Introduction|
Since the company has been founded in 2002, it has experienced substantial growth, and notoriety in the book world. It has gone from selling books in mainly stores to branching out to sell books online, competing with online sites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. In the past decade the aims of the company have been to make a profit, the goals were fundamental to the overall success of the company. However, Better World Books embarked on social entrepreneurship where we have developed social objectives to promote literacy all around the world. Better World Books thrives on social responsibility as it is the main aspect of our business million. Our main mission is to use the power of business to change the world, as we donate books and use our profits to fund literacy projects around the world. As part of our philanthropist duty we give everyone the opportunity to improve and learn to read. Our core mission is also our competitive advantage as it is a sustainable approach that is customer oriented to reflect our core values. Our core values represent our prime initiative to be the global bookstore, “that harnesses the power of capitalism to bring literacy and opportunity to people around the world.” (BWB 2013)
Our business model reflects our commitment to a triple bottom approach of economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability. In our company the nature of our business is that we must demand a motivating, broad, forward looking business strategy that not only is in line with our social objectives to promote literacy through funding projects, donating money to colleges, libraries, and individuals who also promote literacy. Our environmental goals of keeping millions of pounds in waste (paper) from landfills through donating and selling used books, while also utilizing our Carbon Neutral Shopping Cart. We must also adheres to our economic goals to remain profitable so that we are a “for profit” company we must continue to meet our revenue goals. The issues with meeting our triple bottom initiative is that we must report more of our social impact consistently and clearly, our website must be more user friendly, and for some individuals provide incentives to those who help to make the social aspect of our mission a reality.
Purpose
The purpose of this memo is still provide an insight to problems that keep the company from reaching its triple bottom initiatives. These problems that need to be addressed are that the website is not user friendly. The technology used for the website does not compete with EBay, Amazon, Borders, and other online stores that provide a clearer interface that has not adapted to newer technologies that allow for users to easily navigate through the website. This is a major threat to new entrants that can easily take control of the market. A way to combat this is by adapting new technologies that incorporate flat, HTML5, High Res pictures, and a simplicity to the website design. By applying new technologies it cannot only help keep competition at bay, but also make it more user friendly for the users. The challenges however, that our IT department must have the necessary and updated software at hand to make the changes. The website redesign must be in the budget that will have to be made up. The budget would then have to be approved by the board, and the right people with the right knowledge would have to be available to see the project in its duration.
The next problem that needs to be outlined is that we need to provide more details on our social impact more clearly for not only the shareholders, the public, and for others that are interested in helping. In order to solve this problem we must start showing where our funding goes to and how it helps to make a difference in the communities we are helping. The challenges of finding a solution to this problem is that understanding where to get the information to measure the impact so that it could be relayed coherently to the public. Deciding on whether to provide this information on the website or through other avenues. This decision would be not only to the marketing team, the PR team, but also the social/goodwill team.
The last problem that I feel needs to be addressed is that we should began to reward those that donate not only a lot of their time but resources in order to help with our social initiative. Incentives provide donators with rewards and goals they would like to reach for their own personal enjoyment. Incentives could mean rewarding schools and children that decide to donate their use books that they were going to throw out. The rewards could range from getting a new book, coupons, and small cash amount gift cards. The challenges however include deciding the right incentive, who gets what, and for how much. The dilemma of rewarding those for showing goodwill by donating. This does help to get more people to donate in order to help others around the world who are in need of books.
Action Plan Outline
This section is to provide a brief outline on the action plan that I feel should be implemented in order to reach all three goals for the vision of the company. The action plan will be elaborated on in the following section. The first task is to get reach out to each department that it applies to. The department heads would be in charge of created a project team that will put together a plan in order to solve the problems. The next plan would then be to work on each project with the project team. In doing so, we will analyze and delegate tasks so that the right people, with the right knowledge, will do the right job. Apply the SCHEMES, Space, Cash, Helpers/People, Equipment, Materials, Expertise, and Systems. Identify the right resources that will be needed and that will be use, the budget that will be needed for each goal, and the duration that the tasks will be completed in. The most important part of the action plan is to communicate with others in each department so the plans, objectives, and goals are clear.
Action Plan
Approaches
Strategic action plan is one of the first approaches that can be taken. It involves project management, which will be useful especially in developing a website redesign. “An action plan is used to formally and systematically lay out the steps that need to be taken for successful implementation” (WCO 1) The action plan outlined will help the company focus its goals and ideals to help to decide what steps need to be taken in order to achieve the specific goals. The action plan outline helps the project managers, the department, and the company overall sustain its triple bottom approach. The action has clearly defined the strategies and the steps that are contained in the estimated timetable to help the department reach the objective. The purpose of the action plan is to provide a blueprint or a guideline to the teams in knowing how to address the key challenges, and reach the completion of the project.
The first approach taken is a part of the strategic management approach in which, the approach is Situation-Target-Proposal. In the following approach the Situation, is that the company needs to improve on three areas which include; making the website more user friendly, the social impact of the organization clearer, and create an incentive system for donators. The Target, is defining the goals which include implementing new website technologies, providing the public with social impacts, and providing incentives for donators. The Proposal, is the route to the goals which are to create project plans that have end date and a team that can complete each of the goals. In using this approach the team is able to define the current situation of the company, defining the goals and the objectives, and creating a possible route to the goals and objectives.
The second approach that can be taken in this action plan is Draw-See-Think-Plan, this approach is another common approach that will help to outline the goals for Better World Books. The first steps is Draw, where the we outline the ideal end state for each goal, which is to have a more user friendly website, clearly detail the societal impact of Better World Books, and create rewards for donators and volunteers who give their time and resources to the company. See, which is the current situation, is that Better World Books, is not doing enough to reach their triple bottom initiative of economic, social, and environment sustainability. Think, is outlining the specific actions that must be taken to find solutions to the current problems facing the company. The specific actions include redesigning the website, providing clear information for the public, and creating an incentive system. Plan, is detailing the resources and the steps that are need to execute the action plan. These resources include approval from each department, budget, a set timeline, a proper team, and approval from vendors/suppliers, and software. Each approach is useful in developing a plan that is required in order to meet each objective for the overall success of the company.
Conclusion
The conclusion of this memorandum is by providing and overview from the information provided. The problems that Better World Books has is that the website where much of the transactions take place is not user friendly, is cluttered, and also out of date with competition which gives the way for new entrants in the book market. The proposed action plan is to go to the correct departments to implement a plan that redesigns the website by updating the software, and creating a clear point of action for the menus, and the items on the pages. In order to address the problems of providing information to the public of social impact, is to create a page on the website that clearly addresses the information of where the money is going to and how is this helping each organization. The last problem that needs to be address is creating the incentive system that can be developed from coupons, rewards points, books exchanges, or just pictures on the website that displayed they donated. This action plan will help to develop a more user friendly website that is up to date, provide the public with a clear understanding of how Better World Books helps literacy around the world, and providing a system that rewards donors.
Works Cited
Better World Books. “Better World Books.” 2013. Web. 10 Oct 2013. http://www.betterworldbooks.com/
Ifeanyi, K. “Better World’s Books Talk Back. CNN Money. 13 Feb 2013. Web. 10 Oct 2013. http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/27/smallbusiness/books_that_talk_back.fsb/index.htm
WCOOMD Publications. “Project Management and Action Planning.” n.d Web. 10 Oct 2013.
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