Marie Curie Foundation's Strategic Challenges: A Literature Review

This literature review examines the strategic challenges and issues faced by the Marie Curie Foundation, a UK-based charitable organization providing medicinal support to people with terminal illnesses. The review analyzes the foundation's financial performance using ratio analysis, highlighting fluctuations in profitability and stock turnover. It also employs PESTLE and SWOT analyses to assess the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors impacting the foundation, as well as its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The review identifies issues such as weak strategy planning, limited resources, communication gaps, and the need for improved training and e-commerce strategies. Ultimately, the review underscores the importance of strategic adaptation and resource management for the Marie Curie Foundation to effectively serve its mission and sustain its operations in a competitive environment.

LITERATURE
REVIEW

Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
DATA PRESENTATION......................................................................................................4
MODEL AND THEORIES....................................................................................................7
DISCUSSION.........................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

ABSTRACT
The research paper states that the foundation deals in qualitative issues which state that
every person at the end of life cycle needs support, care and a helping hand. It explains that every
person who is approaching towards the end days of life needs strength to cope up from it. It helps
to understand the importance of being alive and to make your close one's protected and cherish
every moment you live with them (Aldwean, 2021). This research also gives an idea that life and
situations are unpredictable and everything must be planned in advance. It also helps foundation
to find new ways to help people and provide them with useful services on time. The research
focuses on influencing each person and society as a whole to think about their family, friends
and nearby people. It helps to provide how people can help others dealing with issues just by
giving some time, efforts and support. This report helps to understand the importance of being
aware about the conditions and situations prevailing in the environment. It helps to understand
the significance of being there with people in their last days or month and give them peaceful
environment, make them feel important and understand that they served their purpose right for
living a life. There have been many unpredictable situations nobody was ever prepared for such
as Corona virus which changed the structure of every company and also affected it’s working. It
not only affected people in quantitative aspects but in qualitative as well such as dealing with
depression and grief which seemed an easy deal but was quite tough to come out from. And this
therefore describes the need of such foundations around the globe.
INTRODUCTION
The report prepared below explains the strategy based issues and challenges that is tackled
by firm. It includes weak strategy planning, no proper training given to employees of company
which leads to inefficiency in performing work related activities (Chiappetta, Leuzzi, and
Sperduti, 2019). It also discusses limited availability of resources, no proper communication
channel, not able to evaluate progress of the firm. Connecting people to strategy is also
considered an issue and developing strategy to overcome same with time is a tough deal to crack.
Increasing e - commerce range of products also seem risky for the firm. Some citations and
quotations which can be highlighted under the name of Marie curie foundation are: “Nothing in
life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we
may fear less”. And one more which gives best example of what company deals in is “Be less

curious about people and more curious about ideas”. The report also helps in bifurcating data in
qualitative and quantitative data as well which would help to focus on formulating better
strategies, manage resource limitations and sustain in the competition. This analysis of report
helps to get an idea about the working of foundation such as where it is lacking and lagging
behind. It also helps to find out strengths and weakness of company which would help them to
serve customers according to their taste and preferences
MAIN BODY
DATA PRESENTATION
Marie curie is the charitable organisation which is registered in UK. The main objective of
this organisation is to provide proper medicinal support to people who are suffering from
terminal illness (Fauzi, 2019). This organisation was established in 1948. After analysing the
financial figures of Marie curie specially ratio analysis following interpretation can be made: -
 After analysing the profitability ratio, the conclusion can be drawn that foundation has
higher profit margin in 2021 that is 20.30% as compared to previous years which is 2%
on an average or sometimes it is in minus also. The profitability is increased in current
year only (Feng, 2020). The reason for that can be funding which the organisation does
not get on timely basis and their expenses on treatment on patient has been increasing day
by day.
 Stock turnover ratio of Marie is higher and is constantly increases. As the reason cab be
the Covid 19 pandemic which affects the whole nation who are suffering from this.
Higher turnover ratio is not a good sign because it implies that the organisation is not
holding its employees as they are leaving the organisation on regular course of interval.
 Current Ratio measures the relationship between current assets and liabilities of the
enterprise. The ideal current ratio is 2 which implies that the current assets of the
organisation is just doubled of that to current liability. The formula of calculating the
same is (Current Assets / Current Liabilities).
 Acid Test Ratio also known as quick ratio. This ratio measures the liquidity of the
organisation to convert its assets into quick cash so that they can repay their current
liabilities. The formula of calculating the same will be (Current Assets – Inventory) /
Current Liability (Harris and Neely, 2021). The above calculation indicates that the acid

ratio of the foundation is increasing from the previous year which shows that liquidity or
cash position of the concern is increasing. There is not much difference in current and
acid test ratio in current year, however in 2019-20 there is higher difference which states
that foundation current assets majorly depend upon inventory which is not the good sign
for healthy organisation. Further it is to be taken care that high acid test ratio is against
the entity as it shows that funds in the form of cash sitting idle. They are not invested by
entity in specific assets in order to gain fruitful return for stakeholders. It signifies that the
firm needs to focus on the capital investment and it can be made by increasing the market
share of the company.
 Debt to Total Assets Ratio signifies that how much the entity is controlled by debt
holders compare to total assets as compare to equity holders.
The formula of calculating the same is Total debt / Total assets * 100
On the basis of above calculation, we can conclude that debt hold significantly low portion in the
assets of the entity (Karasinski, Bulska, and Krata, 2018). It signifies that charitable institution is
owned by equity holders majorly that represents that controlling power of organisation are in
their hands.
 Times Interest Earned Ratio shows the ability of an entity to provide coverage to debt
holders on their interest. The formula of calculating the same is Earnings before interest
and tax (EBIT) / Interest.
The above figures show that coverage of interest in 2020-21 is better as compare to 2019-20. The
funds of debtholders are secured as their coverage is more than expected.

