Strategies of Wulverin Organization - Research Paper Example

Strategies of Wulverin Organization Abstract Current issues which are now facing corporations are not only based on the need to incorporate basic growth into the company. There are also pressures which are occurring from an environment that is fluctuating from the economic fluctuations and the new demands that are occurring with the internal and external environment. The examination of Wulvern shows how the economic pressures, changing trends for housing and the need to alter the internal structure all integrate into the capacity of the company. The function of Wulvern as a non – profit entity is causing a rise in demand for assistance by those who need low income housing as well as a loss in financing because of financial fluctuations in the economy. By examining the issues with Wulvern, as well as defining specific strategies which can be used, there will be the ability to alter the sustainability and growth of the corporation. For Wulvern to continue working within the current economy and environment, it is recommended that alterations in the non – profit structure are made to support the work which is being completed. Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..4 Strategic Issues Facing the Organization………………………………………………….5 Organizational Goal Setting……………………………………………………………….9 Strategy Recommendations for the Organization………………………………………..13 Developing the Strategy………………………………………………………………….17 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….18 References………………………………………………………………………………..19 Introduction The ability for an organization to incorporate new strategies can provide new direction and growth within the company. There are different ways in which this can be done a well as weaknesses within businesses that can be overcome with this strategy. When looking at the Wulvern Organization, it can be seen that there are several strategic issues which are facing the company. The organization can overcome this by re-examining some of the options that are available while considering different strategies and options for development within the corporation. This will change the overall opportunities available for the company while allowing them to overcome specific complexities that have occurred with the changes in the organization. The Wulvern Organization is known as one of the largest housing associations in South Cheshire. The company provides homes to a variety of customers in Cheshire villages that are based on affordability. The concept of this particular organization is to work as a non – profit, specifically so the corporation can provide housing to individuals that are in need, also known as registered providers, or RPs. The regulations of this specific organization come from the Tenants Servie Authority and operate under charitable rules. The focus of the company is to provide rental properties, shared ownership, sheltered accommodation and extra care as well as homes for those who have disabilities (Wulvern, 2010). The strategic issues that are now facing Wulvern Housing are based on the changes that the organization which is undergoing the company. The problems which are a part of the corporation come from the basic structure which is maintained as a non – profit organization. The fluctuations in financing as well as the growing demands with individuals who are in need of housing continue to remain a complication with Wulvern. The fluctuation in demands is one which is causing Wulvern to move into different areas of implementation, specifically to ensure that the standards that have been set by the company continue to reach those that are in need. The Wulvern organization has begun to implement different policies and practices for new standards and the implementation of housing at other levels to change the functions of the organization (Wulvern, 2010). This paper will examine the strategic issues as well as the benefits that are a part of the changes in this corporation. Strategic Issues Facing the Organization The strategic issues which are being faced by Wulvern are based on several levels of analysis. These are changing the structures and framework of the corporation. The basis of the company is faced with strategic issues because of the organization being a non – profit as well as the external and internal environment changes that are continuing to be a part of the industry. The examination of these creates a different standard for the organization and leads to specific problems that are continuing to be a part of the functions of Wulvern. The first issue which is facing Wulverin is coming from the changes in housing standards that are affiliated with political pressures in the community. The UK is currently undergoing several changes that are designed for home owners and which have to be incorporated into ownership. The policies are based on all housing projects that are currently being developed, as well as upgrades that have to be considered for old housing. The regulations include new codes that the different homes have to meet, specifically which adhere to measures of safety, sustainability and regulations within the home. The political changes and policies are further being incorporated with sustainable development with the green movement and from the lobbying that is now being done for low energy homes. New codes are being applied to in response to these regulations and the expectations that are associated with the politics, which are expected to begin to change the regulations and sustainable standards. In areas where the policies and codes can’t be implemented, are extra taxes which are being applied, such as the carbon emissions tax in homes (Williams, 7604: 2010). The standards that are being maintained with the Wulvern framework are designed to meet the policies and new regulations that are a part of the government. The standards are based on six aims by the Wulern framework, which includes more tenant involvement, home standards with repair and maintenance, neighborhood management, value for money and governance and financial viability. The standards to comply with national standards are also designed to reinforce the use of stakeholders while ensuring safety with private investments while ensuring the managed housing through the investments (Wulvern, 2010). While there are specific standards that are being met by the Tenant Services Authority, there is little to no changes on the national standards and policies that are beginning to change. As the regulations change, Wulvern will have to continue implementing stronger frameworks for repair and maintenance while altering the way in which stakeholder investments and continuity within the community is used because of the new and expected policies. The second area that is beginning to change the strategy of Wulvern is based on the economic considerations. There are