Expanding the Reach of the Alzheimer’s Association Alex Kersnick, Joseph Lewis, Meaghan Lucas, Emma Massick, Jeremy McMillan Arizona State University OGL 355

Agenda Introduction Leadership & Organizational Structure Competitive Advantage SWOT Analysis Environmental Analysis Going Global Conclusion References

Introduction Organization Alzheimer’s Association Mission To eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health Vision A world without Alzheimer's (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016)

Leadership & Organizational Strategic Decision Makers President and CEO Management Team Chief Marketing and Brand Engagement Officer Chief Public Policy Officer Legal and General Counsel Officer Chief Change Management Officer Chief Financial Operations Officer Chief Operations Officer Chief Development Officer Chief Program Officer Chief Human Resources Officer

Competitive Advantage Competitive advantage is a fundamental concept used to define the characteristics that distinguishes an organization, team, group, etc. apart from their competitors (Coulter, 2013) The Alzheimer’s Association’s competitive advantage is its: unique and robust blend of human resources, ● Experiences ● Characteristics ● Knowledge ● Judgment ● Wisdom ● Skills ● Abilities ● Competencies intangible assets and capabilities ● Programs ● Services ● Existing databases ● Support groups ● Online presences ● Multilingual educational programs ● Existing partnerships ● Competencies (Alzheimer's Association, 2016)

Environmental Analysis Early Identification of External Threats and Opportunities While the threat of new entrants may be minimal, the Alzheimer's Association would be wise to analyze the other external threats that may arise in their competitive environment. Competition can be with lower costs, better service, or higher quality, but being able to exactly pin point a rival non-profit is difficult. With 1.57 million organizations in the non-profit industry sector and over 1 million of those are public charities; they are all competing for the same pool of donor funds (National Center for Charitable Statistics, 2016). One external factor for non-profits like the Alzheimer’s Association is the ability to hire and retain volunteers, which can act as a constraint in choosing appropriate functional strategies (Coulter, 2013). Another environmental threat would be a change to the political climate and new regulations that can form as a result of those changes. A change in political climate can also greatly affect economic trends, which can influence the amount of tax revenues or level of donations that the Alzheimer’s Association can expect (Coulter, 2013).

Going Global Goal: Focus: To bring an awareness of the threat of the disease to other countries across the world, and unifying in a collaborative effort to see that these governments create and adhere to policies that keep a continual focus on identifying opportunities to advance research on a global level. To leverage existing competencies and capabilities The Alzheimer's Association International Society of geocentric research participants (ISTAART) Focus: Countries with favorable exchange rates Countries with non-government mandated health care (Alzheimer's Association, 2016)

Our Recommendations Consider additional growth opportunities internationally Both Australia and Ireland are optimal considerations outside of the United States Limited language barriers Minimal cultural differences Non-socialized healthcare Minimal political conflicts Comparable currency exchange rates Continue to leverage celebrity endorsements Magnify social media presence bringing awareness to every country Promote brain health awareness such as memory games, crosswords etc.

Conclusion The Alzheimer’s Association can expand its reach by capitalizing on their unique strengths and opportunities. By adhering to their exceptional human resource capabilities and utilizing their programs, support group services, and existing databases, they have the ability to implement strategies and set goals that expand their reach to countries with favorable exchange rates and non-government mandated healthcare.

References Alzheimer's Association. (2016). Alzheimer’s Association Statements. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from Alzheimer's Association: http://www.alz.org/about_us_statements.asp Alzheimer's Association. (2015). Alzheimer's Association Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from Alzheimer's Association: http://www.alz.org/annual_report/downloads/annual-report.pdf#page=3 Coulter, M. A. (2013). Strategic Management in Action (6th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. National Center for Charitable Statistics. (2016). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from National Center for Charitable Statistics: http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/quickfacts.cfm Oster, S. M. (1995). Strategic Management for Nonprofit Organizations: Theory and Cases. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. Porter, M. E. (1979, 2008). The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review, pp. 78-93.