BestNets Case Study Paper

Applying the BaRAC Technique to Assess Collaboration Framework Components

Excellent opportunity

As seen in the BestNets case study, having the right opportunity is a strength.

R = Regulation(s):

According to Harman and France (p. 54), the right opportunity complements an organization's established goal. The right opportunity must be identified in accordance with the organization's mission and objectives.

A = Application: UCI is an international organization dedicated to improving maternity and early childhood healthcare. Therefore, the opportunity to take up the BestNets initiative and venture into Burundi is an opportunity to advance the goals of the organization.

C = Conclusion:

The identification of the opportunity is a strength to an organization as it enables it to identify an opportunity that aligns to its objective and create a long-lasting impact to the community where it fronts its intervention.

Right People

Ba = Bold Assertion:

The collaboration thrived because of the strength it has in having the right people.

R = Rule(s):

According to Mary et al. (p. 340), getting the right people to participate in a community based project is crucial in meeting the objectives and targets of any given project. This means that collaboration can only be enhanced by having the right people who have the dedication to achieve the goals that have been set by an organization.

A = Application:

Getting the right people is affirmed when the management of UCI got to bring the donors and the community members on board in designing and implementing the program. The integration of Belinda Champion, the team of donors and the religious program has been crucial in establishing education programs for the community and enhancing the distribution of nets within the communities in which the intervention is taking place.

C = Conclusion:

The choice of the right people is based on the intended objective of the project and the outcome that is envisioned by those who design the project. The overall intent is to ensure that each project stakeholder has a significant contribution in the project. For example, UCI designs the project while Champion plays the role of resource mobilization to ensure that the project goals are attained.

Alignment

Ba = Bold Assertion:

Alignment is a strength depicted by the company in the case study.

R = Rule(s):

Harman and France (p. 55) notes that the intention of an alignment is to ensure that the goals of a project are in tandem with the needs of the community in which the intervention is made. The community receiving the project has the privilege of dictating how the project ought to be implemented and the benefits that they ought to derive from the project.

A = Application:

The alignment in the case of BestNets is affirmed by the study of the Burundi as the community of intervention as aligning the program with the needs of the populace. According to the case study, educating the society and identification of the religious leaders as the proposed ambassadors of UCI aligns the programs to the needs of the community in which the implantation is being made.

C = Conclusion:

Alignment of any given program or project ought to be defined by the recipients of the program or project. The representatives of the community or clients of the organization are crucial in ensuring that the actual objectives of the organization have been met.

Agreed Process

Ba = Bold Assertion:

As evident in the operations of the company, agreed process is a weakness.

R = Rule(s):

The agreed process is only affirmed through the involvement of the stakeholders likely to be impacted by the project (Lank 34). The agreed process has to incorporate the views of all the persons or parties that are to be involved in the project with the motive of ensuring that the needs of each party is taken into consideration (Lank 34). In the case of large scale project implementation, the donor community and the project implementers tend to manipulate the manner at which the project is set to be implemented within the community is implemented.

A = Application:

The agreed process in the first phase of BestNets is relieved through the convention held by President Bush to address the issue of Malaria in the developing countries and the integration of civil societies working in the African states. The agreed process on how to fight or combat malaria tends to leave out the contribution of the community members. It is worth noting that even the community leaders who ought to act as the representatives of the community in which the intervention is being made have not been involved in designing of the agreed process of fighting Malaria. As such, the agreed process is only a duplication of the original program formulated by UCI with only more donors added into the project.

C = Conclusion:

The agreed process can only be affective when all the participants, particularly the recipients of the project are integrated in the final delivery of the project.

Mutual Accountability

Ba = Bold Assertion:

BestNets collaboration failed to achieve Mutual accountability in its operation.

R = Rule(s):

The parties collaborating in any given project must ensure that they are accountable to the goals and objectives that have been set to be realized in the project being implemented. Organizations need to be accountable with the funds that they are managing on behalf of the donor community and further ensure that the outcomes of the project in which they are working on has been well documented in the project books of the organization (Harman and France 54).

A = Application:

As shown in the BestNets’ case, the formulation of the project management committee to track the contribution of each organization in the realization of the project objectives was not of success crucial facilitating the implementation of the project. This is evident in the second phase whereby each of the cooperate partners concentrated on managing arising organizational risks without disclosing them to UCI.

