Report on the Strategic Context of the University of ...€¦ · The Strategic Context – 2 – INTRODUCTION This document provides an initial assessment of the strategic context

Report on the Strategic Context of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management

May 2008

Prepared by

Michael K. Mauws, Ph.D.

[email protected] 403.678.6886

The Strategic Context

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INTRODUCTION This document provides an initial assessment of the strategic context of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management (KaRMa). Its preparation represents the first step in the strategic planning process that KaRMa currently has underway. More specifically, it is meant to provide a context in relation to which KaRMa can formulate the competitive strategy that will guide it for the next five years.

The document is described as an “initial assessment” as it is based solely on information gathered from KaRMa’s employees. Some of this information was obtained through one on one conversations with Dr. Jane Watkinson, the Dean of KaRMa. Most of it was gathered in the context of a strategic planning retreat in Starbuck, Manitoba on April 30 and May 1 of 2008 that was attended by the vast majority of KaRMa’s full-time employees. Thus, the contents of this document are not based on statistical reports or any other data sources. For this reason, what follows ought be seen as an initial rendering as opposed to a definitive statement of KaRMa’s strategic context.

An organization’s strategic context can be divided into two parts, one of which is relatively static and the other which is quite dynamic. The static portion of an organization’s context is referred to here as its mandate. An organization’s mandate amounts to its “contract” with its stakeholders and, in particular, with whomever “owns” or controls the organization. In very general terms, it explains why the organization was created and how its activities should and should not be conducted. It should be formulated in such a way that it can provide consistent guidance to the organization over a period measured in decades as opposed to years or months.

The dynamic portion of an organization’s strategic context is its situation, which can change dramatically from year to year, or even day to day. An organization’s situation has both internal and external attributes. The internal attributes of an organization’s situation amount to its strengths and weaknesses. The external attributes amount to the opportunities and threats it faces.

Taken together, the internal and external attributes dictate the options available to an organization, options that are further limited by the details of its mandate. Thus, the mandate and the situation define the context within which strategic planning must take place. An organization’s strategy, in other words, must be congruent with its mandate and, ideally, should build on the organization’s strengths to take advantage of the opportunities available to it. To the degree possible, it should also address the organization’s weaknesses and threats.

In the pages that follow, a mandate is proposed for KaRMa and a preliminary assessment of its situation is provided. As noted, both are largely informed by the discussions and writings that emerged from the retreat in the spring of 2008. The purpose in presenting them here is not to define them but, rather, to facilitate further discussion and exploration of them.


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MANDATE An organization’s mandate consists of four parts, each of which serves an essential function. The first of these is the organization’s mission statement, which explains why the organization exists and, by doing so, helps to identify which activities are and are not appropriate for the organization. The second part of the mandate is the vision which, in simple terms, describes what the organization will accomplish if it is successful in carrying out its mission. The third part of the mandate is an expression of the ethical principles that guide the organization. And the final part of the mandate is a statement of the expectations of the organization’s stakeholders have of it.

At the present time, KaRMa’s explicitly formulated mandate consists of a mission statement whose meaning and relevance is unclear to many of KaRMa’s employees. The other parts may have been formulated to varying degrees at various times in KaRMa’s history. However, only the mission statement is available on its web site and its employees are unaware of the remainder of the mandate if it ever was specified. For this reason, a new and complete mandate is being proposed for KaRMa.

It is important to recognize that it is common for an organization to disseminate its mandate widely. Thus, the mandate presented below has been formulated so as to facilitate this. It leans heavily on the discussions from the retreat (see the appendices of this document for details), but it does not reflect all the details of those discussions. Moreover, it does not reflect contributions to those discussions that, while useful, may not have been relevant to the intended topic of each discussion. Finally, it should be noted that this mandate undoubtedly reflects the biases and understandings of the author. With that said, what follows represents a starting point for the crafting of a mandate that can guide KaRMa for the next twenty years if not longer.

