Managing Strategic Change

Managing Strategic Change

Imagine that you are Helen Clark, Administrator (and CEO) of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). You have been in the role since 2009 before you were Prime-Minister of New Zealand. Recently, a number of problems have come to your attention and you have made it your priority to engage with these issues. You have decided to embark on a detailed analysis to see if there is scope for strategic change. Whilst all concrete examples are real life vignettes, you are expected to do additional research in order to execute the tasks ahead of you.

TASK 1
You recently attended a number of conferences in the area of �Fair Trade�. Whilst you have always been an avid supporter of Fair Trade, it seems that in practice it is not as fair as it seems on the surface. In particular, the distribution of profits across the value systems does not seem to do justice to the term. Whilst the retailers are profiting from the sale of Fair Trade goods that appeal to Western sensibilities, there are claims that there is no evidence of the farmers growing the actual produce are receiving higher prices.

Fired up by your sense of justice you have decided to re-assess the situation described in the above by making use of Mol & Wijnberg (2005). In doing so, make an analysis of the value system of Fair Trade production. At each of the two stages of the value system (i.e. production and retailing) identify and describe the processes of value creation, value protection, and value appropriation. Next determine at what stage(s) of the value system �value-chain envy� exists, and explain what the ramifications are for the other stages. Then discuss whether or not this state of affairs can be remedied, and if so how. Describe the advantages and the disadvantages of your proposal.

In your analysis make sure to provide:
1) A theoretical explanation of the functioning of the value system
2) Real life examples that will help build your case

TASK 2
After having been in the role of UNDP�s CEO since 2009 you are keen to better understand the various institutional logics that are operating in the area of global sustainability. Prior to that time, a lot of the charitable work done in this area was motivated by religion, but you have witnessed a gradual shift towards the embrace of more business-like approaches. Informed by the readings on �Institutional Logics� (e.g. Thornton & Ocasio, 2008) you have decided to make an analysis of the various institutional logics that exist in the area of global sustainability. You are particularly struck by the juxtaposition between the �market logic� and the �logic of religion�.

In your analysis make sure to provide:
1) A theoretical explanation of institutional logics:
a. The values and practices that govern each logic.
b. How the two logics are interacting, e.g. competing or blending etc.
2) Real life examples that will help you exemplify your theoretical argument.

TASK 3
Reading the news, it has come to your attention that there is �funding cannibalism� in the charity sector (see SBS reference below). Whilst a lot of good causes receive a significant amount of funding, there are also plenty that lose out. As the CEO of the UNDP, you have taken it upon yourself to delve deeper into the dynamics of the �community of charity� in order to better understand the problems. You have decided to analyse this issue through Aldrich (1999). In doing so, you will first need to make an assessment of the cognitive and socio-political legitimacy of all the various kinds of charities involved.

In your analysis make sure to provide:
1) A theoretical explanation of the 4 levels at which the two types of legitimacy operate, i.e. at the organizational level, the (within and between) population level, and the community level.
2) Real life examples that will help you exemplify your theoretical argument.

TASK 4
After having reviewed the way legitimacy functions (see Task 3), you have decided to make a recommendation regarding strategic change in an attempt to improve funding cannibalism in the �community of charity�.

You have the freedom to make any recommendation provided that your recommendation is:
1) Consistent with the analysis made in task 3
2) Real life examples that will help you exemplify your theoretical argument
3) And, is practically actionable.