C = Conclusion:

Mutual accountability ensures that all the parties that are involved in the project implementation do what is needed to meet the goals of the organization.

Cultural Calibration

Ba = Bold Assertion:

Cultural calibration is arguably a strength in the case.

R = Rule(s):

According to Lank (p. 35), intercultural sensitivity is vital in collaboration as different cultures may have different learning needs and different perspectives regarding the designing and implementation of any given project. Through the cultural calibration process, the individuals from different cultures who a project may impact in a positive or negative manner are invited to participate in the formulation of the project and designing of the project goals to meet up the needs of the clients (Lank 34).

A = Application:

Cultural calibration is adhered to in the context of Rwanda when the organization made an effort to involve the Imams, pastors and the witchdoctors in the designing and delivery of the project. Cultural calibration ensures that the needs of the different cultures are taken into consideration and a compromise state or decision reached where there is a cultural clash on an issue.

C = Conclusion:

Cultural strength requires the involvement of the individuals from the various cultures to integrate the various needs that they could be having regarding the project being implemented.

Relationship

Ba = Bold Assertion:

Relationship as a component of collaboration was a strength in BestNets case.

R = Rule(s):

The relationship cited under the collaboration unit show a unique professional technique of solving the malaria pandemic. The interaction of the people involved that included foundations and agencies saw them provide several aids inform of finance or even materials such as nets (Beu and Buckley 57). The white house involvement in this initiative and subsequent collaboration was a sign of strength in the relationship

A = Application:

Relationship building in the initiative by UCI is an important step towards the deliberating of countries from the pandemic. In order to achieve a successful collaboration with partners the organization dug deep into relationship matters. This was for the benefit of mobilizing partners and subsequent distribution of services.

C = Conclusion:

Relationship of the organizations that were involved in this project was a strength in ensuring smooth running of the projects initiated. The President’s initiative on building on the project was because of good relationship observance.

Trust

Ba = Bold Assertion:

The collaboration thrived because of the strength it has in the established trust

R = Rule(s):

Jumpstarting an ambitious project as if this one involved a lot of trust among persons and groups involved (Darling & Leffel 361). This included involvement of leaders in making decisions. This was considerably important in the jumpstarting of the pilot project in Burundi since it required the locals of the country to have faith in their activities.

A = Application:

UCI is an organization that involved several other partners in its initiatives to combat malaria. The president of UCI looked for several other donors who were mostly other CEOs to help her fund the initiative. This involved a lot of trust since the financial aid was key to starting several projects of the same nature in Burundi and other parts, which were infested with malaria.

C = Conclusion:

The involvement of several partners in UCI initiatives demanded a lot of trust since it involved different people in the completion of the project. This continued to resurface when the president too, took part in the initiative.

Shared Information

Ba = Bold Assertion:

Shared information was a strength depicted in the case.

R = Rule(s):

Information sharing is key in the development and subsequent completion of projects especially in the initiatives that are considered as covering several parts at the same time (Kock 67). Consideration of information sharing was done between the leaders that came together and initiated the jumpstarting of the project. The sharing of information amongst the various project stakeholders is critical in designing of the project that is ben undertaken and ensuring that the needs of the stakeholders have been taken into consideration (Kock 67).

A = Application:

UCI organization initiated the basis of trust and therefore it had to concentrate on improving information sharing to improve the communication hence enhance trust. The initiative-enhanced trust during the sharing of nets. This initiative was key in ensuring information sharing among the participants especially in the starting of the project in Burundi.

C = Conclusion:

Shared information enhanced a lot of progress in the ensuring of complete realization of the objectives required in the initiative. Several issues that were to be enhanced by information sharing in this initiative included distribution of nets, financial activities and analyzation of projects. Information sharing therefore was crucial in this initiative.

Shared Emergent Understanding

Ba = Bold Assertion:

The BestNets collaboration succeeded in achieving shared emergent understanding as a component of collaboration.

R = Rule(s):

The shared emergent understanding is crucial in ensuring that the needs of the different stakeholders, particularly in the context of a project spanning more than one country is take into consideration during the implementation of any given project (Kock 67). Shared emergent understanding enables ease of mobilization of financial resources which is in turn crucial in achievement the project goals and objectives

A = Application:

The incorporation of organizations such as USAID and initiatives such as One Billion Nets, NothingButNets and Bill Gates Foundation in supporting the program affirms the commitment of the donor community in the realization of the program goals and objectives.

