Challenges and Influences on The Salvation Army

THE SALVATION ARMY

Introduction & Background

Hi, this assessment unit is 27763 about Analyze the impacts of influences and assesses their consequences for an organisation. The nonprofit Maori organization I have chosen is ‘The Salvation Army’. This organization has overcome poverty and spiritual pain in New Zealand. Its been helping more than 120,000 families and individuals in need each year-with budgeting advice, food and clothing assistance, life skills programs and other comfort and support. We are committed to our mission of caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society. Full-time officers and employees, along with soldiers (church members) who volunteer their skills and expertise, provide their social and church-based services. Our Army has over 3000 officers and employees in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga and is recognized as a high value employer. Our Army is a registered charity under the Charities Act 2005, registered number CC37312. This means we are freed from income tax. We are giving quality care and support for needy people in their own homes.

Influences:    

Internal Influences-

i) Skills

Skills are one of the important factors of an organization. We have highly trained and professional staff members providing their best efforts where needed with their skills. As it is a helping organization, we create a healthy and helping atmosphere in the organization if we are or not at work. We provide valuable skills through its unique training, employment and support services centers.

ii) Staff

Our army staff officers have worked as missionaries in many countries. Most recently, our army officers set up corps in Fiji since 1973 and Tonga in 1986. We have a large number of trained and experienced staff from different parts of world which shows the talent and co-operation among our staff.

iii) Structure

Our administrative structure of The Salvation Army can best be described by following diagram.

iv) System

We are updated to the new ways and technology which is affordable and beneficial for our purpose and goals. We know that we have to be always ready for any emergency for good running of the organization so we always the new technology, machines, staff according to our need.

v) Shared values

We are the best examples of the shared values. All Salvation Army worship services are open to everyone. We affirm that racial and multicultural combination of believers is desirable and reasonable. “Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each person equal with each other, whether a person is a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.” The Salvation Army is intentional in its efforts to incorporate different styles of worship to meet the specific needs of its increasingly diverse organizations.

External Influences:

vi) Social

Our programs of social work among the homeless, unemployed, addicted and other needy people were the most visible aspect of its work in the 21^st century. Moving away from our earlier, strongly independent attitude, our Army worked closely with government agencies and other organizations. We also addressed the causes as well as the effects of social hardship, and regularly advised and pushed the government on policies that affect the most weak in society. Recently, the Salvation Army gave their contribution in Nepal Earthquake and did a good job working three days in Nepal after the disaster.

vii) Economic

Now talking about the economic, we are well known for our economic contribution to the economy by network of Thrift Stores or Charity Shops, which raise money for its rehabilitation programs by selling donated used items such as clothing, housewares and toys. The Salvation Army has a history of free therapy from alcohol and drug abuse. Thrift stores provide the revenue to run the Adult Rehabilitation Centers known as ARCs. The ARCs, found in many global locations, are work and Bible-based operating with the 12-step program, and offer residential facilities which helps in economic condition of the country.

viii) Political

Moreover, talking about the politics, as an international Christian church and charitable organization, we work within a wide variety of political and social backgrounds. We are not supported by political parties. Although it pursues to influence governmental and public affairs, it will not promote or approve specific candidates or political parties.

ix) Technological

In extent to this talking about the technological factors, we have improved business processes including the management of finance, supply chain, asset and property management – not only to overcome fragmentation of information but also to speed up the flow of information. Now, passersby can donate not only to the traditional workers with bells and buckets, but they can also swipe their credit cards, or simply enter their card information on a volunteer’s phone. Salvationists would receive Android smartphones donated by Sprint, outfitted with the square mobile card reader, and contributors can donate directly to the Army’s account.

x) Legal

We are legally registered and secured and we are not interfered by any political parties so we do not have any worries about any issue if we keep on doing our job like we are doing now.

xi) Environment

In contribution to environment. The implications of our Environmental use of natural resources on current and future generations has to be considered and action taken to report this. The consequences of such use often have a greater impact on poorer nations, resulting in increased poverty. Furthermore, we are Promoting and resourcing work to minimize any negative environmental impact of its activities, Aligning work to the wider sustainability plan, The use of ethically sourced goods wherever possible, Reducing waste and increasing recycling.