currently several economic issues which are in the UK and which are changing the way in which many businesses are able to operate. Currently, there is a growth in the number of non – profits with a focus on housing that are interested in the grants and funding from the government. More important, the divides in the economy and the growing demands are changing the way in which grants are offered as well as the funding which is available to different organizations. New types of accountability and efficiency within the sector are changing the amount of funding available. Distinctions between different groups are being furthered with the expectations with organizations and the changes which are occurring in the economy. While there are more demands with non – profit housing, there are also shifts in the economy that are stopping the available funds from being a part of the economy and are causing several non – profits to move into alternative sources of funding (Mullins, 6: 2006). The economic complexities that are a part of this are furthered with the specific financial problems that the organization has currently faced. This is a reflection of the changes in the economy and how this is limiting the availability to funds. The organization has noted a problem with receiving funds because the banks and local authorities are unable to provide as many grants or loans. The organization has had to work with two different ways of funding for this. The first is through several private investors and stakeholders that can offer funding. The second is by renewing old properties that save on funding which is no longer available. While these are working with the current problems, there is also the consideration of the organization structure as a non – profit entity. The economic standards then become limited to the need for funds and the way in which this can be loaned to the organization (Wulvern, 2010). Another aspect that is a part of the main changes is from the social environment that is surrounding Wulvern. The social environment is one which is considered through the New Labour Movement, which is continuing to initiate specific changes in the housing and development sector for those in need. The objective of this movement is to provide more sustainable solutions for those that live in poverty and which are in need of assistance. The government has begun to work with Third Sector organizations, also known as non – profits, to begin to change to this main goal. The development of public services then becomes limited by the aims and values of both the government and society at large. At the same time, it is noted that the policies that are being provided are not offering the right social assistance to those in need. The gap is creating more demand for those who need public housing as well as contradictions that Wulvern is now facing in reaching the social environment demands because of the policies which are being implemented (Kelly, 1003: 2007). The social problems are followed with technological challenges that are a part of the Wulvern structure. When looking at the strategies, goals and reviews of the company, it can be seen that the technological aspect takes a large sector, specifically because of the maintenance and repair as well as the need for changing and upgrading the homes. The technological issues are further limited by resources which are only available with the correct funding, all which could help to provide more housing to those that are in society. When looking at the performance of Wulvern, it can be seen that the number of complaints with housing increased and the time for repairs was also not as efficient. More important, there was a lack of available technology to assist with all the needs because of the lack of technology available (Wulvern, 2010). The main problem which is associated with the technological issues is met with the complexities that are a part of the funding and the non – profit sector. For the correct program to be established, a new knowledge management system would have to be incorporated that would respond to specific needs and which could provide the correct maintenance assistance with those in the housing. It is known that non – profit organizations have less access to the knowledge management systems and have more difficulties with changing in technology. The first reason for this is with the limits in funding that are allocated for the corporation. The second is based on the complexities with the volunteer basis of those in the company. While there is some full time staff, there isn’t enough access or training to provide systems for those that are working within the organization. Organizations are then not able to make full use of the technology which is a part of the company (Edwards, Shaw, Collier, 113: 2005). Organizational Goal Setting The main way in which the organization can set new goals is through the use of the balance scorecard. This will provide Wulvern with the ability to assess both the short term and long term goals while ensuring that there are consistent changes that meet with the current alterations that are a part of the company. The strategic management that is developed with this is based on creating performance driven outcomes that are financial and non – financial. The measures also include cause and effect relationships as well as feed forward control systems. These are designed by setting specific goals within the company then measuring them through the performance of the organization. The ability to do this may include specific actions that are taken, known as the cause, as well as how this has caused the change, which is the effect of the company. After this, control systems can be implemented which help with the overall strategies and goals that are a part of the company. Financial, customer, internal business processes and growth will all be included when identifying the changes that are required for the company (Norreklit, 65: 2000). The first way in which the organization can build the strategy is through changes in the finances. It is known that the current trends with Wulverin are dependent on the non – profit sector, which includes funding from the government, loans and other grants from stakeholders. To change this, Wulverin has begun to recycle old housing which can be used, specifically because of the lack of funding available. Wulverin can change this by altering the funding available through multiple markets, which will increase the stakeholders that are available. To do this, Wulverin will need to create easier accessibility to the company and the available options for both funding and for the types of services which are offered. Instead of being dependent on stakeholders, grants and loans, the company can find a way to add in alternative funding. For this to work correctly, planning will need to be incorporated for multiple areas of