Super Nanny Middle East
The Super Nanny Middle East is a unique business that is going to transform an industry that has remained unregulated for a very long time. The idea of training nannies and making them better equipped to meet the educational, nutritional, health, physical, and wellness needs of children of various ages is very unique. Most of the nannies hired in most of the homes in the United Arab Emirates are untrained. They get to learn how to handle these tasks while at work, and this means that they often make lots of mistakes in their learning process. This new institution will transform the industry completely. However, it will need to make a successful entry into this market and prove that indeed it has something unique to offer to its targeted customers. The researcher will use A, B, C, D, E Model to look at the environmental forces and ways in which this firm can enter the market despite these forces.
Strategic Planning: A, B, C, D, E Model
A, B, C, D, E Model is a framework that sets out how a firm should analyze the internal and external environments before coming up with effective ways of making successful market entry. In this section, the researcher will look at every step that Super Nanny Middle East will need to follow to enter this unique market and operate with very minimal challenges.
Assessment
The first stage is the assessment of the firm itself to identify the internal strengths and weaknesses that may limit its ability to manage the external environmental forces.
Background information
Super Nanny Middle East is an institution of learning that will recruit people who can work as nannies and then subject them to an eight-week educational program to sharpen their skills in children’s wellbeing, education, health, and other unique needs that they may have. Chantel Rijmata, the founder and current director of this institution, was concerned that most of the nannies working in the United Arab Emirates lack basic education on how to handle children of different ages.
The core topics which are covered at this institution are Health and Safety, Nutrition, and Learning Activities. After training, this institution will then post their graduates to various homes that need nannies at a fee. The target market for this new firm is families who need nannies to take care of their homes or children when the parents have gone to work. The firm will have its headquarters in the city of Dubai.
Environmental scan
I will need to conduct an environmental scan to identify the forces that may act to its benefits and those that may affect its operations negatively with the view of developing a comprehensive plan that will guide its operations. A SWOT analysis model will be necessary at this stage.
SWOT analysis
The biggest strength that Super Nanny Middle East has is that it is a unique project. It is something that has never been seen before in the local market. In fact, it is a fact that this concept is still relatively new even in the international market. It means that the firm has an opportunity to take advantage of the near-virgin market before it can be flooded by other firms. The idea is original and very unique. The main weakness of this firm that it will need to deal with is its lack of experience in the market. The firm is not sure what to expect, and this means that it is not aware of how it will need to deal with some of the environmental forces.
The market in the United Arab Emirates offers a huge opportunity that this firm will need to take advantage of as soon as it starts its operations. The majority of the families in the major cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are in gainful employments hence they need nannies to take care of their children and family affairs when they are at work. The biggest threat that the firm will need to address is the expected new entrants that will pose serious competition in the market. This business idea can easily be implemented by others. It is, therefore, necessary for this firm to know how to deal with this problem.
Baseline
At this stage, the firm will be analyzing where it wants to be in the near future. In the baseline survey, some environmental forces are critically analyzed to understand how they may influence the operations of Super Nanny Middle East.
Situation
Past
Conducting a market situation analysis makes it possible to understand what it should expect once it starts its operations in terms of competition, economic, political, social, legal, and ecological environments, and how to deal with these environmental forces. This business model is very unique at it never existed before. It means that there are no historical records that can be used to make references.
Present and future
The present and future environmental forces can be analyzed using various models. Porter’s diamond and PESTEL analysis may help at this stage to conduct a market situation analysis.
Porter’s diamond
Market situation can be critically analyzed using porters diamonds shown in the figure below.
This model starts by reviewing the rivalry in the market and how to a firm such as Super Nanny can deal with it. Currently, it is apparent that the scope of market rivalry is very minimal because no firms are competing directly with Super Nanny. This firm is at its very initial stages of growth and its life cycle in the industry is yet to be defined. I will review other factors such as demand conditions, related industries, and factor conditions and determine how they may affect its operations.
Significant Issues
The significant forces in the external environment can be analyzed using the PESTEL model. This model will help in critically analyzing the external environmental forces and how they will affect the operations of this firm. The political environment is the first factor that this firm will need to take care of in the market. The United Arab Emirates has experienced a relatively stable political environment despite the political instability that has been witnessed in many other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region (Cunningham & Harney 2012). The royal family has provided effective leadership and this has promoted peace in this country. It is this political stability and peace that Super Nanny Middle East needs to operate successfully in the market. It will be assured that its operations will not be interrupted by violent protesters.
The economic environment is also very critical in ensuring that this firm achieves success in the market. According to a report by Adelina (2015), the United Arab Emirates has a population of about 9.346 million people about 20% of the population are aged 0-14 years while the rest, about 79.6% are aged over 14 years. For every woman, there are about 2.2 men. It means that out of a population of 9.346 people, women in this country are estimated to be 2.921 people while men are estimated to be 6.425 million. A report by Pablos (2013) indicates that there are about 957,000 mothers in this country, out of which only about one third (about 290,000 million women) are in employment. However, Peng (2003) notes that most of the mothers in this country can afford to hire nannies because they have husbands who are in gainful employment. This means that there is an attractive market for Super Nanny Middle East because most of the mothers are economically empowered and can afford the services it offers.
