RUNNING HEAD: Organizational Analysis Paper

Organizational Analysis Paper

Tamesha Green
SW4020
Professor N. Schropshire
Wayne State University

The organization that I will be analyzing is the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM).
The mission was founded in 1909 by a minster named David Stuckey. The mission began as a

Organizational Analysis Paper

soup kitchen and provided church services in an old poultry store. After service Rev. Stuckey
would pass out can goods to those who might need it. Once people heard that Rev. Stuckey
passed out can goods after service, the Sunday services soon became full. He then realized that
there were more people who needed help and there were was no one to help them. The mission
serves the downtrodden, drug addicted and the homeless. They service over 1,600 people a day.
The services that they offer range from educational and job placement preparation, to temporary
and permanent housing, substance abuse treatment and of course feeding those in need. The
agency is a non profit 501(c) (1) and is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Housing of Urban
Development grant H.U.D. (DRMM, 2013). The agency also receives funding through private
donations.
The operative goals for the DRMM, is to provide assistance to the disadvantaged and the
homeless, men women and children of the community, by ministering to the total person. With
program and services designed to address, spiritual, physical, emotional and social needs
(DRMM, 2013). The goal for the mission was established by minster David Stuckey in 1909 and
determined in conjunction with the needs of the community. The missions meager beginnings
started in an old poultry factory, serving no more than can goods. The goal of the DRMM had to
change over the years to suite the ever changing needs of society, but more importantly the
community. Service has grown to include, educational and job readiness, emergency shelter and
transitional housing. Their evidence based services addresses the needs of the whole individual
(DRMM, 2013).
Brian Colo of volunteer services for the mission says that helping those who need it most
started out as a goal of this ministry, in order to maintain our goals we focus on the entire person.
If that person is hungry, they can only focus on that hunger, nothing else. By removing that
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distraction, the person is then able to focus on getting grater needs accomplished. Because we are
a 501 (c), funding for our programs comes from donations and grants. If the funding that is
needed for programs that are designed for G.E.D preparation, If G.E.D. funds are not available a
program fails to exist. A young mother with three small kids, goal is to pass the G.E.D. exam so
she can get a better job, so she can feed her children. Well if the program that was designed to
help that mother pass her exam is nonexistent, then how can she reach her goal? Fortunately all
of our educational programs are operating so we can help her attain her goals. Funding is a very
important piece in the web of services we provide (Colo, 2014).
The Detroit Rescue missions organizational structure is divided into three categories, the
board of directors, the executive staff and the administrative staff. The board consists of seven
members, four men and three women. Of the seven board members three of them are minorities.
The executive board consists of only three members. The administrative staff is comprised of six
departments. Donor relations, human resources, quality control, operations, development and
volunteer services. Each department is operated by one person from the administrative staff.
There are fifteen total non profit workers for this organization. The DRMM fulfills its mission
by providing hope to the hopeless, disadvantage and homeless men, women and children of our
community by ministering to the total person, body, soul and spirit with services and programs
designed to address spiritual, physical, emotional and social needs to those seeking assistance in
the hopes of them becoming faithful Christians disciple into a local church, rehabilitated and
employed and living productive and restored lives (DRMM, 2013).
At the top of the chain of command are the boards of directors. The board acts as the
overseers to the executive board and the administrative staff. They set the tone for the goals the
nonprofit will meet. The board is a part of planning, which includes making and incorporating
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policies and procedures. Developing and organizing members into committees, operations. This
includes research discussion, attending meetings and public relations and evaluation which
entails, evaluating quality of performance and attendance and developing plans to address results
of evaluation, the boards of directors literally direct the operations of the organization
(McNamara, C. 2013). The board of directors consists of seven board members, four men and
three women. There is a mixture of ethnic diversity that represents the population they serve.
The next in line of authority is the executive board. The executive board is responsible for
staff management, acting as staff liaison to the board of directors. They meet monthly with the
board of directors to discuss the organizations operations; they develop and manage the policies
and programs of the DRMM. The executive board consists of President, Dr. Chad Audi, Vice
President Aurine Moore and chief operating officer Barbara Willis. Two men and a woman make
up the executive staff, which shows ethnic diversity with its members. The last in line of
authority is the administrative staff. The administrative staff is broken into five different
departments that are responsible for their own specific task within the community. Donor
relations, operations, volunteer services, human resources, quality control and development.
Within those six departments there are only six people that run each department, four men and
three women. There is an effective approach to having minimal staff designated to perform
specific task. This helps with keeping the agencies goals organized and vital information
organized and obtainable, and most importantly low operating cost.

The Detroit Rescue mission has three transitional houses located in the city of Detroit. There
is also a shelter and the main office. The locations of these buildings are in urban, poverty and

Organizational Analysis Paper

crime stricken areas. The transitional housing and shelter and main office is located within the
Cass Corridor area. This area is home to multiple shelters that offer free meals and emergency
shelter. The area is littered with trash, wondering minds, drugs and liquor stores. The macro shift
that is occurring in this community is known as regentrification. Regentrification is the buying
and renovation of houses in deteriorated urban neighbors .The area is being redeveloped certain
changes will be made to increase the desirability of the area.
A decision for one of the multiple shelters to move has already been determined. The shelter
will move and so will the people. The DRMM has longevity within the area and there are no
immediate plans to relocate. The shelter is located in midtown, the ex-residence of Jefferies
projects and the Brewster projects are the advent users of the shelter and their programs. The
shelter welcomes all walks of life from, homeless teens, expectant mothers, international
transients and of course local displaced resident. According to Social work in macro practice,
organization is defined as collectives of individuals gathered together to serve a particular
purpose (Netting, Kettner, McMurtry and Thomas, 2012). The organizational theories described
in the text states that, open systems perspective concentrates on how organizations are influenced
by interactions with the environment (Netting,Kettner,McMurtry & Thomas. pg. 212) The
DRMM operates using the open system theory. They are influenced by the community in which
they are located. They started to offer specific services because of the need the community has
for it.

Organizational learning theory states that in order to be competitive in a changing

environment, organizations must change and formulate their goals in order to meet the demands

Organizational Analysis Paper

of the community (Cullinane, 2014). The DRMM has definitely added services as a need in the
community grew. They built a relationship with the community by offering the help that so many
needed, as a need arose. The mission can determine if their intervention is working by analyzing
the practical implication, assessing the type of change and the adequate information can predict
the ease of organizational change (Fauske & Rayblod, pg. 40). This organization has done a great
job in supporting the community. The will continue to uplift those in need as long as funding for
the organization continues.

References

Organizational Analysis Paper

Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (2013). Retrieved October 16, 2014 from,
http://drmm.org/services/
Carter McNamara (2013). Board Operation and Systems. Retrieved October 16, 2014. From,
managementhelp.org/board/index.htm
Colo, Brian (2013). Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (Personal Communication October 17,
2014).
Cullinane Mollie (2014). Cullinane Law Group retrieved October 17, 2014 from
cullinanelaw.com/nonprofit-board-vs-executive-director/
Fauske, Janice. Raybold, Rebbecca (2005). Organizational Learning Theory in Schools. Journal
of Education Administration. Volume 43 Number 1. retrieved October 17, 2014. From
eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ802833