Impacts

Opportunities

Opportunities for the skills will be the new ideas for projects like positive lifestyle programme, parenting programs and surveys. We will give a rise to our staff by giving them bonus when they do a great job and promotions wherever needed. Moreover, salary is increased after every 6 months. This will be the opportunity for our staff. Our skills are the main key of our healthy running organization because we are doing our best with our skills for the organization. Our experienced and trained staff do their best where they are needed by their abilities. Our organizational structure and distribution of jobs is organized in the best manner by our Human Resource Management team. Our systems are up to date and it is helping the organisation by their proper use. We have an experienced multicultural staff from different parts of world in the organization which creates a positive environment in the staff to work smoothly without any discrimination and it makes a peaceful environment. We are not politically being interfered so we do not have any issues with politics. We are economically contributing in the economy by our mission and work done by us. We are socially attached and understand the conditions of needy persons so we are a socially reputed organisation. We always adopt the new technology in our use which helps us as well as the person we are helping so it is a good symbol for us. We are legally registered and secured so we do not have any worries about any issue if we keep on doing our job like we are doing now. We are environmentally helpful because we do not use or do any work which harms the environment so we are eco-friendly. These are the opportunities for our healthy running organization.

Threats

If an employee’s relation is not good with staff or feel insecure he/she might be able to case a file of physical/sexual/mental harassment or can do strikes and can disturb the confidentiality of the organisation. Sometimes there is hidden racism or partiality takes place in the working environment of the organization and it leads to the bad atmosphere within the organization and it will take the organization downwards and it’s the main impact on our shared values. As we all know, human does not have control on nature, so if anything goes wrong like earthquake, tsunami, and storm so we cannot do anything in that case, so it is a natural threat. People are what we working for, but sometimes we don’t know what people want and think about us, so we can get negative feedback about us or may give us a negative response. We are legally approved working organization on a large scale, in case in future if there are some legal rules & regulation changes that can be a major threat. As we are working in a nonprofit organization with the latest use of technology, in future there might be some heavy technological change which we cannot afford easily or make in use of our organization then it will be a threat. We are politically not interfered by the politics or politicians but as we are working best on our goals, some political parties or politicians may get jealous of us or may not want to see our organization rising, they may be able to do some things which can make a bad issue against our organization. As we are contributing towards the growth of the economy and organization as well, there can be some changes in the tax rates or the policies which may not be in the favor of the organization.

Consequences

Skills are leading to the growth and development of the organization as well as the goodwill of the organisation by adopting new programs, projects and surveys. Our staff is now more comfortable while working with the new policies in favor of them by increasing their pay rate, and promotions. Now there is a positive atmosphere within the staff while their working hours. Our organisational structure is organized in a matter that makes our organisation a strong healthy working organisation. Our system is upgraded that it makes our organisation more advance and reachable wherever we are needed. Now we have more record of data and we are known where we are needed. Our shared values are very strong and our staff is proactive and they believe that they now have more knowledge of culture and talents of other parts of the world from their colleagues working together with them. We have no negative relations with the political parties as we are not politically interfered. Now we are economically highly strong that we have enough resources and assets for us. Our technological factors and our systems are so advanced that it is being the most helpful and giving a push to the organisation for its organisational work. As we are an environmental friendly organisation, we have contributed for some good causes for the organisation and we have achieved some honorable awards with our good work. As a result, we are working towards our goals in the best way and we are getting the positive results for that.

Recommendations

I recommend that we should always keep doing some efforts like surveys, seminars so that it will improve our organisational skills. Organisation should keep on hiring new talent and staff according to the need and changes in the organisation and when old staff which is no longer available to work should be retired with honor. For system, I recommend that there should not be any unawareness about the new systems as we have to be updated with our day to day operations. Our shared values should be same as present as our staff is working in a positive atmosphere and it is further needed in our organisation. We should not do any activity or take any step which makes us politically interfered in future so we have to be aware about that. There should not be any misuse or theft in the organisational money inside or outside the organisation as all the employees are getting reasonable pay for their work. For technology, there should not be any misuse or theft in the organisation of any technological equipment and soft wares. I recommend that there should be more CCTV cameras and security options for the internal organisation. As we are doing well, we need to keep that carry on by not doing any illegal work by which our organisation have to face problems in the future. We need to be more careful about the environmental contribution because it the environment is good then we will be able to work otherwise not.

References

www.salvationarmy.org.nz

www.educationandemployment.co.org

www.wikipedia.com