The social environment in the United Arab Emirates is highly diversified. As Noack (2009) notes, over half of the population of the country are immigrants from various parts of the world. This social diversity means that families have different needs when looking for nannies. The diversity means that having a wrong nanny for a given family may have a negative effect on children. This firm will be in a better position to understand the specific needs of every family. This will be an advantage for Super Nanny Middle East because it will be in a position to meet their unique needs.
Technology is changing the way business is being conducted and Super Nanny Middle East will need to understand and embrace these changes to operate in the market without straining. For instance, it will need to embrace modern means of advertisement based on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
The ecological and legal environment will also need to be taken into consideration as soon as the Super Nanny Middle East starts to operate. It will need to ensure that its operations do not have negative effects on the environment. It will also have to ensure that it respects the legal structures put in place by the government of the United Arab Emirates to regulate businesses.
Aligning with capabilities
After reviewing internal capabilities and understanding the external environmental forces, the next step for Super Nanny Middle East will be to understand how to align its capabilities with the external environment. I will find ways of addressing its weaknesses and taking full advantage of its strength to gain a competitive edge in the market.
Components
My team at Super Nanny Middle East will then move to the next step of components. This involves putting down systems that will be involved in the operations of this firm. Vision, mission, goals and objectives, principles and values are developed at this stage.
Vision statement
My team will develop a vision statement that will propel it to the next level that it seeks to be in as soon as it starts the operations. The statement should provide the team with a clear path of what this firm seeks to achieve. The following statement may be appropriate.
To become the provider of highly trained nannies who can meet educational, nutritional, health, and wellness needs of children at different ages.
Mission statement
Based on the above mission statement, Super Nanny Middle East can also develop an effective mission statement that can read as follows.
We seek to train our recruits to become super nannies who can offer educational, nutritional, health, and wellness needs to our super kids to ensure that they grow under great care and protection.
Goals and Objective
The team will define the goals and objectives that will define the direction that the firm will take. The primary goal of the firm will be to become the leading trainer and provider of nannies who can meet the different needs of the clients. The following are the specific objectives that will have to be realized.
- Recruit and train a team of highly skilled nannies who can work under different environments.
- Develop a pool of loyal customers who will be using the services of this firm.
- Maintain close client-firm relationship as a way of improving the loyalty.
Principles and values
The following principles should be observed by all the nannies in their respective areas of work.
- Respect;
- Transparency;
- Professionalism;
- Dedication;
- Hard work.
Down to Specifics
The next step in this model is moving down to specific. At this stage, structures and systems have been defined, and what my team at Super Nanny Middle East will need to do is to come up with an effective implementation plan that can be used to roll out the project.
Action plan
I have developed an action plan that will help in entering the market. Super Nannies will start its operations in Dubai before spreading to other emirates such as Abu Dhabi and Sharjah after six months. The institution will have Ajman free zone virtual office trade license to help minimize overhead costs. We will develop a strategic alliance with kids play area centers and nannies agencies as a way of reaching out to the targeted clients. The clients will bring their nannies so that we can offer them training at a given fee. We will hire trainers who understand different cultural backgrounds in the country to help in imparting the necessary knowledge on the nannies.
Performance measurements
I will also come up with performance measurement programs for its employees. Performance contracts may be highly relevant at this stage, especially when the operations have begun.
Targets and standards
I will need to set targets about the size of its workforce and the number of clients it will be handling. The targets can be set bi-annually or after every four months of operation. The standards should be defined based on what the employees should achieve per given period.
Evaluation
The last stage in this model is evaluation. This takes place when the project has been rolled out and there is a need to evaluate how the firm is performing. The following are some of the issues that should be reviewed.
Performance management
Performance management will be one of the critical roles that I will need to consider in its operations. The director may develop a performance review plan that is based on the reviews from the clients and have means of addressing any complaints they may have about the products offered to them (West, Ford, & Ibrahim 2015). This will help in maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
Review process
The review process can be conducted using a balanced scorecard framework. Using this framework, I will critically review the firm’s financials, internal business processes, customers, and learning and growth strategies embraced by the firm and determine if they are in line with the set vision of the firm. The review process is summarised in the balanced scorecard below.
Feedback and corrective measures
My team at Super Nanny Middle East will also develop effective ways of receiving feedback from the clients. If there are issues of concern, then they should be addressed effectively and within the shortest time possible to avoid causing any dissatisfaction among the customers.
Reference List
Adelina, M 2015, Handbook of Gendered Careers in Management Getting In, Getting On, Getting Out, Edward Elgar Pub, Northampton.
Cunningham, J & Harney, B 2012, Strategy & strategists, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Noack, S 2009, Business Guide: Doing Business in Dubai & the United Arab Emirates, Books on Demand, Norderstedt.
Pablos, P 2013, International business strategy and entrepreneurship: an information technology perspective, IGI Global, New York.
Peng, M 2003, ‘Institutional Transitions and Strategic Choices,’ The Academy of Management Review, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 275–296.
West, D, Ford, J & Ibrahim, E 2015, Strategic marketing: creating competitive advantage, Oxford University Press, Oxford.