Management Strategic Analysis: CARE Australia - Benchmarking Report

This report provides a comprehensive strategic analysis of CARE Australia, a prominent international aid and charitable organization. The analysis begins with an overview of CARE Australia's mission, financial, marketing, and goal-oriented operations. The report identifies a key strategic weakness: inadequate resource management, which is supported by evidence from financial reports. The core of the analysis involves benchmarking CARE Australia against internal, competitive, functional, and generic benchmarks to assess its performance in these areas. Internal benchmarking examines resource allocation, competitive benchmarking assesses performance against rivals, functional benchmarking compares practices within the nonprofit sector, and generic benchmarking explores innovative practices. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of improving resource management for CARE Australia's strategic effectiveness.

Running head: MANAGEMENT: STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
MANAGEMENT: STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

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Executive Summary
 The respective paper is a benchmark analysis of the company CARE Australia, which is a
nonprofit organization of the country.
 The respective paper has accurately dealt with the operational analysis of the respective
organization in order to deduce a single strategic weakness that the organization might be
going through by investigating the annual report and strategy report of CARE Australia.
 The respective strategic weakness is then analyzed with the four benchmarks (internal ,
competitive, functional and generic) in order to find out the performance of the
organization against the benchmark measurements.
 The respective report provides an outline of where the organization is standing as far as
strategic performance is concerned.

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Discussion....................................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the organization..................................................................................................................3
Operations of the organization................................................................................................................4
Strategic Weakness of the organization......................................................................................................6
Benchmarking analysis of the organization.................................................................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
The respective paper is a strategic analysis of a non-profit organization based in
Australia. The organization that has been selected for the respective analysis is CARE Australia.
The paper investigates the strategic decisions taken by the respective organization with the help
of four benchmarks (Internal, competitive, functional and generic). The four benchmarks would
act as yardstick to measure the multiple standards of the organization and where is it standing. A
strategic weakness is supposed to be researched out of the organization as the analysis is carried
out. Benchmarking of an organization is the process by which a particular organization, its
operations and processes are compared against other organizations, industry or in a broader
marketplace or horizon. Benchmarking allows the organization to focus on their best possible
practices against their competitors. It also avails the respective organization to get a detailed
comparison between itself and the other companies/ industry/ market. In the respective paper,
Benchmarking has been carried out against the respective organization CARE Australia in order
to measure its performance and where it is standing in the respective industry/ sector/ market.
Discussion
Overview of the organization
CARE Australia is a leading International aid and charitable organization that functions
across the world to safeguard life and eradicate poverty, which has become a pressing global
concern even in the contemporary world. The organization aims to provide equality in terms of
rights and opportunities among the societies all across the globe as a strategy to curb and
eradicate poverty. The company has its immediate aim of reducing poverty among women and
girls by providing them the long lost social and nutritional opportunities which they deserve in

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the society. For the areas of the globe that receives tremendous poverty, the organization aims to
provide them with basic necessities such as nutritious food, clean water, healthcare and
education and training for employability with emergency reliefs during the time of crisis and
extremities. The organization possesses 14 federation members working in over 95 countries
efficiently and successfully. The company has been providing CARE reliefs during the crisis and
emergency since the World Wars and is committed to executive its respective duties throughout
the world till date. The company accepts as well as functions out of the funds and the donations
that individuals, associations, government and international platforms/ portals provide them
thereafter (Care.org.au., 2019).
Operations of the organization
Financial operations: The organization CARE Australia commits and collaborates with the
organizations that donate them with funds to support their global work. With exceptional
sustainable fundraising capacities and commitment through moderate influence of digital media,
the organization receives optimum funds from institutions (Forbes.com., 2019). CARE Australia
has contracted with multilateral institutions for funding purpose which exponentially increases
by an average of AUD 30 million each working year over three consecutive years. CARE
Australia has also carried out agreements and collaborations with non- Australian sources of
funding through strong and highly professionally optimized fundraising channels so that the
funding flow is maintained and enhanced accordingly. With modest and considerable funding
programs and schemes taken up by the company, it has been able to gain trust among the
donators. However, the organization needs diversification approach to increase the revenues and
the resources needed for diversification, such as digital, human resources and intellectual

