Inclusive Innovation: Using Creative Problem Solving to Improve Efficiency in a Non-Profit Organization

Fernando Cardoso de Sousa, PhD (fernando.sousa@apgico.pt)Ileana Monteiro, PhDRené Pellissier, PhD

Bangkok, 11-12 December 2014

2nd International Conference on Inclusive Innovation and Innovative

Management-ICIIIM -2014

‘Non-profit organizations lack the ability to convert ideas into concrete results’ (Peter Drucker, 1990, p.33)

Governance and executive boards may pursue different goals (Harrison & Murray, 1990, p. 25)

4-step problem solvingmethod

Adapting creative problem solving to an organizational context: A study of its effectiveness with a student populationVolume 23, No 2, pages 111–120, June 2014

THE FACILITATION - INTERVENTION PROCESS

• A facilitator is a self-reflective, process-person who possesses a variety of human, process and technical skills and knowledge, to assist groups of people to reach their goals.

• To intervene is to facilitate group decision-making about complex problems, encouraging creativity, commitment, consensus and action; but still not providing advice.

TO WHAT EXTENT COULD WE IMPROVE THE INTERNAL EFFICIENCY OF A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, USING THE

CPS METHOD?

• Catholic church• Non-profit organization• Two executive directors (operations and

logistics)• 79 co-workers, 15 volunteers• 600 users of the nursery, pre-school,

leisure, day care, home care, and social center

• 59% funded by the state, 38% by costumers, and 3% own income

THE PARISH OF ST. CHRISTOPHER

Action Plan (excerpt)

PROCEDURE OVER 8 MONTHSPRE-CONSULT, INTERVENTION, AND FOLLOW UP

PRE-CONSULTINTERVIEWS WITH DIRETORS, DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEWS,DESIGNATION OF THE INITIAL TEAM OF INTERNAL ANDEXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, AND

OBJECTIVE DEFINITION - How can we work more in tune for awhole?

MAIN GAPSGOVERNANCE VS. EXECUTIVE BOARDSOPERATIONAL VS LOGISTICS DIRECTORS

INTERVENTION - DIAGNOSE AND INTEGRATE

Actions necessary to solve the problem: How to improve the coordination between sectors?

1. Define the problems that arise through possible lack of coordination

2. Define cleaning consequences of activity peaks3. Promote mutual knowledge of the different sectors4. Define routine and exceptional procedures5. Define the internal communication system6. Integrate the interdisciplinary teams 7. Guarantee periodical meetings

FIRST FOLLOW-UP SESSIONClient Orientation

PROBLEM REDEFINITION - What are the steps needed to engage people with the client?

TASK DEFINITION:

• Train the new employees

• Make an institutional video

• Make a welcome manual

• Work on the logo and its message

• Work on common procedures and designate a member to be responsible for its implementation

SECOND FOLLOW-UP SESSIONAccomplishments Report

RESULTS FROM INTEGRATED ACTION PLANS:

• Influence the new employees to their contribution to client’s satisfaction - Institutional video

• Brief description of the existing functions – Welcome manual

• Work on a logo with a message – Institutional image

• Work on common goals - Routine instructions for cross-sector problems

THIRD FOLLOW-UP SESSIONPrepare the Expansion

PROBLEM DEFINED - What steps must be taken to engage the teams in task performance?

ACTION PLAN:

• Define common tasks

• Define the composition of the implementation teams

• Define the working method

• Communicate the actions

• Share the results

FOURTH FOLLOW UP SESSIONExpansion

Five new teams (total of 38 members, coordinated by the main team members)

Examples of Projects defined:

• Create an entrance gate keeper schedule, to ensure a non-stop functioning

• Streamline the internal emergency plan

• Structure training in personal and social areas

• Share the work experiences carried out in the different sectors

• Submit "A day in the ...", documentary about the institution’s functioning

• Create the “employee’s day”

• Search for the cost of hiring a nutritionist by establishing partnerships

FACTOR CORRESPONDANCE ANALYSES OF THE INTERVIEWS

Stakeholders were interviewed again, using the same open question -How can we work more in tune for a whole?

CHANGE

INVOLVEMENT

PARTICIPATION

NON-INVOLVEMENT

SILOS RIGIDITY

03 LACK_CLIENT_FOCUS

FRUSTRATION NO_COOPERATION

01

04

Perceptual map of the three interviewees, in Stage A (numbers 01, 03 and 05), and in Stage B (numbers 02, 04 e 06)

CONCLUSIONS

• The CPS method helped to create a permanent project structure and a fast appropriation of the process, incorporating CPS in the activity, without the help of external facilitators.

• The intervention produced short-term projects, new practices, a more participative leadership style, new communication channels, and an attitude change in customer service quality.

IMPLICATIONS

• The main implications for practice are related with greater participation and involvement

• The main implications for theory is that thechange in the communication strategy must bedone by the organization as a whole and not bymanagement or project teams

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