Mission The Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management (KaRMa) is an administrative unit of the University of Manitoba; as such, it is expected to contribute to the mission of the University. Toward this end, KaRMa’s core purpose is to improve the well-being of Manitobans – and to a lesser degree other Canadians and citizens of the world – through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge related to human movement, sport, and leisure. KaRMa discovers knowledge through both pure and applied research. It disseminates knowledge by freely sharing what it learns from its research and by providing classroom-based and in situ training for aspiring and practicing researchers and practitioners. The foregoing is made possible, in part, by the provision of programs and services that improve the well-being of the staff and students of the University of Manitoba while at the same time providing opportunities for the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge

Vision The efforts of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management (KaRMa) are inspired by a vision in which Manitoba leads the rest of Canada in all aspects of physical activity. In this vision, the year is 2020(?) and Manitoba has a higher percentage of its population engaging in minimum recommended levels of physical activity than any other province or territory. It has the lowest incidence of injury related to physical activity. Its athletes consistently excel in national


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and international competitions. And its citizens are the least likely in Canada to be affected by obesity, diabetes, and other such afflictions known to be associated with a lack of physical activity. In brief, the vision is one in which Manitoba provides a clear example to the rest of the world of the benefits of physical activity and the manner by which these benefits can be realized.

In the vision just described, KaRMa is widely recognized for the important contributions it has made to the well-being of Manitobans and to our knowledge of human movement, sport, and leisure. The research it carries out is published in leading journals and is known to both researchers and practitioners around the world. It cooperated with and provides guidance to all levels of government, professional bodies, and other education institutes to develop and deliver coordinated solutions. Its graduates are actively pursued for both employment and graduate studies. Its positive contributions to the well-being of the University of Manitoba’s staff and students are undeniable. Most importantly, the vast majority of Manitobans know what KaRMa does and want it to do more of it.

To turn this vision into reality, KaRMa has a vision of itself as a high-performing, mission-driven organization. In this vision, every staff member is involved to some degree in the creation, dissemination, and application of mission-related knowledge. Every staff member is passionate about what he or she does, and understands how it contributes to the fulfillment of KaRMa’s mission. Every staff member also knows and appreciates the contributions to the mission of every other staff member. In this vision, KaRMa’s staff is united by a common purpose that results in levels of cooperation and collaboration that are the envy of every other administrative unit on campus.

Ethics The actions and decisions of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management (KaRMa) are guided by its core values. Its policies and procedures are also developed in relation to these values. Should its action, decisions, policies, or procedures be in conflict with these values, KaRMa encourages others to bring this to its attention.

KaRMa’s core values are as follows:

Accessibility We believe that everyone should have access to the programs and services they need to achieve the minimum recommended level of physical activity.

Compassion We believe that the best solutions require a full understanding of others’ perspectives.

Diversity We believe that diversity ought to be embraced and encouraged. We recognize the diverse circumstances of those we serve. We aspire to have diversity in our staff and our activities.

Giving We believe in helping others.


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Integrity We believe it is important to honour our commitments and to be accountable when we are unable to do so.

Leadership We believe that leadership is essential for meaningful improvements to occur.

Perseverance We believe in completing what we start.

Respect We believe in treating everyone – students, co-workers, customers, etc. – with respect. We may not agree with everyone, but we respect their right to hold opinions different from our own.

Teamwork We believe that we can accomplish more working together than we can working individually.

Expectations The Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management (KaRMa) welcomes and carefully considers any and all input from its stakeholders. It recognizes that the continuing support of some if not all of these stakeholders is essential for its survival and success. Without wishing to dismiss any other expectations it stakeholders might have, KaRMa acknowledges that its highest priority is to meet the following expectations:

U of M KaRMa will abide by all U of M policies and procedures. It will ensure that its activities are congruent with the mission of the University and, to the degree possible, will contribute to the realization of the University’s vision.

KaRMa Students KaRMa will provide its students with high quality instruction and current curricula in an appropriate environment. It will update its course and programs on a timely basis so as to adequately address the needs and requirements of employers and other postsecondary institutions.

Employees KaRMa will provide its employees with a work environment that is safe from both physical, psychological, and emotional harm. It will provide fair compensation and benefits. It will provide fair and timely feedback that enables its employees to be as effective as possible in carrying out their duties.

Alumni/Donors KaRMa will conduct itself in a manner that makes its alumni and donors proud to be associated with it. It will use the support they provide judiciously and will, at all times, be accountable for its actions.


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U of M Staff/Students

KaRMa will provide the staff and students of U of M with programs and services that enable and encourage physical activity, allow them to recreate and socialize with other members of the U of M community, and contribute to their identification with and attachment to the U of M.

