Introduction: International Driving License
An International Driving License allows the holder to drive a private car in a different country. For one to qualify for the license, he must have a genuine driving license from his home country. An IDL captures and translates the information into the normal driving license. It bears a photo and other important information about the holder. United Arab Emirates recognizes IDP although visitors on a short-term sojourn need not necessarily acquire it (Wakefield, 2008). In the UAE, one can apply for various categories of licensing. These categories enable you to drive different motor vehicles in a foreign country. IDL is acceptable as a valid document in the United States of America, Australia, parts of South America and Africa, Europe, and Asia. Obtaining the license is inevitable if you wish to study or work abroad.
People with special needs and the challenge of driving
People with special needs find it challenging to learn driving because of perceptual problems. Dyslexic people have trouble in language thus making it hard for them to learn and understand road signs (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2011). Other learning disabilities make body coordination difficult thus making it hard for learners to handle the equipment. Many driving companies have marginalized people with special needs because of ineffective instructional strategies. Such learners require specialized training that most companies are not ready to offer. There is an urgent need for an International Driving License in the United Arab Emirates in order to equip this sidelined group with one of the most essential skills of life.
Vision, mission, and core values
Union Driving Company aims to provide the best training for people with special needs. The company plans to offer training that addresses the specific needs of the learners through an Individualized Training Plan. Learners will be given the extra effort that is in tandem with their level of central nervous system functioning. The company will have a psycho-neurological department that will primarily evaluate learners with special needs in order to measure their readiness for the rigors of IDL learning. It will use tests and measurements that take into account the learning disabilities of each individual learner. The company’s vision, mission, and core values are highlighted below.
Vision-To becomes the premier first choice International Driving License company in the UAE offering world-class driving training for people with special needs in order to improve their road safety awareness.
Mission-To offers competitive and innovative International Driving License training for people with special needs through individualized programs in order to achieve the highest international standards and best practices.
Core values include teamwork, customer-centric, technology-driven, innovation and leadership, and road safety. Core activities include psycho-neurological evaluation, driver rehabilitation upon referral by recognized persons and institutions, refresher driving courses, and international driving training. The company intends to employ modern technology to beat competitors who have stuck with out-dated technology. There are plans to hire therapists in order to conduct an evaluation for other companies that lack the services. This way, the company will be in a position to make more profit. Additionally, the company will employ modern technology in training to give the best value to customers. It expects to break even in two years. Their profit will come from the money charged to the customers. This company will plow back the profit and invest it in order to increase its capital base.
SWOT Models
A SWOT analysis will help the company in strategic planning (Christensen, 2010). It offers a holistic understanding of the business and operating environment hence it’s choice for analyzing Union Driving Company. It will also enable it to make decisions from a point of information. Similarly, it will empower the company to explore possibilities by identifying opportunities within the industry. A SWOT analysis of Union Driving Company reveals the presence of various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
The company’s strength lies in its unique technology. Most companies training people with special needs in the International Driving License employ outdated technology. They lack modern learning visual and spatial aids that are proven by improving learning for people with special needs (Geel, 2011). The company will have branches all over the UAE. It intends to create a recognized brand that offers services of the highest international standards. An additional strength will come from the focus on customers. By making customer-centric one of the core values, the company plans to offer services that will win loyal clientele.
Like any other company, Union Driving Company has several weaknesses. The company requires diversification in order to shield itself against losses. The lack of diversification means that the company will suffer greatly in case of an upheaval in the market. The fact that the company will depend on one source of income exposes it to the risk of incurring great losses in case of an unprecedented event in the market. The company’s financial situation is another weakness that may deprive the company of the opportunity to expand and cover major cities in the UAE.
In spite of the weaknesses, the company has several opportunities. The increasing number of users promises a steady flow of income and growth. In cases where learners’ disabilities are severe, there is an opportunity to invent driverless electronic cars. The company can either manufacture cars or sell licenses. The increasing number of electronic products in the UAE market provides an additional opportunity. The company can diversify into these products and cushion itself against losses.
The major threat to the company is the competition in the market. Even if the market is not very competitive now, there is always the challenge of new entrants especially international companies that have been in business for long (Peters, 2005). The competition will lower profits by forcing the company to invest in advertisement.