1/1/2002
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-15.00
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Chart Title
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
-10.00
-5.00
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∟ Return on Total Assets (%)

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∟ Net Assets Turnover (x)
The above graph depicts the fluctuation from negative scale to positive side in the financial
figures which shows that organiation is not maintaining consistancy in their financial part as it
shows too much fluctuation which must need to be addressed properly considering the
compititors in UK industry.
MODEL AND THEORIES
PESTLE analysis:
Political factors: Political factors can be defined as government intervention in the entity’s
working such as government provides subsidy’s to those charitable organisations who are
working in the field of treating critical illness on regular basis (Kim and Kim, 2018). Marie is
always receiving support from the government so that they work properly for public interest.
 Economic factors: The economic factors affecting the entity is inflation rate, interest rate
that directly and indirectly affect the entity whether it is charitable institution or any other
company. The Marie curie receives huge donation at the time of covid 19 as there are
many people affected by coronavirus during 2020 and 2021.
 Social factors: social factors are those which directly or indirectly affect the
organisation (LeClair, 2019). As Marie is working for the society therefore they do not
face any social criticism as they support those people who does not get any adequate
medical facilities.
 Technological factors: Advancing technologies has changed the way of doing
production and packaging over the decades, initiating with the launch of new brew

machines to blend and mix cocoa gains and coffee. Technology used in hospital can be
usage of high quality machine so that operations cab be carried out in the smooth manner.
Technology is important in health care industry because if equipment’s are outdated then
treatment cannot be made properly.
 Legal issues: legal factors mean the legality of working of the organisation. For
examples medical and charitable organisation need to follow certain ethics in as they deal
with public interest (LewisOscar, Nithya, and Thajuddin, 2021). The need to follow heath
policies and guidelines to perform.
 Environmental factors: It is one of the main concerns that impacts all sorts of
companies. The environmental factors are connected to the nature they are providing. The
waste material of medicines must be dumped properly so that it does affect the
environment badly.
SWOT analysis:
 Strengths: - there strength cab be the high success rate as they deal with health of the
people. Further Marie continuously make investment in the medical equipment which
makes them leader in the technological development. They provide personized care to
individual that cab be considered as an advantage for them. Their brand name is famous
in UK which makes them indifferent from others.
 Weaknesses: - the main and the foremost limitation of such organisation can be
limitation on number of specialised doctor (Mussell, Walby, and Piche, 2022).
Sometimes it is difficult for them to manage higher number of patient which makes
difficult for them. High staff turnover can be their weakness as they have to dealt with
patient which requires medical staff who shift their job regularly and short period of time
 Opportunities: - They have the opportunities to open separate lab or diagnostic facility
for the patient. They must attract quality physical and staff so that treatment can be made
in advanced way. Further renewed doctors will ensure that the treatment is done
completely with systematic approach (Opatić, Nečemer, and Vidrih, 2018). The another
opportunity they have that they can make expansion of their charity organisation to the
under privileged society so that they can be addressed and grant medical aid. They can
perform several referral programs along with other specialist so that they can cover large
mass in the short period of time.

 Threats: - the major threat can be the patient experience which is important for them as
their reviews will affect their work in the society. Further they work on donation and aids
and if they do not treat the medical illness people properly then their goodwill will be
declines for the period of time. There is another challenge is that the competition is
higher in this industry and their cab be the security breaches on the basis of them they
receive aid from the government.
DISCUSSION
The above discussion states that Marie curie foundation deals in charitable activities which
helps the people to cope up from issues related to mental health (Prasad, Khanduja, and Sharma,
2018). It provides care and support to people suffering from terminal illness and also to their
families as well. It helps to understand what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats that foundation has. Strength can be described as more and more people getting engaged
as a investor for helping people deal with certain qualitative issues due to some unpredictable
and unforeseen conditions. Weaknesses can be explained less people are aware about such
causes and not able to contribute in the expansion related to operational work in the long run.
Opportunities in such foundation can be stated as less of firms are engaged in such work and
they have already taken the first move which would help them to create a good market image.
Threats can be risks such as less funds available with the foundation which would limit them in
reaching limited range of customers.
CONCLUSION
From the above prepared report, it can be concluded that foundations like so are needed in
the environment which would help to sustain people against diseases and some issues which
affect their physical and mental health as well. It must be clear that every firm and organisation
is run with the help of people and it is quite necessary to preserve people against such risks. It
helps to find threats and weaknesses of foundation and how they can be solved. It also gives an
idea how strengths and opportunities could be used for better working and functioning of a
charitable foundation. This research report helps to understand importance of qualitative aspects
as well as quantitative aspects too.

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