Manitobans KaRMa will seek to contribute to the well-being of all Manitobans and, toward that end, will provide education and training that meets the needs of the province.

SITUATION An organization’s situation is defined by its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is for this reason that an analysis of an organization’s situation is often referred to as a SWOT analysis. In this context, strengths and weaknesses pertain to the organizations resources and capabilities. Does it have something that its competitors lack? Is it lacking something that its competitors have? Can it do something better than its competitors? Is there something that a competitor does much better? As for the opportunities and threats, these refer to the organization’s external environment. Opportunities are situations in which an organization can further its mission. Conversely, threats are obstacles that could impede the organization fulfilling its mission as it has in the past.

As the foregoing suggests, an organizations strengths and weakness are defined in relation to its competitors. For this reason, it is important for an organization to first identify where and with whom it is competing. In the case of KaRMa, it competes in a wide variety of contexts with a diverse array of competitors (refer to Appendix E). In this writer’s view, the most important of these are (1) the competition with other faculties for financial and physical resources, and (2) the competition with other faculties, other universities, and the workforce for students.

An organization’s opportunities and threats are defined in relation to the trends that are impacting its competitive environment (refer to Appendix F). The views of this writer are that the trends most likely to affect KaRMa are (1) a growing recognition of the effects on health of physical activity and the implications of same for healthcare costs, (2) a rise in diseases and afflictions related to physical inactivity, (3) the increasing availability and acceptance of online learning, (4) the shifts in the age profile of the Canadian population, and (5) increasing recognition of the need to address longstanding inequities in Canadian society.

What follows is an initial assessment of KaRMa’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is important to note that this assessment is based entirely on the views and impressions of KaRMa’s staff and is subject to all the biases that would be expected under these circumstances. Nevertheless, it most definitely suggests some of the broad contours of KaRMa’s situation and, as such, provides a useful starting point for further investigation.

Strengths Four strengths have been identified that, if possible, should play an important role in KaRMa’s competitive strategy. These include KaRMa’s people, facilities, location, and reputation. KaRMa


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is staffed by a group of talented and dedicated people. And importantly, these people seem willing to embrace changes in their workplace. This combination of expertise and flexibility provides a strong basis for a competitive strategy given the arenas in which KaRMa competes. It suggests that changes could be made to KaRMa’s structures and processes that would better leverage the capabilities of its staff without encountering the resistance that often reduces the effects of change efforts.

A second strength that KaRMa has is its facilities. Many staff members might argue that its facilities are actually a weakness in light of their age and state of repair. However, in the context of KaRMa’s efforts to compete for centrally administered resources, KaRMa’s facilities represent a distinctive competency. They enable it to provide programs and services to the entire university community and, if used effectively, could generate the necessary support to secure additional resources, not to mention furthering its mission.

A third strength of KaRMa is its geographical location. Once again, this could be perceived as a weakness. However, it is most definitely a strength when competing with other universities for students who currently reside in Manitoba. Moreover, the great distance between it and the next-closest research-intensive faculty of kinesiology and/or recreation, provides it with all kinds of advantages with respect to recruitment of students and subjects and for outreach activities. Also worth noting is the relatively low cost of living in Winnipeg and the many amenities the city has to offer.

The final strength to be noted, reputation, has also been described as a weakness. However, there is little doubt that, relative to other universities in Manitoba, as well as those in Saskatchewan and northwest Ontario, the U of M is perceived to be a leader. Therefore, KaRMa ought to be able to take advantage of this reputation when competing within this region.

Weaknesses Seven weaknesses have been identified that ought to be addressed by KaRMa’s competitive strategy. If that’s not possible, then it will be important for its strategy to minimize its dependency on these aspects of its operations. The seven weaknesses are accessibility, awareness, culture, facilities, funding model, location, and reputation.

The primary concern related to accessibility would appear to be a lack of parking and, in particular, a lack of conveniently located parking. Presumably, this is not an issue for staff and students who are on campus for other reasons. However, for those whose sole reason for being on campus is to access KaRMa’s facilities, this can be a problem. In addition, it would appear that signage and wheelchair accessibility could be improved.

A second weakness KaRMa must confront is a limited awareness and understanding of its activities. The perception seems to be that both on and off campus, people have limited knowledge of the type of research that KaRMa conducts and the educational programs it provides. Many people are also unaware of the recreational and therapeutic programs and services it provides.

