Business Initiative and Technology

Business Initiative and Technology

BUS 521 – Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Organizational Structure and Management Philosophy

The flowchart above represents the organizational structure of The Reading Corner. The board of directors will be responsible for governing the whole organization and are held accountable for all the policies. Ideally, there will be three directors who meet at a minimum once every quarter. The executive director will be the liaison between the board of directors and the those who oversee all the departments. The assistant director of finance is responsible for overseeing the accounts and aiding in providing financial strategies to promote the growth of The Reading Corner. Tasks that fall under the director of finance are accounting/bookkeeping and risk management. The assistant director of operations is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, they help to establish policies and ensure that the organization is running as efficiently as possible. Production of services and technology will fall under the responsibility of the director of operations. The assistant director of development is responsible for overseeing the fundraising efforts and developing and implementing any new programs to aid in ending illiteracy. The assistant director of human resources is responsible for staffing, training, ensuring the organization follows labor laws, and coordinating the volunteers. This department helps to ensure that the staff and volunteers of The Reading Corner are treated fairly and that it is an environment that is conducive to retention and recruiting. The assistant director of marketing is responsible for getting The Reading Corner brand out into the public, as well as organizing public relations and community affairs. The main objective of the director of marketing is to ensure that the organization’s name is out in the community and that there is a positive identity attached to it.

The management philosophy that The Reading Corner will incorporate is a mixture of different leadership styles. The organization will have participative and servant leadership. Even though there is a board of directors and assistant directors in charge of each of the departments, there will be a participative environment where employees and volunteers will be encouraged to participate in making decisions regarding the organization (White, M.G., 2018, ¶5). This type of leadership falls under open-door management where “lots of communication … encourages innovative thinking and initiative among all employees [and volunteers]” (Abrams, R., 2017, p.314). Servant leadership is putting the needs of the employees and volunteers before that of the individual leader. “A key benefit of this approach is it can help foster employee identification,” and it can “lead to developing an organizational culture defined by service, where team members focus on prioritizing the needs of others” (White, M.G., 2018, ¶12). This type of leadership style is especially ideal since The Reading Corner is a nonprofit whose sole focus is to serve the community. Through incorporating these leadership styles, staff and volunteers will feel that the organization cares about them and is willing to take their suggestions into consideration, leading to a feeling of oneness.

Key Elements of Corporate Culture and Key Motivational Strategies

Corporate culture is “the [overall] atmosphere of a company. [It] consists of the aggregate attitudes, experiences, beliefs, and values of all employees at a business” (Abrams, R., 2017, p.307). Key elements of the corporate culture are the workplace atmosphere and social responsibility. There are numerous factors that fall under workplace atmosphere, such as: acting fairly, choosing the right people, communication, respect, acknowledgement of contributions, setting standards, and rewarding hard work. First will be to set standards, which consists of stating any expectations and to remain consistent. This can be achieved through creating policies that are clear and concise by way of an employee manual and a volunteer manual. By creating a structure that everyone must abide by, including those in leadership positions, everyone will be on the same page and know how to act and the consequences should they violate any of the standards. Acting fairly will ensure that everyone is treated the same, there are no favorites that are being played and any standards and goals that are set are able to be reached adequately. Choosing employees and volunteers who have the right attitude will aid the organization reach success at a faster rate than choosing employees and volunteers strictly based on knowledge and skill.

Respecting the fact that everyone is different and that each person has their own strengths and weaknesses, while trusting and believing that they can get the job done is paramount. “People generally live up to the trust—or mistrust—that others show them” (Abrams, R., 2017, p.316). Communication is big, it can be the difference between success and failure. Ensuring that all lines of communication remain open and available will provide a sense of inclusion and empowerment. Communication will also aid in acknowledging contributions and rewarding hard work. Verbally acknowledging the contributions of employees and volunteers and rewarding them will have a positive affect on the organization and lead to retention. There are three reasons why recognition is important. First, recognized employees are happy employees, “good vibes in the office translate into happier and more peaceful home life” (Craig, W., 2017, ¶3). Second, appreciative leaders are appreciated leaders, “when employees know their efforts contribute to a cause and are noticed by people higher up the food chain, they feel a deeper connection to leadership” (Craig, W., 2017, ¶9). Third, when employees feel recognized, they stick around, which keeps the costs down (Craig, W., 2017, ¶12).

