Due Diligence for Field Organisations - Acquisition and Turnaround

Ever been asked to turn around an organisation or take over a ministry? What are the steps to be taken to evaluate the resources and stakeholders? Drawing from my work in different countries and specifically in Indonesia and China, here is a general framework and details to work from and look out for.

1. VISION

a. What's the organisation's vision in a sentence

b. The strategies and goals

c. Is there a gap between what the organisation is doing now and what it should be in relation to vision, strategies and tactics?

d. Do a SWOT

2. LEADERSHIP

a. Governing Board. Is there one? Governing role.

b. The leadership and administrative team. The Staff. Their roles. Strategic role.

c. The Field leaders. The face and the place. Roles. Tactical role.

d. Can the human resource leadership takes the organisation to fulfill the vision/preferred future? Is there a gap/chasm?

e. Human Resource Development/Strategy in place?

3. BUDGET

a. Income from Board members - do they raise resources or contribute personally to the yearly budget and how much in percentage per year?

b. Income from various units of ministry, departments and divisions? (Drug Rehab?, Orphanges, Micro-enterprise, and Others)

c. Income from other stakeholders?

d. Expenditure (Units and headquarters)

e. Creditors, debtors and other financial commitments?

f. Cashflow and Balance Sheet

4. INVENTORY

a. At the head quarters

b. Various ministry units

c. Land, buildings and vehicles. Ownership and where? Documents

5. OPERATIONS

a. Accounting and auditing system for transparency and accountability. Paper and electronic

b. Clear lines of authority and division of work

b. Reporting system for field workers and ministry units

c. Standards and procedures for all units operations

d. Benchmarks and criteria for operations for all units

e. Policies for staff

f. Yearly and punctual planning and budgetary process

6. PROGRAM and CURRICULUM (esp for schools)

a. Take stock of the needs of the field not what the organisation's have

b. What's successful and those that are not after evaluation and interviews

c. Anticipated future needs or unfulfilled needs