C = Conclusion:

The shared emergent understanding is affirmed through the creation of similar programs and organization with likeminded objective in the distribution of the BestNets program.

N/B: The chart summarizing all the above components is attached in the appendix:

Work cited

Harman, Laurinda B, and Frances H. Cornelius. Ethical Health Informatics: Challenges and Opportunities. , 2017. Print.

Lank, Elizabeth. Collaborative Advantage: How Organizations Win by Working Together. Basingstoke [England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Internet resource.

Kock, Ned F. Advances in E-Collaboration Concepts and Applications. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Pub, 2007. Internet resource.

Mary George, Nerine, et al. "A Systematic Literature Review of Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition: Insights on Influencing Factors." International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, vol. 12, no. 2, 2016, pp. 309-350.

Darling, J., & Leffel, A. (2010). Developing the leadership team in an entrepreneurial venture: A case focusing on the importance of styles. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 23(3), 355-371,481.

Beu, Danielle, and M. R. Buckley. "The Hypothesized Relationship between Accountability and Ethical Behavior." Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 34, no. 1, 2001, pp. 57-73.

BestNets Collaboration Strengths and Weaknesses

Component of Collaboration

Bold assertion – Strength or Weakness?

Rule

(cite AND explain relevant course materials here. Provide references in separate Source List)

Application

(apply the rule to the BestNets case study, citing specific facts from BestNets)

Conclusion

Right Opportunity

Strength

The right opportunity blends with the goal that has been established by an organization. The identification of the right opportunity has to align with the mission and objectives of the organization

(Harman and France 54).

UCI is an international organization whose focus has been in the improvement of maternal and early childhood healthcare. Therefore, the opportunity to take up the BestNets initiative and venture into Burund is an opportunity to advance the goals of the organization.

The identification of the opportunity is a strength to an organization as it enables it to identify an opportunity that aligns to its objective and create a long-lasting impact to the community where it fronts its intervention.

Right People

Strength

Getting the right people to participate in a community based project is crucial in meeting the objectives and targets of any given project. Collaboration can only be enhanced by having the right people who have the dedication to achieve the goals that have been set by an organization.

Getting the right people is affirmed when the management of UCI got to bring the donors and the community members on board in designing and implementing the program. The integration of Belinda Champion, the tem of donors and the religious program has been crucial in establishing education programs for the community and enhancing the distribution of nets within the communities in which the intervention is taking place.

The choice of the right people is based on the intended objective of the project and the outcome that is envisioned by those who design the project. The overall intent is to ensure that each project stakeholder has a significant contribution in the project. For example, UCI designs the project while Champion plays the role of resource mobilization to ensure that the project goals are attained.

Alignment

The intention of an alignment is to ensure that the goals of a project are in tandem with the needs of the community in which the intervention is made. The community receiving the project has the privilege of dictating how the project ought to be implemented and the benefits that they ought to derive from the project (Harman and France 54).

The alignment in the case of BestNets is affirmed by the study of the Burundi as the community of intervention as aligning the program with the needs of the populace. According to the case study, educating the society and identification of the religious leaders as the proposed ambassadors of UCI aligns the programs to the needs of the community in which the implantation is being made.

Alignment of any given program or project ought to be defined by the recipients of the program or project. The representatives of the community or clients of the organization are crucial in ensuring that the actual objectives of the organization have been met.

Agreed Process

Weakness

The agreed process is only affirmed through the involvement of the stakeholders likely to be impacted by the project. The agreed process has to incorporate the views of all the persons or parties that are to be involved in the project with the motive of ensuring that the needs of each party is taken into consideration (Lank 34). In the case of large scale project implementation, the donor community and the project implementers tend to manipulate the manner at which the project is set to be implemented within the community is implemented.

The agreed process in the first phase of BestNets is relievedid through the convention held by President Bush to address the issue of Malaria in the developing countries and the integration of civil societies working in the African states. The agreed process on how to fight or combat malaria tends to leave out the contribution of the community members. Even the community leaders who ought to act as the representatives of the community in which the intervention is being made have not been involved in designing of the agreed process of fighting Malaria. As such, the agreed process is only a duplication of the original program formulated by UCI with only more donors added into the project.

The agreed process can only be affective when all the participants, particularly the recipients of the project are integrated in the final delivery of the project.

