enhance (d) the long-term survival of an international religious/charitable organization. University of Wollongong press. (Online). Available from: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1136&context=commpapers&sei-redir=1#search=%22The+Salvation+Army+IN+AUSTRALIA+STRUCTURE+AND+ORGANIZATION%22 (accessed May 9, 2011). Jaray, S., 2006. Marketing (Australia Wide). Ultimo: Career FAQs Pty Ltd. National Library of Australia and Commonwealth National Library. 2010. APAIS, Australian public affairs information service: a subject index to current literature. Washington DC: National Library Australia. Parnaby, O., 2002. Australia's first Rotary Club: a history of the Rotary Club of Melbourne. Victoria: Melbourne University Publish. Tamis, A. M., 2005. The Greeks in Australia. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Read More