KaRMa’s culture constitutes its third weakness. As noted above, it is staffed by talented and dedicated people. However, a bifurcated culture has emerged such that few if any staff members


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perceive themselves to be part of a single enterprise. Instead, most perceive themselves as a member of either the “academic unit” or the “services unit” and see these units as quasi-independent organizations. As a result, many of the potential synergies that could emerge when their respective activities are combined are presently neglected.

As noted above, facilities are both a strength and a weakness of KaRMa. Without a doubt, its aging and limited facilities constrain its ability to attract people having no formal association with the university. But more importantly, they limit KaRMa’s ability to fulfill its mandate. Some faculty members are forced to carry out some of their work in other parts of Winnipeg. The facilities could not accommodate the demand were the campus community to embrace active living to the degree that KaRMa recommends.

A fourth weakness is KaRMa’s funding model. This includes the manner in which it is funded by central administration, the manner in which it is reimbursed for its programs and services, and the manner in which funds are distributed internally. Simply put, KaRMa’s funding model does not lend itself to the successful fulfillment of its mandate.

As already noted, KaRMa’s location can also be perceived as a weakness. This includes its location within Winnipeg and the fact that it is located in Winnipeg which itself is perceived by some to be an unattractive location. Presumably, its location within Winnipeg presents an obstacle for some who might wish to participate in its programs or benefit from its services. As for its location in Winnipeg as opposed to some other city, this can be a deterrent to potential students and staff who view its climate as too harsh or its location as too remote.

The final weakness to be noted is reputation. Despite the positive perceptions of KaRMa and the U of M within Manitoba, the latter’s poor placement in highly publicized rankings of Canadian universities, whether warranted or not, compromises KaRMa’s ability to compete for both students and staff.

Opportunities Assuming that KaRMa adopts a mandate somewhat similar to that proposed herein, there are at least four significant opportunities it may wish to exploit with its competitive strategy. The first of these revolves around the increasing importance being accorded to active living. While the psychological, social, and physical benefits have long been known, it is their direct linkage to healthcare costs that has attracted the attention of key decision-makers. KaRMa is ideally situated to benefit from this and exploit it.

Related to the foregoing, a second opportunity lies with active living on campus. The campus could easily be a “living laboratory” for active living. By applying its expertise on campus, KaRMa could improve its reputation both on and off campus. Its contributions to the overall well-being of the university’s staff and students would attract additional resources from central administration. And its success on campus would position it to benefit from any attempts to achieve similar success off campus.

Once again building on the foregoing, a third opportunity lies with industry partnerships. At the present time, KaRMa is in the awkward situation of trying to attract private sector support while at the same time competing with the private sector. Few business owners would object to its


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provision of programs and services to staff and students. However, many would object to it competing for participants and members who are not staff or students. To overcome this, and to further its mission, KaRMa could re-position itself as an industry partner as opposed to competitor. Its own programs and services could function as a testing ground whose lessons are then passed on to private businesses and other non-profit organizations through seminars and other outreach activities.

A final opportunity for KaRMa can be found in a tighter integration of its activities. By involving more of its academic staff in the provision of services and, conversely, by involving more of its service providers in teaching and research, many synergies could be realized. Perhaps most importantly, KaRMa could develop a distinctive competency in “technology transfer” that would benefit it economically, politically, and academically.

Threats Four important threats have been identified, the first of which is the rising cost of living in Winnipeg. This is primarily due to rising real estate prices, which will eventually trickle down into higher rents for students. In the interim, it is quickly eroding KaRMa’s ability to compete for academic staff as a corresponding rise in salaries has not materialized.

The foregoing is, however, only part of the reason why KaRMa may find it difficulty to retain and recruit employees. As noted above, its limited and aging facilities also play a role here. Most important, however, is the efforts of other, better-resourced universities to recruit faculty members. As the latter take aggressive measures to make themselves more attractive to recruits, the effect is to make KaRMa a less attractive option. Thus, an inability to recruit faculty members is a significant threat for KaRMa.

