Executive Summary
The objective of the paper is to analyze the company Habitat for Humanity International for its strengths, weaknesses, and the threats and the opportunities that are faced by the company through the identification of strategies that can enable the company to overcome its threats through strengths and opportunities while developing on its weaknesses.
The habitat for Humanity was initiated by Millard Fuller in 1976 to combat homelessness by providing the homeless and the needy with shelter. The company now operates in almost all continents in the world. The operations for the company are present in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Asia Pacific. The main mission of the company is to reduce homelessness, provide support to those who need it, spread the message of love, develop partners and alliances through initiatives as well as develop communities that can co-inhabit to provide sustainable development for the homeless.
The SWOT analysis reveals that strengths of the company pertain to its reputation in the industry of building homes and providing support to the homeless, the international reach of the company across borders, the strategic partners/ alliances of the company through which it can grow, and the management of the company. The weaknesses of the company, however, pertain to the constant need for donations and funds for operation, its inability to cope with the greater demand for homes by the homeless, and the lack of operations by the company in the region of Australia.
The opportunities that are available to the company pertain to development in construction and design technology, availability of advanced communication technology for communication with partners and donors, and increased awareness in people for the needs of the homeless. The threats that are still faced by the company pertain to increasing unemployment from recession, increasing rates of homelessness, climate conditions being adverse for sustainable construction, and decreasing donors due to the global financial recession.
Background
The Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit organization founded by Millard Fuller in 1976 (Giri, 2002, p41) that works towards the funding of habitat homes, providing the necessary resources for the tasks, designing and constructing homes, providing disaster recovery initiatives for reconstruction and forming alliances with partners to work extensively for rehabilitation of the poor around the world. The company has a worldwide presence with operations in North Am3rica, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific. The international scope of the company provides it with a global target market. The company, therefore, makes use of volunteers as well as hired professionals to provide homes to the needy at no profit.
The mission of Habitat for Humanity International [pertains to spreading love across to everyone, advocate for those who need shelter, construct and design shelters for the needy, develop a supportive community and make strategic alli9ances that can contribute towards the mission of the company. The mission statement for the company states that “Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which every person can experience God’s love and can live and grow into all that God intends” (‘FY2004 Report: Mission Statement’, 2004)
The primary stakeholders of the company include its employees, the staff and volunteers, the management, the strategic partners/ alliances, the donors and investors as well as the customers that avail the services of the company. The organization is well known in the market for providing affordable houses to the poor at low installment-based prices with no additional profit. Despite the excellent reputation of the company, Habitat for Humanity International has to face issues about new donors and required funds for operation in a not-for-profit business.
SWOT Analysis
References
(2002), Giri, A.K., Building in the margins of shacks: the vision and projects of Habitat for Humanity, Orient Blackswan.
(2008), Project Profile: Government Street Build Habitat for Humanity Vancouver, Canada Mortgage And Housing Corporation. Web.
(2004), FY2004 Report: Mission Statement, Habitat for Humanity International Website. Web.
(2009), Habitat at Work, Habitat for Humanity International Website. Web.
(2009), Where Habitat for Humanity Builds – World Wide, Habitat for Humanity International Website. Web.
About Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Jonesboro. Web.