Marketing Plan
Humanitarian help after any natural calamity requires proper planning and organization, especially if volunteers are involved. The aim of this paper is to analyze the marketing plan, operation plan, management feasibility, as well as Exit and Growth strategy. These are the key components associated with the success of the regarded business campaign. On the one hand it is the type of humanitarian help, on the other hand, it may be regarded as the innovation concept for furniture and building companies.
The sales strategy will be closely linked with the UNICEF programs and charity practices. In fact, those who need such houses are not able to purchase them, while those who have enough money will purchase a more comfortable domicile. Hence, the sales should be arranged orienting the humanitarian help programs and charity funds in order to persuade them in the reasonableness of purchasing this production. As for the aspects of developing the initial point of sale, it should be emphasized that the actual sales strategy should be closely linked with the target audience requirements and the opportunities of the mediator (charity fund or humanitarian help organization). (Hall and Mawson, 2001)
Pricing strategy and alternation of the product are linked with size and capacity of the houses, hence, the larger the construction, the higher the price will be. Advertising and promotion should be targeted at conferences and seminars dedicated to humanitarian help and poverty struggle. The communication channels may be various, however, the most effective will be a marketing plan in the form of a conference report.
Operation Plan
Head office physical location should be as close to manufacturers and suppliers as possible. In fact, it may be located close to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the key initiator of the program. In general, the actual importance of the location is not too high, as communication between departments should be regarded as a key parameter. Equipment is the problem that should be solved by the manufacturer. (Karmel and Bryon, 2007) Manufacturing equipment purchase may be sponsored by UNICEF and Austria foreign affairs dept. the main aim of the BoKlok company is to perform the maximum effectiveness manufacturing, which will be possible if the required components of the constructions are produced with IKEA manufacturing forces.
Employees of the campaign should be mainly volunteers and representatives of UNO, UNICEF, Red Cross and Red Semi-Moon, as the case is closely related to Pakistan disaster relief. Those who will be involved into manufacturing process should be professional operators and technologists for avoiding damaged and non-conditional production. Suppliers that will be involved need to be able to provide heavy cargo air transport. This will help to maximize the loads, and minimize delivery costs for the production. (Barry and Jones, 2002)
Management Feasibility
The type of organization should be the combination of retail and charity structure in order to employ as many volunteers as possible and to arrange effective manufacturing and supply of the manufactured components. Legal structure of this organization will help to avoid paying high commercial taxes and minimize the costs of the production, as well as maximize salaries for manufacturers and volunteers. (Mcgowan, Radosevic, et.al., 2004)
Internal management team, in its turn, should coordinate the efforts of the manufacturing and charity components of the organization, and arrange the required supply volumes. As the campaign is aimed at overcoming the calamity consequences, the management team should be aware of the meteorological, seismologic, epidemic situations, etc. Hence, the management team should be focused on studying the situation in order to offer timely help.
External management is closely linked with arranging company’s activity in places. This should be a type of rescue team that offers humanitarian help to those who have previously suffered from a calamity. Hence, the human resources requirements will be associated with the traditional approaches of business management and risk management practices. However, risk practices will be mainly external then internal.
Exit and Growth
In fact, the flat packed houses may be used for various aims. Considering the fact that the importance of transportable housing is rather high, the growth potential is enormous. Hence, investors should be explained that farmers, building companies, mobile stations of various kinds might be interested in transportable and easily packing dwelling. Additionally, the potential investors should be interested in cooperation with various charity organizations that may use these or similar constructions for their own aims, like short-term storages or dwelling for employees. (Tidd, Bessant et.al., 2001)
Most probably that venture investors will not be interested in investing in this organization, as the incomes are closely linked with sponsorship and charity. This means that the potential consumers are mainly dependent on charity programs and state budgeting, while commercial practices are not widely spread within these organizations. As for the matters of growth, venture investors should realize that in spite of the high growth potential, the charity origins of the company’s performance will not allow it to gain quick large incomes.
Reference List
Barry, J. & Jones, C. (Eds.). 2002. Medicine and Charity before the Welfare State. London: Routledge.
Hall, S., & Mawson, J. 2001. Challenge Funding, Contracts and Area Regeneration: A Decade of Innovation in Policy Management and Coordination. Bristol, England: Policy Press.
Karmel, S. M., & Bryon, J. 2007. A Comparison of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Europe and in the USA: European Capital Markets Institute. London: Routledge.
Mcgowan, F., Radosevic, S., & Von Tunzelmann, N. (Eds.). 2004. The Emerging Industrial Structure of the Wider Europe. New York: Routledge.
Tidd, J., Bessant, J., & Pavitt, K. 2001. Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.