A third and very important threat KaRMa faces is what could be described as “disciplinary erosion”. With the increasing attention being given to active living, other faculties have already begun to blur the lines between their disciplines and KaRMa’s. A similar development took place with the rise of business faculties in the 1960s and 70s. Large portions of the curricula of psychology, sociology, economics, mathematics, and other disciplines was appropriated by business schools. KaRMa could, in similar fashion, lose control of parts of its curriculum to medicine, community health, business, and other disciplines.

Related to the above, a final threat faced by KaRMa is a shift in funding priorities at both the university and provincial levels. As was noted, KaRMa faces an awareness challenge. And unless this is addressed, it is possible that its ability to secure resources may be compromised.

CONCLUSION The key to every organization’s success is a sustainable competitive advantage. To achieve this, an organization requires an effective competitive strategy. However, before an organization can formulate a competitive strategy, it must have a clear understanding of its strategic context.


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This report provides an initial assessment of KaRMa’s strategic context. More specifically, it provides a first draft of KaRMa’s mandate and a relatively simple assessment of its situation. Both would benefit from further refinement and, toward that end, it would be helpful to use this report as a basis for further discussions with KaRMa’s stakeholders.

In the case of KaRMa’s situation, it would be very useful to conduct a more systematic analysis of the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This could involve an audit of its current activities, consultation with experts, and an evaluation of statistical indicators. A great deal more could be learned about KaRMa’s situation. Thus, the challenge is balancing the additional clarity that would be gained with the costs, both financial and temporal, associated with those gains.

In conclusion, it should be noted that this is an exciting juncture in the history of KaRMa. Staff expect changes when an organization changes its leadership. And with KaRMa having recruited a Dean from another institution for the first time in many years, its staff anticipate and seem ready to embrace new ways of fulfilling KaRMa’s mission. To this can be added the increasing recognition being accorded to the subject of KaRMa’s investigations and teaching. The result is a rare opportunity for an organization to transform itself and, in the process, to make meaningful improvements in the lives of those it serves.


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APPENDICES The appendices that follow contain the information collected during the strategic planning retreat that took place in Starbuck, Manitoba on April 30 and May 1, 2008. No attempt has been made to process or group the information. Some obvious spelling mistakes were corrected and, in some cases, counts were provided rather than duplicating information. Beyond this, what follows represents the information gathered in its “raw” form.

Appendix A1: Mission: Who? Students Staff Community: (1) Manitoba, (2)

Canada, (3) World Students and staff Community: Local Community: Macro KaRMa students U of M students University community Community University community The world Manitobans (all age groups) Students and staff of U of M Community: Winnipeg,

Manitoba, Canada, world U of M students/staff/athletes

University community Province of Manitoba Professional organizations External community (families,

teams, groups, individuals) Canada (POPAT, etc.) World (Mini U) Community of Manitoba

(staff, students, general population of the province)

Secondary: National and international community

Students Athletes University community Surrounding community Students

o Within our faculty (grad, undergrad, extended ed, other)

o On/across campus Athletes o Rec, Bison, community,

injured o On and off campus o Professional organizations

(MPESA, MPETA, CSEP, Rec Connections, MFC, ACA, MATA, etc.)

General public (dissemination of knowledge)

U of M students U of M faculty and staff Citizens of Winnipeg,

Manitoba, Canada World

Appendix A2: Mission: What? Education Appreciation of knowledge Research Entertainment Leisure Education, research, and

practical application within the area of sport and active living

Knowledge Active living Education Health and leisure Well-being (both physical and

emotional) Education and implementation Mentorship Pursuit of excellence Competitive sport

Healthy active living for life Education/knowledge Opportunity Wellness/health Current

advancement/technology Education and training to

future professionals in the field

Knowledge of human movement and leisure

Improved health and well-being (opportunities for)

High quality athletic or elite opportunities

Education

Personal development (education, social, physical/athletics, emotional/spiritual)

Learning To know about physical

activity and leisure To provide an opportunity to

compete at a high level sport Knowledge creation To participate in physical

activity and leisure Provide opportunity for

professional preparation Provide education and

leadership development to sustain and enhance the importance of physical activity, recreation, leisure, etc. in our community


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Appendix A3: Mission: How? Utilize professional staff to

the best of their ability Tap into our knowledge pools Create new professionals Reaching out to the

community through programs and services

Education Research Guidance (coaching) Providing infrastructure Opportunity Revenue generation Provide facilities Provide programs (phys.act.) Provide research Provide degrees Provide expertise

Provide excellence through cutting-edge expertise in research, education, programs/services and community outreach

Provide excellence Teaching Research Outreach Service Coaching Leadership Excellence Programming Show impact and efficacy Facilities (new) Expertise Programs Funding Education experiences

Educational and active living programs based on current research

Being competitive – market competitiveness

Higher teaching standards Providing unique and

exceptional education and programming with the mechanisms to question what may be taken for granted. Continually develop in all areas.

