Planning Strategically in Non-profit Management - Essay Example

? Outline A. Planning Strategically in Nonprofit Management Multiple Choice Fill in the Blank a. Question b. Answers 2. The Strategic Plan a. A predetermined course of action. 3. Importance of Strategic Planning a. Planning is the most important thing. 4. Key Planners to Implement the Plan a. There are many Key Planners. 5. Essential Element a. There are many Essential Elements to a strategic plan. 6. Current Challenges a. Ethics, and codes are very challenging issues. Management October 18, 2011 Planning Strategically in Nonprofit Management Multiple Choice / Fill in the blank Questions 1. What is the most important way to make a volunteer feel included? a. Trust b. Shaking hands c. Saying hello d. A compliment 2. Which of the following is not a good quality of a strategic plan? a. Decisive action b. Courage c. Leadership d. Aggression 3. We should always__all of our outcomes to the best of our ability. a. Forget b. Measure c. Ignore d. Hide Answers 1. a. Trust 2. d. Aggression 3. b. Measure The Strategic Plan A Strategic Plan is a predetermined course of action. It is made up of many different key players, elements, and challenges that can benefit any nonprofit management source. There are many approaches that can be used depending on the exact focus of the entire organization. “The specific size of the organization can also be a very important factor to consider when studying or designing any type of plan for the most efficient company possible” (Drucker, Peter F., p. 122). Compared to profit organizations, nonprofit companies are basically designed because they would not exist if it was not for the essential need. The service being offered from the nonprofit organizations are usually created out of the fundamental ethics of the creator or or founder. As the profit companies are usually made as a money generating system, the nonprofit organizations are made for service in hopes of creating enough money to continue the operation. “The nonprofit organization also hopes for as much agreement and compliance with all of its associations so they will completely understand the companies mission” (Gruber, Robert E.; Mohr, Mary.p. 109). Importance of Strategic Planning Strategic planning is always considered of the utmost importance to all nonprofit organizations. It is the basic and core plan that completely holds the entire organization together and gives it a support system for all of its employees. Without a basic strategic plan there is no possible way that any kind of organization can even attempt to survive as a growing company in our nation. The plan is the foundation to everything the organization does and stands for. There is no if, and, or but to what is stated in the plan. A good plan will never allow for any corners to be cut and will be in complete acceptance with all of the members. If for any reason there is who disagrees with the plan, there will have to a major decision made to either resolve the matter on a personal level or to even revise the plan in more severe cases. “If no agreement can be reached there will have to be further measure to remove the disagreeing person from his position” (Hume, Craig; Hume, Margee, p. 98). Key Players to Implement the plan There are many key players in that are involved in implementing a solid plan for any company. To begin with there should be “strategic audits”, “portfolio management”, and “product line pruning”. “The basic program portfolio must always be managed as a totality, and never as individual isolated programs” (Worth, Micheal J. p. 37). There should also always be a complex investigation method, analysis, and use of technique methods that are formally incorporated into the basic plan. These methods will be used to communicate the plan with any individual that will need to fully understand all of the details involved. In addition, there will also have to be many financial arrangements that can be made as simple as possible and arranged in a very neat format. “These key players should be made known, and should always stand out from some of the other details of the plan” (Worth, Micheal J., p. 73). In every nonprofit organization there will be some kind of administering figure or even a board in some cases. “These people are instructed to hold the company policies above everything else and the clients will then be considered according to the policy” (Worth, Micheal J., p. 49). Essential Elements of the Plan Some of the most essential elements of the strategic plan include guidelines that incorporate aspects such as:knowledge management, leadership, performance, culture, commitment, satisfaction, decisive action, courage, and managing skills. “These are just some of basic elements that a good strategic plan will promote to all of its members” (Reimnitz, Charles A., p. 227). These elements will constantly focused on and encouraged within every department of the organization. If a member is ever noticed to fall short of any of these particular guidelines, he or she will have to be thoroughly counseled regarding the area in which the weakness is found. “There can always be certain difficult situations that may arise and consideration must always be taken for any personal matters which the organization members may be experiencing” (Worth, Micheal J., p. 84). “Otherwise each individual of the entire company will be expected to live up to the policy essential guidelines to continue to promote a healthy and safe environment to grow in”. A Successful Plan A successful plan will always have been based on good ethical standards. The company must simply continue to always promote better ways of living. Service providers should try to maintain a good business relationship with all of its clients. Values are even the main dominant purpose of many nonprofit organizations. This is especially true within religious groups, schools, and advocacy programs. Ethical issues define the main purpose and goal of the company. Even though it is sometimes hard to measure the leader’s performance of a nonprofit company, we can still use good ethical training to make a good decision. There are many ‘great thinkers” that can help us in this area such as: Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, the English Utilitarians, and many philosophical studies as well. It must be the responsibility of every member of the organization to act accordingly and carry out all of their assigned duties. Current Challenges A couple of the main challenges of these current times usually include matters of ethics and Personal “codes” in which many people live by.“These “codes” should always be addressed Immediately to prevent any problems, and to allow the company to proceed in a undisturbed manner” (Worth, Micheal J., p. 58). The different ethical “codes” can be formed from religious beliefs, past experiences, family Situations, and social ties. Some people also hold these kind of ethics as top priority in their lives, and must make certain that they are in compliance with any of the organizations ethical standards as well. “The nonprofit organization rely heavily on ethical standard and very oftenhave set guidelines to review for the purpose of all of its members” (Worth, Micheal J., p. 198). If at any time there is a complication in this area, the leading individual must take into account everything that he or she has experienced and been trained for. “However, if it is an unusual situation that has never been experienced before, a decision must be made according to the company policy and must live up to all of the ethical standards” (Brudney, Jeffery L.; Martinez, J Micheal, p. 267). Resources Brucker, Peter F., What Executives Should Remember, Harvard Business Review, February, 2006, Volume 84, Issue 2, page 144-152 Brudney, Jeffery L.; Martinez, J. Micheal; Teaching Administrative Ethics in Nonprofit Management: Recommendation to Improve Degrees, Certificates, and Concentration Programs, Journal of Public Affairs Education, Spring 2010, Volume 16, Issue 2, page 181-206 Gruber, Robert E.; Mohr, Mary; Strategic Management for Multi-program Nonprofit Organization, California Management Review, Spring 82, Volume 24, Issue 3, page 15-22 Hume, Craig; Hune, Margee; The strategic role of Knowledge Management in Nonprofit Organization, International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, May, 2008, Volume 13, Issue 2, page 129-140 Reimnitz, Charles A., Testing a Planning and Control Method in Nonprofit Organizations, Academy Of Management Journal, March 1972, Volume 15, Issue 1, page 77-87 Worth, Micheal J., Nonprofit Management, Sage Publication, California, September, 2008 Read More