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resources must be collaborated appropriately. Cyber security is also a big challenge for the
organization (Care.org.au. 2019).
Marketing operations: Through active participation in social media platforms by hiring the best
digital media experts and content developers, CARE Australia develops brand awareness and
public engagement through likes, comments and shares (in digital social media portals/
platforms). CARE Australia finds out new, creative and innovative way of engaging with the
target audiences through social media and other media platforms in order to increase their
recognition as a philanthropic organization across the globe. With the positive influence on the
governmental policies and practices in Australia, the organization aligns itself with the greater
audiences through mass awareness and media campaigns in order to market their brand and get
recognized in the greater society (Wilde et al., 2015). The organization needs to utilize its
resources more to focus on capturing the interest of the people and society even in the
overcrowded space of media marketing (Care.org.au., 2019).
Goal oriented operations: The operations of CARE Australia are aligned with the goals or the
objectives of the respective organization. The goal specific operations include providing quality
and life saving humanitarian services to the disadvantaged and the marginalized societies all
across the world that are battling with poverty, illiteracy and life threatening diseases and
conditions, providing women with greater access to economic resources so that the inequality
they face throughout their lifespan is eradicated and their voices are heard, ensuring that every
individual receives sexual, reproductive and maternal health services and also to ensure that food
and nutritional rights and security are maintained for all individuals irrespective of age, gender
and social status. There are certain problems that have been experienced by the organization
CARE Australia such as problems related to allocation and proper exploitation of resources

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which has resulted in certain gaps in the process of execution of the goal oriented strategies, such
as relationship with the donors and supporters due to lack of engagement and imbalance in
multiplication of work and community development focus. Secondly, there have been mistakes
in decision making and collaboration strategies, which fall under operational strategies as well.
Therefore, such mistakes should be avoided if premium strategy makers are appointed and
human resources are exploited at best possible ways (Care.org.au. 2019).
Strategic Weakness of the organization
The main strategic weakness of the organization CARE Australia is that it does not
exploit and harness the available resources at the best possible ways. Resources, if harnessed and
utilized in the correct ways, can prove to be immensely helpful in accelerating the growth of the
organizations. The organization CARE Australia is observed of not having proper resource
management, or the resource management arena of the organization needs to be modified and
restructured. Going through the annual reports and annual financial statements of the respective
organization, it can be deduced that there had been a subsequent drop of revenue in the year 2016
and 2018 from governmental sectors due to long term developmental projects and the auxiliary
expenditures thereafter. Such instances prove that due to a moderate lack of funds, the resource
management system is not yet accelerated to achieve the desired results till now (Care.org.au.
2019).
Benchmarking analysis of the organization
Benchmarking of an organization is the process by which a particular organization, its
operations and processes are compared against other organizations, industry or in a broader

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marketplace or horizon. Benchmarking allows the organization to focus on their best possible
practices against their competitors. It also avails the respective organization to get a detailed
comparison between itself and the other companies/ industry/ market. Benchmarking are of four
different kinds, which are Internal, competitive, functional and generic benchmarking (Rolstadås,
2013). The benchmarking of the respective organization CARE Australia is provided hereafter.
1. Internal Benchmarking: Internal benchmarking is the process in which an organization
introspects within itself to identify and determine the best practice for conducting the
tasks. Resources are very important aspects of an organization. As far as internal
benchmarking is concerned, the organization can never attain best and most desirable
results from the tasks if the resources utilized in the respective tasks are not allocated
properly and appropriately. There have been huge investments in the non profit
organizational paradigm due to the neo liberal economic policies that are visible across
the globe. Investments have also given rise to utilization and proper harnessing of the
resources (Berman, 2014). Therefore, even though there have been prolific investments
and fund raisings in CARE Australia, the organization has gaps in the areas of proper
utilization of the financial resources on other resources as it. Cost effective measures and
proper budget planning lacks in CARE Australia financial resource management which
has resulted in loss of financial capital due to long term projects.
2. Competitive benchmarking: Competitive benchmarking is the process by which an
organization’s products, services, processes and practices are compared to a direct

