Description
Question CXU9
Write a Blog Entry outlining a strategy to overcome the three challenges discussed in last week's Blog Entry. You will write this Blog Entry as though you are an organizational leader from another organization who is responding to last week's Blog Entry. Your target audience for this Blog Entry is the leader of your chosen organization (the role you played last week). Your Blog Entry should clearly outline three concrete steps that your organization can undertake to address the challenges you outlined in the Week 8 Blog Entry.
Question CXU10
Project, Part 4: Final Project Submission
In the Final Project, you evaluate the leadership needs of an organization and identify strategies that the organization can follow in order to achieve its goals. The assignment for the week combines the work done in the previous weeks into a single package in which you will present your assessment of the organization as well as the best strategy for its leaders to follow.
This paper brings together the previous work and articulates a strategy for implementing transformational change in the organization. This paper must be 3,500–4,500 words in length.
The Final Project must contain the following elements:
The Background Paper and Organizational Analysis should be included as sections of the paper. These should be integrated into the final paper, but they do not need to be rewritten except to correct any elements noted in past grading.
A clearly articulated strategy for implementing transformational change in your organization, including at least three specific actions to be undertaken in the first six months of the new leadership.
A clearly articulated explanation of how your strategy aligns to the goals of the organization and will contribute to the accomplishment of these goals.
A clear introduction and a conclusion that ties together the elements of the paper as a whole and "sells" the reader on your strategy.
The Final Project may use evidence from a range of sources (case studies, empirical analysis, similar organizational experiences, etc.) to make the case for your strategy.
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
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Blog Entry
Institution Affiliation
Date
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Strategy to Overcome Médecins Sans Frontières Challenges
In a blog post, the International president of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
International discussed three transformational leadership challenges affecting the organization.
The problems that were presented are the complexity of MSF's organizational structure, lack of
adequate funding, and lack of enough personnel to aid in expanding MSF’s reach. As a leader of
a non-governmental organization, I have had to deal with similar challenges. A complex
organization structure requires more resources to maintain and slows coordination and planning
among other things. Limited funding and being understaffed hinders the expansion of NGOs
programs. The challenges have to be adequately dealt with to attain the goals of the
organizations.
Regarding complexity in the organization structure, MSF has to do three things. The
three things are evaluating its current structure, identifying areas that impede coordination,
planning among other things, and changing those areas. Having 24 associations that each has a
Board of Directors, president, and executive level employees contributes to severe complications
in the organization. I would propose transforming the associations to branches of MSF
International, appointing general managers to head the branches and having the general
managers report directly to MSF International’s president. The five Operational Directorates can
be converted into divisions of MSF International that aid the International president.
Regarding funding, one thing that MSF can do is to expand the NGO's fundraising
activities to reach out to more people. A second strategy is to engage in some profit-making
activities. To implement the second strategy, MSF needs to discuss various economic activities
that the organization can engage in, select the activity or activities that are more appealing, and
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implement the specific activity. One economic activity that MSF can consider venturing into is
research consultancy in the area of healthcare.
Concerning the lack of adequate staff, the thing that MSF can do is to roll out a campaign
aimed at attracting more volunteers to the organization. Employing more professional is not a
good option as it would significantly increase the NGO’s cost of operation and hinder the
achievement of its missions. Ways in which MSF can attract more volunteers include giving a
better token of appreciation to the volunteers and giving good recommendation letters to those
who volunteer to work for MSF for some time.
I hope that the proposed strategies for dealing with MSF's challenges will be crucial
inputs to the internal discussion on dealing with the problems.
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Final Project
Institution Affiliation
Date
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Introduction
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was formed with the goal of helping alleviate pain and
suffering in the world by providing medical assistance to people affected by conflicts, disasters,
unable to access healthcare, and those affected by epidemics and speaking out about the need for
such assistance (Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). Currently, MSF has active missions in 70
nations around the world (Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). The countries include Libya, Yemen,
and Cambodia. The need for medical aid in the three countries is dire. MSF employees and
doctors risk their lives in attempts to provide medical assistance to the citizens. Although MSF
has been expanding its reach over the years and serving millions of people each year, there are
challenges within the organization that limit it from helping many more needy people. The key
challenges are closely connected to leadership needs. This paper aims to discuss MSF’s
leadership challenges and articulate a strategy for implementing transformational change that
will aid the organization to attain its goals.
MSF’s Background
History
MSF was created in France in 1971 by 13 doctors and Journalists (Médecins Sans
Frontières, n.d.). The 1967-1970 war in Biafra, Nigeria, and the famine that followed it resulted
in a lot of pain and suffering of the affected people (Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). The fact
motivated the founders of MSF to create an NGO that will deliver impartial, quick, and effective
emergency medical care (Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). The founders created a charter for the
NGO, and it was officially registered in 1971(Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). At the time of
registration, MSF had 300 volunteers who consisted of nurses, doctors, and other professionals
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(Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). The number included MSF’s founders. The NGO conducted
its first humanitarian mission in Nicaragua in 1972 (Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). The
mission involved the provision of medical care to people affected by an earthquake that hit
Managua, the nation’s capital. The organization has significantly changed since its foundation.
Currently, MSF has over 30,000 personnel (employees and volunteers) (Médecins Sans
Frontières, n.d.). It has gained very many donors from around the globe. The organization’s
annual budget stands at about US$1.63 billion (Médecins Sans Frontières, n.d.). The vast budget
has enabled MSF to provide medical aids to many more people.
Changes in MSF’s International Governance Structure
MSF decided to change its international governance structure in 2011. The decision to
change the NGO’s structure was motivated by three key reasons. One reason was the need to be
more accountable to MSF’s stakeholders (Méde...
