Project blog

Generally, product and service based companies are started because a person or group of people recognized a need or want in society and decided to make the product or service available to the market. From that point onwards, firms are constantly figuring out new ways for their company to minimize their expenses and increase profits. According to the shareholder business philosophy, the corporation has only one purpose: maximize shareholder wealth so that shareholders can use the wealth created as they believe is most appropriate Soon money and competition become the driving force in many company decisions. Sitting in my accounting and marketing classes, I wondered what it would look like for a company to have a completely different business plan and strategy: comprised of different market elements and motivation. For an organization to have their profit measured in terms of how they impacted someone’s life or how successfully they distributed materials in a crisis situation is truly remarkable.

For this research project I would like to explore the inner-workings of non-profit organizations and its unique respective consumer insights and experiences. Through my investigation about non-profits I hope to discover how the operational facet of a non-profit works.

As a non-profit organization, it is crucial to be an entity that creates a sense of value for those individuals who decide to be a part of the organization through their donation of money or time.  In addition, concepts such as the Strategic Experience Modules still apply. How do we as an organization appeal to the individual’s desire for self-improvement or emotions of sacrifice? 

It is important to build trust with your client base so that people feel secure in knowing that their monetary contributions and efforts are being channel to a worthy cause. Thus, the anatomy of total customer experience is applicable to non-profits. How is one non-profit differentiated from another non-profit? Are there clear measures of integrity, value and efficiency within the structure of the organization?

Delving past the operational aspect of non-profits, it is important to create strategic experiences for the consumer. The mission of the organization needs to represented through the visual/verbal identity, spatial environment, web-sites/electronic media, and workers so trust for the organization is being built. 

Furthermore, the WSJ article titled "Helping Themselves" expands on some of the challenges non-profit organizations are facing and also how these organizations are trying to "use volunteer more creatively, garner new donations, strengthen ties with existing donors and create projects that generate additional income."http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124025204612335931.html

My interest for the non-profit realm of the business world was initially sparked by my involvement in a faith-based non-profit organization called Unity Fellowship. Our mission statement is to reach out and unite all of God’s children through praise, worship and fellowship. This organization was created to be a place for youths all across Houston to come and enjoy fellowship in a safe environment free from political or denominational differences. In addition, Unity Fellowship has been able to raise about $10,000 for various local and global charities. After two years of being an active member, I became a co-president at the young age of 15. Transitioning into college, I still had a heart for serving people, so I decided to apply for the Bridging Disciplines Program with a concentration in non-profits and social entrepreneurship in the health context. Also, I am currently on the founding executive board for a non-profit organization on campus called GlobeMed. As stated on the GlobeMed web page, “GlobeMed aims to strengthen the movement for global health equity by empowering students and communities to work together to improve the health of the impoverished around the world.” It will be interesting to compare and contrast my findings to how a student-led non-profit works.

In addition, this paper will enable me to build an informational-based foundation that will be used as a spring-board to delve into further study and understanding about the non-profit sector of the business world.