Strategic Plan
A strategic plan offers a systematic path that the company will chart to achieve growth (Peters, 2005). The immediate objectives of the company are to get a suitably located premise for the company and recruit competent human resources. Within the first three months, the company will choose a suitable building and modify it to fit the demands of an environment of learners with special needs. Within the same period, they will hire twenty internationally accredited instructors for the main campus. Those will serve branches within Dubai town. To minimize cost, the company will hire part-time therapists to help in making the environment learner-friendly. The strategy will incorporate a rigorous marketing strategy that will sensitize the community and parents on International Driving License for people with special needs. Being the new company of its kind, the company expects to face the challenge of resistance to change. They plan to mitigate this through a rigorous sensitization campaign in collaboration with the relevant state department. They will monitor progress by the number of learners with disabilities who will register with the company.
The mid-term objectives of the company are to consolidate its hold on the market share it would have curved for itself. To retain clients, the company plan to offer high-class individualized training in a customer-centric approach. It will monitor customers’ satisfaction through a customer feedback mechanism. This way, it will be in a position to adapt its services to the demands of customers. As a mid-term objective, it intends to collaborate with foreign companies offering training in international driving. This will benefit the company in keeping abreast with the changing practices in other countries’ road safety measures. It is easy to evaluate this objective, as what the company needs is the knowledge that it has got into partnership with foreign companies. There are plans to have one partner in Europe, the United States, and Africa. The hurdle of language barrier arises in such collaboration. To mitigate it, it intends to hire administrators and instructors who can speak two or more international languages.
The long-term objective of the company is to open branches in five cities in the United Arab Emirates. It will obtain capital from profits accrued from the initial investment. The branches will run independently of the main office. In the same period of five years, the company plans to diversify goods and services by venturing into electronic goods and services. The obvious challenge is the saturation of the electronics products market in the UAE. To circumvent this challenge, there are plans to manufacture products that are tailor-made for the clients’ specific needs. The company will also distribute modified cars for people with special needs. The cars’ modification will suit specific learning disabilities.
Expenditure and income
The budget for the initial project is $500,000. Half the amount will go to acquiring the premises and modifying them to suit the environment for individualized learning. The amount will also cater for licensing. $ 100,000 will go to purchasing modified vehicles for practical. $ 50,000 will cater to human resources and an aggressive marketing campaign. The remaining $100,000 will act as security for any other thing that may emerge in the course of running the company. The course will be individualized hence the absence of time limits for customers. The charge for admission and training will be $1,000 per person. This amount will cater to the remuneration of employees. With a customer base of approximately 1000 individuals, the company will break even within one year. The accrued profit will go towards meeting the company’s mid and long-term objectives.
Tangible and intangible resources
The company will optimally use tangible and intangible resources to spur growth. Tangible resources include land, vehicles, finance, and all the other physical assets (Witcher & Chau, 2010). The company will use the land as a factor of production; to expand training facilities and conduct demonstrations. Instructors and customers will use vehicles to facilitate the learning process. The finance will go into fostering a partnership with foreign companies, establishing new companies in different cities, and carrying out social corporate responsibilities. The company will also use the money to enhance the skill levels of employees so that they can offer first-class services to customers.
Intangible resources include such things as human resources, customer relations, and technology (Thompson & Martin, 2010). The company will make optimal use of employees but also ensure that they are motivated enough. Technology drives companies and Unity Driving Company will be at the forefront in innovation in order to keep abreast with the dynamic environment. Customer-centric is a core value and the company will practice it in all its operations. With the plan outlined above, the company stands a good chance to be a force to reckon with in UAE International Driving License companies. There are many opportunities especially from the growing demand for electronic products. The company can harness these opportunities to spur growth.
References
Christensen, S. (2010). Frommer’s Dubai. Chichester: John Wiley.
Geel, R. (2011). Strategic management: The radical revolutionary strategic management matrix for predators. S.l.: Trafford On Demand Pub.
Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2011). Strategic management: Competitiveness & globalization. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Peters, J. (2005). The Arab world handbook: [the essential guide for business travellers, expatriates and tourists]. London: Stacey International.
Thompson, J. L., & Martin, F. (2010). Strategic management. Andover: Cengage Learning.
Wakefield, M.-R. (2008). UAE: A MEED practical guide. London: Middle East Economic Digest.
Witcher, B. J., & Chau, V. S. (2010). Strategic management: Principles and practice. S.l.: Cengage Learning.