KPE 320
Administrative Theory and
Organizational Behavio
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In Case Study 2 we are looking to apply some of the concepts we have been discussing in the second half of the course – politics, decision making and managing change – to put together a communication
iefing for organizational stakeholders.
Where to start?
Please start by reading over the following case…
Case Study – Healthy Kids at Play
Christine is the Executive Director of Healthy Kids at Play (HKAP). HKAP is a not-for-profit organization that solicits donations from corporate sponsors and then uses that money to buy and maintain outdoor play equipment for local daycares, condominium co-ops, community organizations and other groups that are looking to provide space for kids to get more active.
The organization is governed by a 5-person volunteer board of directors. While Christine manages the day to day operations and is accountable for all projects and finances, ultimately her role reports to the Board. They meet with her once per month to review HKAP’s financials, discuss what projects HKAP has underway and ensure the organization is on track with donations.
HKAP has 6 full time paid employees that have been with the organization for all 8 years it has been in operation – 2 Fundraisers, 1 Administrative Assistant, 1 Project Manager, 1 Project Assistant and Christine, the Executive Director. Together their salaries total $300,000. They also spend about $50,000 per year on office supplies, rent and other expenses to operate the business,
inging the total budget for HKAP to around $350,000/year.
Recently there has been some talk amongst the BoD that their role should be a paid position. They all agree that the amount of time and expertise they contribute to the success if HKAP wa
ants remuneration.
Last month they passed a motion for each of them to receive a $10,000 stipend per year.
Christine knows that the budget will not allow for this. In order to make room in the budget she knows that she will have to make some changes.
She could ask her Fundraisers to increase donations. However, they are constantly telling her that it is getting harder and harder to find new donors, and existing donors are reluctant to increase their endowments. Asking the team to find more money might put a lot more stress on her team without yielding any appreciable increase in results.
She could also reduce the number of projects HKAP takes on. By doing fewer projects they would cut costs, but they would also build fewer playgrounds. They have already committed to 16 projects over the next two years, and redirecting that money to BoD salaries would mean cancelling some of those projects.
Christine could consider reducing staffing levels. The Project Assistant and the Administrative Assistant make about $50,000 each in salary and benefits – eliminating or reducing either or both of these would free up the money to pay the BoD members. But Christine is wo
ied about what impact it would have on the morale of her team if she cuts hours from employees who have been with HKAP since the beginning and play an important role to pay Board members to do a job they have always done as volunteers.
She thought about going back to the Board and try and get them to reverse their decision. It’s possible that they would reconsider, although they are well aware of the financial situation HKAP is in and voted to receive the stipend anyway. Besides, Christine does appreciate how much work they do and in her heart really believes they deserve some form of payment.
The stress of managing all of the politics and hard decisions has been extremely challenging for Christine. She knows her role reports to the Board, and as such she is required to ca
y out their instructions. But given how difficult this decision is, lately she has considered simply resigning from her position altogether and letting someone else sort it out!
Christine has some tough decisions to make, and whatever she decides she knows that someone that she respects and values is going to be hurt by her decision.
What do I do next?
Part 1
Having read the case study, you are asked to write a single page (8.5”x11”) communication to staff. The communication must contain the following:
· An announcement that the Board members will each begin receiving a stipend of $10,000 per year effective immediately.
· An explanation of how HKAP is going to change to be able to pay for the stipends
Any other information you choose to include in order to improve the communication is up to you, but no other information is required as part of the assignment. You are also free to organize your communication in any format you feel best communicates your message, so long as it is delivered on a single 8.5 x 11 page.
Part 2
Having written the communication, you are asked to write no more than 750 words explaining the following:
· What are some of the key factors that led to your decision on how to free up the money?
· What are some of the key factors that influenced what and how you communicated the news to staff?
How do I submit my report?
Under the “Assignments and Exams” tab in Quercus you will find a tab for Case Study 2. When you click on the title of that link you will see a “Submit Assignment” icon at the top right corner. Follow the steps to attach and submit your report.
You will also need to post your report to the Case Study 2 Discussion board, and then review and critique at least 2 other student’s work.
Your report may be in a .doc, .docx or .pdf format.
How will my work be graded?
The following ru
ic should be helpful in understanding how the Case Study will be graded:
Clarity and professionalism of your announcement – /5
Rationale for decision making - /3
Understanding of organizational politics - /2
Rationale for communication format choices - /2
Use of scholarly references - /2
Writing clarity, grammar, etc - /1
Case Study #2