Academic programs Research/consultation Outreach Providing facilities Instruction/coaching Certification programs Leisure/recreation programs Exceptional customer service

Appendix B1: Vision: External “Model for health, active

living and excellence” “Manitoba healthiest in

Canada” “Faculty cooperation produces

budget surplus” “Model for health and active

living”

Manitobans engaging in a holistic approach to healthy living

“Manitoba leads Canada for activity levels”

Getting an idea that we can all buy into and become engaged

KaRMa deflates the spare tire syndrome by becoming centre of excellence

Improving health and obesity in world

“Bison alumni dominate Olympic podium”

“Manitoba = healthy” Benchmark institute created

Appendix B2: Vision: Internal Integrated faculty (governance

paradigm shift, leadership/support)

Cultural changes (internal motivation, collective approach to a common cause)

More effort to communicate amongst all parts of faculty because of geographic separation

System/organizational changes

Reorganization

Everyone’s contribution must be valued (and hopefully understood by everyone)

Mechanism to connect bureaucracy of university with general public using programs/facilities

Improved impressions of faculty and programs (re-education of service faculty provides to community)

New facility achieved via innovative strategies

Outlets for Bison merchandise everywhere in province

University funds varsity sport (student fees)

Accurate perception of KaRMa across campus and Manitoba (re-branding?)

Market/promote faculty services on and off campus (retain legacy students in our rec services)

Faculty-wide marketing strategy

Instituting mandatory student athletic/rec fee


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Believe, plan, execute the integrated model (culture shift)

Open to change and different ways to be responsive (i.e., partnerships, “outside the box”)

Integrated mandate (processes, programs, “living lab”)

Leadership (united for entire faculty)

Shared philosophy o Common priority list for

all units o Educate people to make

healthier choices Improve the means and

opportunities to achieve healthier living goals o Improve accessibility

o Lifelong integration youth/leisure/athletic/professional (swimming model)

Passion Excitement Inspiration Student support (SAHPER,

UMSU, GSA) Financial and human resource

to support and build programs Use expert knowledge in

concert with all of our program offerings

Work to change political policy to incorporate “kinesiology” as a protected and defined for preventability/therapeutic medicine

Consistent development programs in each sport

Partnerships

Integrated faculty (sharing of internal expertise)

Strive to serve and represent the diverse population of Manitoba

Address the business model of units within the faculty to appropriately fund and invest in academia, Bison sport, and recreation services to facilitate growth of services

Faculty renewal More chairs Attitude towards and

participation in being a “Bison”

Affect policy at the provincial level

Appendix C: Values Accessibility Accomplishment/achievement

/success Action Caring Collaboration Community Compassion (x5) Cooperation Development Diligence

Diversity (x2) Generosity Honesty (x2) Inclusivity (x2) Innovation Inspire Integrity (x6) Leadership (x3) Openness Perseverance (x2) Pride

Recognition Respect (x5) Selflessness Service Support (x2) Teamwork (x3) Tolerance Understanding Unity Work ethic

Appendix D1: Expectations: Suppliers Ignore (ii), Inform (ii) Provide quality information Pay bills on time

Timely payments Fair opportunity to earn our

businessOpenness

Pay on time Fair process

Appendix D2: Expectations: Taxpayers Ignore (iiii), Inform (i) Fiscal responsibility Access and accountability

Accountability Leadership Outreach

Fiscal responsibility Social responsibility Provide programs

Appendix D3: Expectations: Donors Inform (i), Input (ii), Involve

(i) To be heard

Information on use of donation

Accountability Ethics

Transparency Appropriate stewardship of

funds


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Ethical and responsible actions

Their support is valued Accountability

Appendix D4: Expectations: Alumni Inform (iiii), Input (i) Faculty pride Inclusion

Recognition High quality programs Communication

Acknowledgement Maintain high standards

(pride)