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competitor using standard measurements. Resources are an important part of an
organization because it is through the proper utilization of resources that an organization
would be able to carry out or execute its functions appropriately. Throughout
privatization techniques and mobilizing and optimizing social capital, the nonprofit
organizations of Australia have been able to harness a considerable magnitude of all
kinds of resources available in general, such as finances, internet, digital portals as well
as human resources (Downes, 2014). CARE Australia has not focused on optimization
and capitalization of social capital which is evident in its strategies that exhibit moderate
lack of priorities among the partners and volunteers.
3. Functional benchmarking: Functional benchmarking can be defined as comparison of
similar and identical practices within the same or similar industry. Functional
benchmarking is carried out because the industry that has been taken into comparison
must have been utilizing superior practices for the respective issues. The resource
management in the nonprofit organizations, especially the human resources and financial
resources, such as management of non reciprocal grants and funding with the help of
ratio analysis through information technology and calculation tools are some of the
features of the ways by which the nonprofit industry of Australia manages its finances
and monetary resources. In the department of human resource management, the average
and above average nonprofit organizations of Australia carry out certain practices such as
employee engagement practices, social analysis, usage of information technologies to
connect the employees, staff and volunteers from across the nation and globe (Berman,
2014). CARE Australia has not been utilizing information technology and web at its best

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possible way to reach a position of attaining strategic proficiency in resource
management
4. Generic benchmarking: Generic benchmarking is the unadulterated form of
benchmarking which broadly focuses on the concept of being innovative and gaining
insight into excellent work processes that might be inculcated into the business/
organization compared to the industry trends. The nonprofit organizations of Australia
carries out different innovative and creative techniques in order to secure and manage the
resources they have or harness. Nonprofit industry utilizes diversified approaches as well
to manage its resources efficiently and effectively. From the utilization of digital media to
innovative financial and collaboration strategies, the nonprofit industry has made a mark
in the Australian market of labor and philanthropy. The recent inculcation of short- term,
long- term planning and optimization of the resources through unique and innovative
online and digital portals have helped the nonprofit industry of Australia receive a boost
in its functions and performance (Berman, 2014). CARE Australia has not been utilizing
the pool of optimization tools available on the web for its financial, marketing and
functional operations. It is also not making effective planning measures in order to reach
itself to the ability at which the respective organization would also go at par with the
innovative strategizing processes of the nonprofit industry of the country.
Conclusion
The respective report throws light on benchmark analysis of an organization.
Benchmarking allows the organization to focus on their best possible practices against their
competitors. It also avails the respective organization to get a detailed comparison between itself

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and the other companies/ industry/ market. The respective paper concludes to be a strategic
analysis of a non-profit organization based in Australia. The organization that has been selected
for the respective analysis is CARE Australia. The paper concludes by investigating the strategic
weaknesses/ weakness of CARE Australia followed with measures taken by the respective
organization with the help of four benchmarks (Internal, competitive, functional and generic).
The four benchmarks have acted as yardstick to measure the standards of the organization and
where is it standing and where can it lead itself into for attaining a better form of management
and performance.

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References:
Coffman, J., Beer, T., Patrizi, P., & Heid Thompson, E. (2013). Benchmarking Evaluation in
Foundations: Do We Know What We Are Doing?. The Foundation Review, 5(2),
5. .https://doi.org/10.9707/1944-5660.1155
Berman, M. (2014). Productivity in public and nonprofit organizations. Routledge. Retrieved
from: https://content.taylorfrancis.com/books/download?dac=C2014-0-40682-
5&isbn=9781317462057&format=googlePreviewPdf
Wilde, S. J., Gillett, P., Herold, D., & Hogan, O. (2015). The market orientation of Australian
nonprofit SMEs. International Journal of Business and Management Studies, 4(2), 403.
Retrieved from: http://universitypublications.net/ijbms/0402/pdf/U5K903.pdf
Downes, T. V. (2014). An evaluation of knowledge management practices in nonprofit
community services organisations in Australia. Retrieved from:
http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1388&context=theses
Forbes.com., (2019). Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2019/02/15/the-2019-digital-
fundraising-landscape/#4bf3d67877a2
Care.org.au.,(2019). Available at: https://www.care.org.au/who-we-are/
Rolstadås, A. (Ed.). (2013). Benchmarking—theory and practice. Springer. Retrieved from:
https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-
QjSBwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=benchmarking+organizational+practices&ots=7