Organizational  sectors of activity

Designing and Managing Programmes

 

See also mission

 

The first portion of the project/program plan talsks about the organization, its history, and the sector of activity in which it operates.  This section, often entitled “Organization & sector of activity”, is an essential part of any successful project/program plan.  It is here that writers can start to make the reader understand their vision.  

The suggested length for this section of the project/program plan is one to three pages.  There should be a thorough discussion about the organization and the sector of activity, divided among the following subheadings:

            The Organization

·          Background

·          Current Status

·          Future Plans

The sector of activity

·          Chief Characteristics

·          Participants

·          Trends

Each of these subheadings will be discussed in detail.   What is important is to understand the main purpose of the Organization & sector of activity section.  Here the organization can demonstrate the understand of the sector of activity, where it is headed, and why is porposing a partnership to the reader.  This is important in order to instill as sense of confidence in the partners of the plan.

 

Background

In the background section of the Organization & sector of activity segment of a project/program plan, managers must bring the audience up to speed on how the project/program concept came about and how it got to the stage it is currently at.  Some crucial questions for this section include:

·          When and where was the organization started?  What was the date and state of incorporation?

·          Who are the founders of the organization?  Are there any other key individuals involved?  What do they bring to the project/program?

·          Where is the project/program located?

·          Why did the founders of the organization go into project/program?  How was the idea for the project/program developed?

·          How did the founders identify their market?  How successful have they been in penetrating the market?

·          How much money did the founders put into the organization?

·          Is there a patent or trademark for the organization’s name and/or logo?

 

Essentially, by the end of the background section, the reader should understand the basic history of the organization from the time of its inception.  They should be familiar with where the project/program is located, what form of entity it is, and the major players involved in its history.

See also: Image

 

3.    Current Status

Once the background for the organization has been established, managers must discuss the current state of affairs.  project/program project/programs typically develop project/program plans at critical junctures in the organization’s development.  Perhaps the organization needs funding to begin or expand operations.  Or perhaps the organization is looking to be bought by a larger competitor and wants to explain its project/program conceit.  Whatever the reason, managers must explain the current state of affairs.  This includes answering the following questions as thoroughly as possible:

 

·          What are the organization’s overall strengths and weaknesses?

·          How much money has been invested to date?  What has the source of this funding been?  How has the funding been used? 

·          What is the organization’s sales and service record?  How is the product doing in the marketplace?

·          Does the organization have a reputation in the marketplace?  Has it developed any word of mouth or positive press?

·          What kind of funding is needed at this point to begin operations or expand or improve existing operations?

 

The audience of a project/program plan should finish this section with an understanding of where the project/program is at this very moment.  They should understand the challenges facing the organization, and the resources or investment necessary to continue the organization’s growth and development.  In addition, a well-written plan will not only discuss the organization’s current status, but also provide a sense of excitement and enthusiasm about the organization’s future potential in the marketplace.

4.    Future Plans

At this point, the project/program plan has provided a thorough summary of the organization’s history.  In addition, the reader has a strong idea of the current status of the organization, the challenges it faces, and the resources needed for growth.  Now, managers must share their vision of the organization for the next three to five years.   This is contained in the “Future Plans” sub header with the Organization & sector of activity section.  It is within this section that the author can discuss the goals the organization has over the next several years.  This can include expansions of existing product lines, the targeting of additional market segments, or the addition of new staff or personnel.  Essentially, managers want to convey to their audience that they have a strong understanding of their project/program and know where they want to head and how to get there.  Some key questions to be answered in this section include:

 

·          What are the future goals for the organization?  What is the organization’s strategy for achieving them?

·          What resources are needed to expand and meet the goals envisioned by the manager?

·          How will the organization change as it evolves and grows?

·          What are the chief milestones that must be met on the path to meeting these future goals?

·          What does the organization’s management see as the main opportunity for growth and expansion?

 

Once these questions are answered, the audience should have a strong understanding of where the organization is headed, and how they plan to get there.  This is a crucial element of any project/program plan.  A organization will not be able to secure financing, key personnel or other resources if they cannot convince others that their organization is on the path to success.