housing that need to be a part of the market. The planning can include cross – subsidies, private development opportunities as a branch of the business or finding other areas for grants. These different types of funding will then create several new avenues that can be explored for different outcomes with the needed funding while allowing long term goals to be reached. Not only will this provide more options for financing, but will also increase the life time value of the company because of the value of cross – subsidies. The performance, through these investments, will naturally increase with a return in profit margins for the company (Warnock, 239: 2008). Another part of the strategy which can be considered is the customer relations that are incorporated into Wulverin. Currently, there is a strong association with customer service, specifically which incorporates offering housing to those in need through different types of homes. This is continued with the programs that are in the housing, including maintenance, repair and different needs for specific families. The housing that is available for individuals continues with the strategies that have been implemented for customer access that is allowing those within the organization to offer more value to customers. The importance of customer service is on which identified because of the way in which this builds stability to the business. The value which Wulverin can incorporate makes it easier it becomes to get funding and to improve in performance within the company (Wulverin). The improvements which can be made in terms of customers are based on the ladder customer relationship. This is based on the amount of loyalty that an individual has to the specific company as well as the experience which is incorporated into this. As customers show a level of satisfaction toward a company, they will begin to either use the products or services more or can initiate different levels of assistance to the organization. The concept of transitional housing implies that the customer satisfaction will show loyalty by promoting the company for more funding or by ensuring that there are more resources allocated to the company. The relationship management then becomes one of the most integral parts of the company. As the company can build loyalty among specific customers, there will be more capabilities of providing the correct type of assistance to others in need while offering better assistance toward others in the community. Loyalty strategies for customers can be built with referrals that influence others as well as heightened customer service plans. The performance will depict the results based on the support that is received for the company (Buttle, 4: 2009). The next component which is essential to the success of Wulverin is based on the structure of the internal business. The current problems with Wulverin come from the limited resources, such as technology and volunteers for maintenance, as well as the social pressures that are changing the capabilities of the internal business. To change this, there needs to be different alliances which are set in place. These can help to lead to sustainability within the company, specifically because a sense of growth and stability will be a part of the internal environment. The way in which this can work within the main structure of the company is to begin offering new types of focuses for change in the internal environment. Right now, Wulverin is focused on the customer management. However, there also need to be relationships built with suppliers as well as alliances that are incorporated with the volunteers and those who are working within the company. The organizational environment can be altered specifically to change the management of the company. By doing this, there is the ability to provide a change in the corporation specifically by implementing better performance. As this is done in the internal environment, there will be stronger relations with the customers and new ways of receiving funding may be incorporated. More important, the management can lead to different uses of resources as well as specific types of commitment among individuals in the corporation (Figge et al, 269: 2002). With these different changes in the environment of Wulverin, there will be the effect of growth in the corporation. This will first be seen in the continuous demand with those who are in need of housing and which have heard about the performance of Wulerin. Other signs of growth will include the financial increases and the willingness for new investments to accrue for the company. This will be combined with more possibilities in housing, such as cross – subsidies, specifically which can provide different alternatives for those that are in need. The growth will then lead back to the main area of the internal organization, which will reflect the values and the aims of the company while continuing to offer more opportunities to those that are looking for affordable housing. Strategy Recommendations for the Organization The main strategies that can be incorporated into Wulverin are a continuation of the noticed which need to be a part of the company. Wulverin needs to focus on one aspect of the company, specifically which will lead to changes in other areas. The most important area to focus on for change is the internal environment and the functioning which is a part of this. Those that are functioning as volunteers, the board of directors and the overall committee will need to begin to re-examine the internal environment and the interactions which are taking place among the corporation. This further needs to be valued with an understanding of how to incorporate human resources at different levels to ensure that the needs with housing are met. The first key element of change which will occur with the internal environment is based on the building of a strategy – focused organization. Now, Wulverin is focused on implementing specific ideas from the board of directors or the overall goals of the company. However, the strategy doesn’t look into the operational terms, integration of building and assisting those in need, compensating those in the organization for the work done or implementing levels of change through resources and continuous building of the corporation. By focusing on this specific change, there will also be alterations in other areas of Wulverin that will provide for sustainable growth while allowing the corporation to move forward with specific needs (Kaplan, Norton, 1: 2001). An area of concentration that can be used for the changes in the internal organization is based on training of human resources that are interacting with those that are using the housing. The lack of assistance with repairs and maintenance, as well as problems with customer service is one of the problems. Traditional assistance is still used, which includes a short term