Mutual Accountability

Strength

The parties collaborating in any given project must ensure that they are accountable to the goals and objectives that have been set to be realized in the project being implemented. Organizations need to be accountable with the funds that they are managing on behalf of the donor community and further ensure that the outcomes of the project in which they are working on has been well documented in the project books of the organization (Harman and France 54).

The formulation of the project management committee to track the contribution of each organization in the realization of the project objectives is crucial in facilitating the implementation of the project being implemented.

Mutual accountability ensures that all the parties that are involved in the project implementation do what is needed to meet the goals of the organization.

Cultural Calibration

Strength

Intercultural sensitivity is vital in collaboration as different cultures may have different learning needs and different perspectives regarding the designing and implementation of any given project. Through the cultural calibration process, the individuals from different cultures who a project may impact in a positive or negative manner are invited to participate in the formulation of the project and designing of the project goals to meet up the needs of the clients (Lank 35).

Cultural calibration is adhered to in the context of Rwanda when the organization made an effort to involve the Imams, pastors and the witchdoctors in the designing and delivery of the project. Cultural calibration ensures that the needs of the different cultures are taken into consideration and a compromise state or decision reached where there is a cultural clash on an issue.

Cultural strength requires the involvement of the individuals from the various cultures to integrate the various needs that they could be having regarding the project being implemented.

Relationship

Strength

The relationship cited under the collaboration unit show a unique professional technique of solving the malaria pandemic. The interaction of the people involved that included foundations and agencies saw them provide several aids inform of finance or even materials such as nets (Kock 67). The white house involvement in this initiative and subsequent collaboration was a sign of strength in the relationship

Relationship building in the initiative by UCI is an important step towards the deliberating of countries from the pandemic. In order to achieve a successful collaboration with partners the organization dug deep into relationship matters. This was for the benefit of mobilizing partners and subsequent distribution of services.

Relationship of the organizations that were involved in this project was a strength in ensuring smooth running of the projects initiated. The President’s initiative on building on the project was because of good relationship observance.

Trust

strength

Jumpstarting an ambitious project as if this one involved a lot of trust among persons and groups involved (Darling & Leffel 361). This included involvement of leaders in making decisions. This was considerably important in the jumpstarting of the pilot project in Burundi since it required the locals of the country to have faith in their activities.

UCI is an organization that involved several other partners in its initiatives to combat malaria. The president of UCI looked for several other donors who were mostly other CEOs to help her fund the initiative. This involved a lot of trust since the financial aid was key to starting several projects of the same nature in Burundi and other parts, which were infested with malaria.

The involvement of several partners in Uci initiatives demanded a lot of trust since it involved different people in the completion of the project. This continued to resurface when the president too, took part in the initiative.

Shared Information

Strength

Information sharing is key in the development and subsequent completion of projects especially in the initiatives that are considered as covering several parts at the same time. Consideration of information sharing was done between the leaders that came together and initiated the jumpstarting of the project. The sharing of information amongst the various project stakeholders is critical in designing of the project that is ben undertaken and ensuring that the needs of the stakeholders have been taken into consideration (Kock 67). The shared information enables the external stakeholders to offer their input on how the project could be enhanced to meet its intended objectives. The initiator of a project needs to collaborate with the internal and external stakeholders to meet the project requirements.

UCI organization initiated the basis of trust and therefore it had to concentrate on improving information sharing to improve the communication hence enhance trust. The initiative-enhanced trust during the sharing of nets. This initiative was key in ensuring information sharing among the participants especially in the starting of the project in Burundi.

Shared information enhanced a lot of progress in the ensuring of complete realization of the objectives required in the initiative. Several issues that were to be enhanced by information sharing in this initiative included distribution of nets, financial activities and analyzation of projects. Information sharing therefore was crucial in this initiative.

Shared Emergent Understanding

Strength

The shared emergent understanding is crucial in ensuring that the needs of the different stakeholders, particularly in the context of a project spanning more than one country is take into consideration during the implementation of any given project (Kock 67). Shared emergent understanding enables ease of mobilization of financial resources which is in turn crucial in achievement the project goals and objectives.

The shared emergent understanding is affirmed through the creation of similar programs and organization with likeminded objective in the distribution of the BestNets program.

The incorporation of organizations such as USAID and initiatives such as One Billion Nets, NothingButNets and Bill Gates Foundation in supporting the program affirms the commitment of the donor community in the realization of the program goals and objectives.