Details

Case

Cooperation for Advancement, Rehabilitation & Education (CARE): Leadership in a Social Sector Organization

Hemani Shezeen, Humaira Arif, Arif Nazir Butt

INDUSTRY : Non-Profit Organization, Social Welfare

AREA : HRM/OB

ORGANIZATION : Care Foundation

LENGTH : 26

LUMS No : 05-740-2010-1

PUBLICATION YEAR : 2010

KEYWORDS:

Cooperation for Advancement,Rehabilitation,Education,Care,Leadershing,Social Sector,Organizational Development

DESCRIPTION:

This case documents in detail the leadership provided by the CARE Chairperson and CEO, Seema Aziz, in providing quality education to children from poor families in Lahore, Pakistan. In 1988, CARE starts as a small voluntary effort that spreads out to eventually reach thousands of children. In this process, Aziz stands out as a visionary leader who leads her organization from its infancy to maturity. She initially sets up CARE¿s own schools and then establishes a successful model of partnership between the private and government sectors by adopting and managing government owned schools. The case leads the reader to a crucial point when Irfan Azizs faced with the dilemma of either accepting or rejecting the local government¿s offer to take over 140 government schools. The choice has left Aziz at crossroads because accepting the offer will accelerate the process of spreading education which is indeed CARE¿s core mission. However, it will invite greater challenges and complications associated with managing a rapidly growing organization and an expanded network of schools requiring enormous amounts of funding and a much larger, motivated and efficient human resource base. It may also slow down the growth of the existing CARE owned network of schools. On the other hand, if Aziz decides to refuse the government¿s offer, the path will be smoother with more time available for policymaking and implementation, and sufficient funds can be generated to set up new CARE schools. With this option, the organizational resources and leadership capabilities will also grow steadily to cater to gradually increasing requirements. However, the vision to reach thousands of children and the urgency to do so may be compromised.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1) Understanding the role effective leadership in an organization. 2) Evaluating the role of a leader in the light of theories on "Transformational leadership". 3) Analyzing the specific role of a leader given the difficulties of managing a social sector organization in a developing country with limited funds and organizational resources. 4) Assessing the need and importance of developing Human Resource Management systems and incorporating Organizational Development elements in a growing organization.

SUBJECTS COVERED:

Human Resource Management, Organizational Behaviour