Social responsibility is a key element of the corporate culture, as it “plays an important part in the overall well-being of [the] company” (Abrams, R., 2017, p.422). Social responsibility helps foster and support a healthy local and national economy as well as establishing the organization’s values and fosters the corporate culture. Perhaps the most pressing reason as to the importance of social responsibility is that the organization is a nonprofit, whose goal is to eliminate illiteracy to help provide better lives for those who participate in the program. A couple of ways The Reading Corner can be socially responsible would be to use energy efficient appliances, recycle, and ensure that all electronic devices are turned off at the end of every day.

Operational Strategy

Core aspects of The Reading Corner are the facilities, labor, materials and equipment, research and development, insurance, and contingency plans. The facilities need to large enough to section off the building so different programs can be run simultaneously without interfering with each other, while also having room for administrative offices, approximately 53,000 square feet. Since the organization is service based, labor is an important component. Because volunteers also help within the organization, training will be provided to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and limited supervision will be required to ensure that everyone is acting respectfully and in an ethical manner. The most notable items that consist of the materials and equipment would be books, computers, and electronic readers. E-readers are important as “young, reluctant readers prefer e-readers,” as it “has more in common with the electronic devices that young people use all the time” (Kraft, A., 2015, ¶6-7). Research and development is important so the organization can maintain focus on the changes in the target market, as well as keeping up with changes and advancements in technology and how it can impact the company. Insurance is extremely important, as there are some types of insurances that are required by law like worker’s compensation. Other insurances will help to give the organization an edge in attracting and retaining employees. Life happens, and it is important to have contingency plans in place in case of natural disasters or service malfunctions.

Technology Strategy

The technology needs of The Reading Corner are those dealing with communications and collaboration, office productivity, marketing, finance, operations, HR, and customer service. Communications and collaboration technology will ensure that the organization is able to communicate with individuals, such as email or video conferencing. Office productivity technology will ensure that every day office tasks are able to be completed efficiently, such as word processing and presentations. Marketing technology will allow direct communication with customers and provide a means to reach out to new prospects, like social media and CRM programs. Finance technology, like accounting software, will aid in keeping track of all the financial information needed to ensure a smooth operation of the organization. Operations technology will allow the management of day-to-day operations and information to be detailed and efficient. HR technology, such as payroll and scheduling, will allow accurate records to be maintained regarding employees and volunteers. Customer service technology will allow customers to contact the organization and receive help, by way of telephone systems and chat functions. In addition, technology policies will be established to help protect the organization and their employees, volunteers, and clients. The policies that will be established are security policies, privacy policies, email policies, and web-surfing policies.

These various technologies will aid in maintaining a competitive advantage over the competition as it will allow real-time information which can be used to improve current programs or processes, or to create completely new ones. All of which will be dependent on the information that is gathered using the correct technology platforms. While the technology strategies are beneficial, it is important to choose the correct hardware, software, and applications that will truly benefit the organization. There are various aspects to consider when choosing which technology to use, but all technology products should be judged based on “ease of use, ease of management, integration, scalability, mobility, vendor support, and cost” (Abrams, R., 2017, p.382).

References

Abrams, R. (2017). Entrepreneurship (2nd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: PlanningShop.

Craig, W. (2017). 3 Reasons Why Employee Recognition Will Always Matter. Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2017/07/17/3-reasons-why-employee-recognition-will-always-matter/#3d888f5363c9.

Kraft, A. (2015). Books vs. e-books: The science behind the best way to read. Retrieved from

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kindle-nook-e-reader-books-the-best-way-to-read/.

Magloff, L. (2018). The Typical Non-Profit Organizational Structure. Retrieved from

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/typical-non-profit-organizational-structure-4896.html.

White, M.G. (2018). Leadership Styles. Retrieved from

https://business.lovetoknow.com/business-operations-corporate-management/types-management-styles.