Appendix D5: Expectations: Community Inform (i), Input (iiii) Accessibility Expertise Quality programming for a

fair value

Accountability Expertise Efficiency Effectiveness Relevant information

Quality service Accessible Input on services and

programs

Appendix D6: Expectations: KaRMa Students Input (iiii), Involve (ii) To provide a practical and

quality skill set (to prepare for employment)

Engage and educate

Quality experience to maximize potential

An elite training and athletic experience (Bison athletes)

Quality experience

To graduate/learn (academic) Access to quality

programs/services (BSAL)

Appendix D7: Expectations: Professional Organizations Inform (i), Input (iii), Involve

(i) Adhere to their standards Cooperation

Communication Leadership Expertise Collaboration

Competent grads with professional standards

Access to facilities

Appendix D8: Expectations: Central Administration Inform (i), Input (ii), Involve

(ii) Excellence in student

numbers, services, and research

Increase enrolment

Abide by university policies and procedures

Development, growth, and fiscal responsibility

Follow five minimum standards

Appendix D9: Expectations: Business Competitors Ignore (iiiii) Won’t undercut them Integrity No expectations

Integrity Professionalism Won’t take advantage of

market

Integrity Fair business practices

Appendix D10: Expectations: Customers/Fans/Kids/Clients Ignore (i), Inform (ii), Input

(ii) Services that are accessible

and at a reasonable cost

Good value for dollar Quality, cost, convenience Parking

Access to facilities and services

Events and opportunities

Appendix D11: Expectations: Academic Competitors


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Ignore (iiii), Input (i) Well-trained staff Sport excellence

Perceived doormat for academic competition (U of M)

No expectations Integrity

Collegiality Professionalism [They can’t expect squat] Ethical competition Fair business practices

Appendix D12: Expectations: U of M Students Inform (i), Input (iiii) Access to facilities and

programs a.k.a. enriched experience

Access to services Options for active living Access to quality programs

services (BSAL)

Engage and service

Appendix D13: Expectations: Employees Involve (iiiii) Respect Appreciation Compensation A quality work environment

Respectful workplace environment

Paycheque Respect

Resources required to perform job

Equitable treatment

Appendix D14: Expectations: Government Inform (i), Involve (iii) Provide postsecondary

education Delivery of strategies Accountability

Graduate highly trained employable people

Fulfill our mission Accountability

Inclusivity Equality Leadership

Appendix D15: Expectations: Funders Ignore, (ii), Inform (iii) Highest level applications Transparency Integrity

Expected outcomes achieved Meet objectives and on budget Follow their guidelines Report results

Accountability for money spent

Appendix D16: Expectations: Employers Inform (i), Input (iii), Involve

(i) Competent grads

Produce qualified, knowledgeable graduates

Provide graduates Competency

Quality professional dialogue

Appendix E1: Competition for Spectators “Bison” cultural apathy Other professional sports Other student entertainment

choices Other student entertainment

resources Other Winnipeg nightlife Pro teams Professional sports Other forms of entertainment

Other institutions (high school, the other Winnipeg university)

Local pro teams Other entertainment (movies,

theatres, etc.) Other sports teams Other entertainment University

events/commitments Pro sports

Other entertainment (TV, park, movie, etc.)

Professional sport Other amateur/non-

professional sport Professional sport City culture and perception of

university sport Student culture (commuter

campus)


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Other entertainment options (i.e., movies, bars, etc.)

Bars Socials

Family schedules (other commitments)

U of W Professional teams

Other entertainment interests Local amateur sport Other entertainment

Appendix E2: Competition for Budget Dollars Other faculties Admin department Smart park Other faculties Student groups Other capital/physical needs Facilities- space and

maintenance Other universities Infrastructure

Other faculties Other faculties Other faculties Other service units Other faculties Other service units on campus Other service units on campus Parking Other faculties

Other priorities (i.e. special projects)

Other U of M faculties All other faculties for: dollars,

space, recognition Other faculties academics Infrastructure Research institutes

Appendix E3: Competition for Grad Students Other instituions Professional programs Work force… world Trade schools Workforce The workplace Other research intensive

universities in Canada (U of A)

Other research intensive universities in the world

Funded programs (e.g., Ontario, Alberta…)

Other faculties

Other universities (national, international)