agreement, orientation on a single sale and the inability to meet specific and custom needs of those that are in the environment. Building relationships through the internal environment and with those in need can help to create a more positive outlook with the company. This includes a focus on building customer retention, initiating customer contact and building value with customers. The main emphasis is on meeting the expectations of those using the service, specifically to receive more positive feedback. However, for this to occur, the internal environment has to be able to take conducive measures to maintain the quality within the internal environment (Hardy, Nord, 115: 1996). The internal environment can also be altered by the technology and resources which are available. Changing the structure so it has more networks built as well as better response times with a knowledge management system will further the needs of the employees and can increase the value which is created among customers. While this will take further investment for initiating the change, the addition of technology as well as the ability to build resources within the internal environment can provide different responses that are more effective. The organization will then be able to combine the needs of the customers with the needs of the internal environment. This will begin to change the internal structure and responses. More important, there will be less time spent while building an infrastructure that is more valuable to the customers (Edwards et al, 113: 2005). The suggestions for working on the internal environment are combined with the current strategies that Wulverin can incorporate into the environment. There is a specific set of systems that are currently being used for the continuous development of the corporation. The first is based on meeting national standards, specifically with a focus on customer retention and assisting those with housing by ensuring that standards are met in each of the homes. There are measures that are added with these as well, which are creating a way for the internal environment to respond to the needs of customers with tangible measures and resources that provide better alternatives for Wulverin. The customer satisfaction, as well as the responses from the internal environment, is both expected to increase in a positive manner by the focus on national standards that ensure sustainable growth with the housing available. The next way in which Wulverin is beginning to build their strategy is by changing how they work with customers by understanding needs. There have been surveys conducted that are related to the diversity of those who have received affordable housing as well as specific comments that are being used to enhance the internal environment. This is being followed by the needs in homes, with the largest investments being made to hire for repairs and maintenance for those in the homes. These are incorporating new options for higher standards in the homes that provide better customer service while incorporating new options for increasing the values and resources in the internal environment. This is being followed through with a peer review committee, which notes what changes need to be made with houses and is followed through with offering more sustainable options for housing in the communities. Another advantage that is helping with the performance of Wulverin is based on the outside programs in the external environment that are helping with community building. There are four main programs which are being incorporated. These are based on finding options for jobs and training as well as assistance with language barriers and transitions which are occurring. This is followed by audit commissions that are a part of Wulverin and are being used to establish a stronger presence within communities. Issues are then easier to work with, specifically because local communities can respond and establish stronger relationships with the company. To support this, there is a think tank group that is specifically designated to help change the amount of resources in the community while providing more assistance to the tenants. This is offering a stronger internal environment with the new divisions while providing assistance with customer service. The last component that is being initialized is the monitoring outcomes for tenants, or M.O.T. This is used for tenant involvement and empowerment and is used specifically to monitor the internal environment through feedback. This ensures that all standards are met with the different housing and that several methods are used to meet consumer needs. Opportunities for new standards, support for customers and more focus on the issues that are received are some of the main concepts that are being approached. The short inspection is also being used, specifically to ensure that houses remain with high quality and are repaired correctly by Wulverin (Wulverin, 2010). From these initiatives, it can be seen that the main approach is to provide standards that assist with tenants and those who are in need of affordable housing. This is being used as the main strategy to increase the performance of the company within the next year. Developing the Strategy While the Wulverin strategy is currently incorporating new levels of customer service, this needs to be balanced with the internal organization structure. The lack of repairs and the need to continuously meet demands shows that the main problem is with the structure of the organization and the inability to have the correct resources available through the company. Changing this will naturally alter the responses from customers as well as the repairs, maintenance and response times that are used. The customer service will then begin to increase with the resources that are added into the internal environment. The result will be more interest from stakeholders which can lead into valuable investments to change the funding levels of Wulverin. Conclusion The strategic needs of Wulverin are based on the specialized structure of the company. The non – profit structure, combined with the different types of housing offered to those who are in need of affordable housing are some of the main ways in which Wulverin has offered a specific type of functioning. For the organization to continue to be effective there is the need to build a balance scorecard, which shows that the changes at different levels will lead to increased performance. The suggested initiative is to work within the internal environment, specifically to begin altering the value that is offered to customers as well as the resources that are used for support. In turn, this will increase the performance of Wulverin and will provide more options for funding and initiatives for the growth of the organization. References Buttle, Francis. 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