Essay Sample: What Are the Strategic Issues That Are Facing an Organization?

Apparently, KaBOOM! is facing different challenges which are affecting its performance management. Development of the performance measurement system is one of the strategic issues which are facing KaBOOM!. It is reported that the board is satisfied with the progress and accomplishments of the organization. However, lately KaBOOM! depicted signs of being overloaded by the deluge of information received from management. This includes individual files from the playground build reports, culminated with press clippings. The pace with which KaBOOM! is growing is also another strategic issue facing the organization. The firm has been experiencing a quick expansion as depicted in professionalizing of its operations, staff, and board of directors in the process (Leonard, Epstein, & Winig, 2005). This prompted the board to embark on the assessment of the organizations performance without being overwhelmed by the data. The company needs to utilize the performance management system in managing the strategic direction of the organization.

Furthermore, out of 25,000 playgrounds in the United States which are located on public and private school grounds (in child day care facilities, in municipal and state parks), only 65000 are considered to be fit for use. This is a challenge and an opportunity for the KaBOOM! firm to intensify its operations in meeting the demands for great and standard playgrounds.

What Measures/objectives align with these issues and need to be tracked and managed within the performance management system?

As a way of handling the strategic matters that are facing the organization, KaBOOM!s key objective is aspiring to be best-in-class; on the cutting edge of the non-profit sector. Due to its social enterprise focus, KaBOOM! will be determined is committed to building suitable playgrounds, ultimately easing the crises that are witnessed in the United States. KaBOOM! is also endowed with managers and board members who are MBAs. This is an indication that the organization has assembled the workforce which will enable KaBOOM! align its strategic operations with set goals. KaBOOM! is also headed by a CEO as opposed to Executive Director to enable an organization move towards a social enterprise.

The introduction of the Performance Management System is supposed to enhance the reporting of the consistent data points which are measured over time thus enabling the board to assess the organizations health and efficiency. The company adopted KaBOOM! formula as a strategy for handling the challenges it was undergoing. According to this initiative, the management can present and prioritize important performance drivers as well as establishing year-to-year benchmarks. KaBOOM! formula also facilitates the monitoring of the organizational performances. All these measures are significant since they align with the strategic issues that are facing an organization.

How the three-pronged strategy (Lead, Seed, Rally) impact the development of the PMS?

The development of the PMS was influenced by the organizations need for timely, accurate and useful information which helped the members perform their duties with great ease. The three-pronged strategy was introduced to ensure KaBOOM! achieved its key objective of building great playgrounds for school children. Under the Lead-prong strategy, the PMS was supposed to be structured in a way that it tracks of the expertise, the funding partners and direct management practices implemented when building the playgrounds. Under the Lead-prong strategy, the PMS will also have to be structured in a way that it captures the annual costs of producing a particular number of the playgrounds.

The seed prong of the KaBOOM! strategy influenced the development of the PMS system by determining the roles and duties bestowed to specific community groups. The approach also defines the support and planning tools availed by KaBOOM! which have to be captured in the PMS. Rally which is the third prong will impact on the PMS through the definition of the parameters to be used in defining the success/failures of the advocacy programs implemented to woo partners or Playmakers.

Relatedly, how much emphasis should KaBOOM! put on these three separate initiatives going forward?

The success of KaBOOM! when it comes to achieving its goals and mission is dependent on organizations ability to implement its three-pronged strategy. While applying the Lead-prong strategy, the KaBOOM! will be required to be exemplary in its leadership styles. This will involve the building of the playgrounds through the provision of the planning expertise, identifying funding partners and a direct management of the built playgrounds. The organization should also put a significant emphasis on the implementation of the Seed prong of the KaBOOM! strategy. This will be characterized by identification of the appropriate support, planning tools, and mechanisms to encourage the community groups regarding the organizations project. The focus should also be directed towards initiation of training programs to ensure project partners acquire relevant knowledge that can help them execute their duties efficiently.

The Rally prong strategy will put an emphasis on the utilization of the advocacy programs that enhance the companys ability in partnering with other parties Playmakers who would go beyond one-time volunteering to serve as a community or national advocates for increasing the number of play spaces. The advocacy programs will ultimately earn KaBOOM! the attention needed from the public.

References

Aguinis, H. (2013). Performance Management . Prentice Hall.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Leonard, H. B., Epstein, M., & Winig, L. (2005). Playgrounds and Performance: Results Management at KaBOOM! President and Fellows of Harvard College., 1-11.