Discussion Question Response5

Please respond to the responses below and have references.

This is what i wrote:

Based on the review of technology usage by nonprofit organizations, it is visible that they have been able to expand their operational capacity. Although technology is integrated into the nonprofit sector at a slower rate than expected, the innovative rewards of technology have enhanced the ability of these organizations to reap more operational benefits. This example is provided by Chris Bernard et al, 2012, who cite the case study Mobilizing Staff to Make Them More Accessible (Bernard et al, 2012 p.22). In the case study, the authors describe how nonprofit managers in a nonprofit organization (Headway Emotional Health Services) have applied the smartphone technology to boost organizational communication and increase client data accessibility. For instance, they discuss the importance of the smartphone infrastructure which is based on the Android operating system, and the Google search engine which integrate scheduling systems that help them to keep track of their operations (Bernard et al, 2012 p.22). This case indicates communication technology enables nonprofit organizations to effectively integrate the communication channel and improve responses among staff members and potential donors/clients.
Learning from the case study, it is also evident that technology utilization also increases the sustainability of nonprofit organizations. This is because the adoption of technology mainly increases the organizational competencies that define the strategic potential of nonprofit services (Hackler & Saxton, 2007 p.476). For instance, Headway Emotional Health Services is a nonprofit organization with over 100 full-time employees and requires a proper scheduling system that can track things better. In order to achieve this, the organization has developed a strategic plan to use technology, such as Microsoft-centred computers/laptops, to actually respond to the demand for data accessibility within the organization (Bernard et al, 2012 p.22). This approach indicates how technology helps nonprofit services have benefited from the increased availability of information in remote services which make them more reachable to donors and clients.

References
Bernard, C., Wagner, A., Andre, K., & Quinn, L. (2012). Unleashing Innovation: Using Everyday Technology to Improve Nonprofit Services. Marco Campana Communications consulting for non-profits and charities. Retrieved September 9, 2020, from https://marcopolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Unleashing-Innovation-Using-Everyday-Technology-to-Improve-Nonprofit-Services.pdf
Hackler, D., & Saxton, G. D. (2007). The strategic use of information technology by nonprofit organizations: Increasing capacity and untapped potential. Public administration review, 67(3), 474-487.

Question 1. Sybil Drigo posted Sep 21, 2020 10:14 PM
To create a solid technology foundation in your nonprofit, you need to know the basics of information technology. IT basic is determined on the needs of the organization, the budget, and the size of the organization. IT is a central part of the operations of the organization and can be used effectively to deliver services (Lo & Cook, 2009).

Case study: Mobilizing staff to make them more accessible.

To meet the needs of case managers in the field, Headway emotional health services provided 50 case managers with smartphones with a Google android operating system, and moved to make their email, calendaring, and client data systems accessible via the web. The organization learned the following lessons when using this technology. There was a leaning curve when figuring out the size of the devices, and if they should use touch screen or keyboards. There was also a costs to consider when purchasing an entire fleet of smartphones with data plans and monthly payment per phone. The organization was not prepared for the time needed to conduct training and the problems that would arise. There are also ongoing issues with privacy and HIPPA regulations. Due to accessibility there was also an increased number of calls made to case managers by clients (Bernard et al., 2012).

References:

Bernard, C., Wagner, A., Andrew, K., & Quinn, L. (2012). Unleashing innovation: Using everyday technology to improve nonprofit services. Retrieved from https://marcopolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Unleashing-innovation-using-everyday-technology-to-improve-nonprofit-services/pdf

Lo, K., & Cook, Willow. (2009). The foundations: Introduction to IT and systems. In Ross, H., Verclas, K., & Levine, A. Managing technology to meet your mission: A strategic guide for nonprofit leaders. (pp 159-186). Jossey-Bass

Question 2.Case Study: Pioneering Distance Education for Childcare Providers

The lesson learned in this case study was utilizing a database that was already established and re-vamping it to fit the need of the organization (Bernard et al, 2012). The goal was to be able to have daycare providers use an online learning system that was accessible in both rural and metro Minnesota. The organization joined forces with the World Forum group and Concordia Univeristy to make this happen. Concordia University allowed the Eager-to-Learn organization to make changes to its online learning database in order to make the changes it needed to meet its goal of providing a suitable online learning system. This enabled the Eager-to-Learn organization to save time and money as online learning was still a new concept to daycares so teaming up with Concordia University and the World Forum group helped them to not only gain a better understanding as to how online learning could be beneficial for daycares, but it also helped them to gain a better understandng of online learning as a whole.

This case study showed how an organization successfully identified its needs and incorporated existing technology (Bernard et al, 2012). Organizations do not have to always start from scratch when trying to incorporate technology. It is imperative for organizations to conduct research about technology that already exists in order to decipher if it can be beneficial to them. This helps them to save both time and money, which are two valuable resources for them. Just as this organization did, it is wise to reach out to other organizations or businesses within the community for help. This not only helps an organizaton to fulfill its mission, but it also helps them to build a strong relationship with members of the community.

Reference

Bernard, C., Wagner, A., Andrei, K., & Quinn, L. (2012 March). Unleashing innovation: Using everyday technology to improve nonprofit services. Retrieved from https://marcopolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Unleashing-Innovation-Using-Everyday-Technology-to-Improve-Nonprofit-Services.pdf