Sector of activity Characteristics

Beyond explaining the status of the organization and the strength of the founders, this section of the project/program plan must demonstrate that the authors have a strong grasp on the sector of activity in which the organization operates.  managers must understand the size of their chosen sector of activity, the geographic size and scope, the history, progress, etc.  Nothing can destroy a project/program plan faster than an sector of activity section that shows a shallow understanding of the playing field in which the project/program operates.  Readers want to see the strengths of the sector of activity, the areas of opportunity, the challenges, and the potential for the organization to succeed.  Therefore, the following are key questions that should be addressed:

 

·          What sector of activity does the project/program operate in?  What is the current state of that sector of activity? 

·          What are the total sales, profits, margins, etc, for the chosen sector of activity?

·          What are the major characteristics of the sector of activity?  At what point in the product life cycle is the sector of activity?

·          What are the barriers to entry into the sector of activity?  Will other new competitors emerge?

·          Over the last three years, what has the overall performance of the sector of activity been?  Is the sector of activity in good health overall?

 

Each of these questions will help the reader understand the sector of activity dynamics facing the organization.  By the end of this sub header, the managers should have demonstrated a strong understanding of the sector of activity and the role the organization will have within it.  In addition, the reader should have a strong understanding of the health of the sector of activity, the market size and potential, and the opportunities and threats facing the organization.

Sector of activity Participants

Each sector of activity is made unique not only by the product or service that lies at its core, but also by the organizations that compose the sector of activity.  Some industries are dominated by one or two players who hold substantial power in setting prices, products, etc.  Other industries are more egalitarian, with many small players fighting each other for market share.  Some industries face fierce internal competition, with major players striving to eliminate other players.  Other industries are almost congenial, with organizations embracing what many term as coopetition.  In the section about sector of activity participants, the authors of the project/program plan can characterize the dynamics of the players within the chosen sector of activity.  It is important for the manager to highlight the key sector of activity players, their historical stance with competitors, the main effective threat, the weakest competitor, and other dynamics that frame the environment within which the organization will operate.  The following are questions that should be answered within this sub header:

 

·          Who are the major sector of activity participants (competitors, suppliers, major customers, distributors, etc)?

·          Which competitors are the strongest?  Which are the weakest?  What products or services do each of these competitors provide?

·          Which sector of activity participants will be direct competition for the organization?  Historically, how has the sector of activity reacted to new entrants?

·          Is there one competitor who is critical for the success of the project/program?  Could the organization be eliminated by a effective response?

 

By understanding the effective dynamics within the sector of activity, managers can demonstrate that they are prepared to meet the challenges that entering a new sector of activity will create.

Sector of activity Trends

In addition to understanding the sector of activity and its major players, managers must also understand the forces that are affecting change both from within the sector of activity and without.  Industries, like organizations and products, have distinct life cycles.  And sector of activity can be just emerging into the marketplace, or it can be in decline and approaching obsolescence.  A project/program plan must illustrate that the managers understand the strength of the sector of activity, where it’s headed, and what opportunities that offers to the organization.  However, predicting where an sector of activity is headed is not an easy task.  Educated guesses are realistically, the best anyone can do.  The key is for managers to show that their guesses are very well educated and based in strong research.  In addition, many managers choose to list several trends affecting the sector of activity and highlight a variety of paths the sector of activity could take.  In doing so, they demonstrate that they are prepared for multiple eventualities.  Some key questions for this sub header include:

 

·          Where is the sector of activity expected to be in 5 years?  10 years?

·          How will the organization’s share of the market increase or decrease with these changes?

·          Is entering the sector of activity becoming easier of harder to do?

·          Is the product or service at the heart of the sector of activity something that is become more or less important to consumers?

·          Are there any societal factors that are affecting the sector of activity?  How are these projected to change or evolve?

·          Are there any new technologies that threaten the sector of activity?  What is their expected rate of adoption?

 

Each of these questions can help the reader to better understand the dynamic environment that the organization will be entering.