U of M faculties Other faculties Other universities that provide

better funding Lead researchers in our field Canadian universities (that are

funded) Other Canadian and US

universities “Have” universities ($ for

students)

Other universities nationally ($)

Workforce Other faculties Other universities (Canada) Other U of M graduate

programs Other Canadian/US

universities Other universities Internal groups for $

Appendix E4: Competition for Members Other local fitness centres Fitness equipment retailers Personal trainers Private business Personal trainers Home gyms/equipment Other gyms/facilities Other local businesses (e.g.,

Running Room, Reh-Fit, Wellness, etc, Shapes, Curves, etc., Good Life Fitness)

Other fitness centres City of Winnipeg

Other service providers Own grad Shapes Competitors with better

facilities (i.e., Shapes, Good Life)

Reh-Fit Centre Non-profit centres (i.e.,

YMCA, etc.) The Ys Shapes YMCA City of Winnipeg (rentals)

Other facilities (YMCA, Shapes, etc.)

Shapes YM-YWCA Good Life Private run fitness facilities City of Winnipeg City of Winnipeg Personal gyms Good Life

Appendix E5: Competition for Participants Leisure guide = City of

Winnipeg Other Fitness Centres Other entertainment/recreation

City of Winnipeg Community clubs


– 17 –

Parks & Recreation programs Programs o Public (City of Winnipeg) o Non-profit (clubs/leagues) o Commercial (Shapes)

City of Winnipeg Community centres Churches Other recreation programs

(not-for-profit)

Other specialty facilities and programs

City of Winnipeg School programs City of Winnipeg YMCA Other recreation providers in

Winnipeg City of Winnipeg

Other sports leagues (clubs, organizations, etc.)

City of Winnipeg Other facilities Other children’s programs (U

of W, etc.) City of Winnipeg programs Other programs with better

facilities Disinterest

Appendix E6: Competition for Undergraduate Students Workforce Other universities in Manitoba Other universities in NW

Ontario and Western Canada Specific faculties (e.g.,

education, human ecology) Other faculties Other post-secondary

institutes The workplace Canadian and US universities Manitoba universities

U of W Red River / professional

training programs Other faculties U of W Other universities U of W Other U of M faculties Other faculties Other professional schools U of W

Other institutions (Canada wide)

Other faculties Secondary institutions Workforce U of W Other faculties Other MB universities Other Canadian universities Other faculties on campus U of W Other universities/colleges

Appendix E7: Competition for Athletic Therapy Customers Physical therapy clinic Holistic area Other AT clinics University centre Other discipline Multi-disciplinary clinics Other clinics Private practices Chiropractors Physiotherapy

Physio clinics in areas Chiropractors/athletic

therapists/massage therapists in area

Therapists close to home Private sector competitors Pan Am clinic U of W clinic Private practitioners Other health clubs/spas

Private clinics Pan Am Private clinics Sports/phsio clinics Privately owned businesses Spas/wellness centres Other local/private businesses Pan Am, Med Rehab (HSC) U of W

Appendix F1: Technological Trends TOP TRENDS o Ease of online technology

enables us to reach a global market

o Includes bio-medicinal advances

o Increased expectation of quickly info can be accessed

o Immediate convenience o Research/journals/course

info o Mbs/programs

o Impact of technology on social interaction

o Need for privacy o Boundary issues o Decreasing social

communication skills Increasing mobility Bio-medical advances Generation gap Athletic ability advancements Communication Online courses Availability

Constant change Less personal interaction Greater accessibility to people

in services (stress) Decreased sense of privacy Advanced technology leading

to decreased need for human interaction

Interactive games Virtual/augmented reality Access to instant information Greater integration of media


– 18 –

Increasingly different forms of media to market/communicate (broader audience)

Social media Online classroom/registrations Integration/reliability

Flexible/simple Online education Easy online registration,

marketing, information Online registration Online registration Online registration

Catering to the plugged-in generation o Communication o Smart classrooms o Virtual learning

Appendix F2: Demographic Trends Decreasing youth populations

in MB Aging population in MB and

Canada Demise of non-traditional

family Multicultural MB Growth of South Winnipeg

(Waverly West) Single income family Decrease in family size

Increased aging population Aging population: customers,

staff members, students Lack of human resources Millenials into workforce and

shaping trends Young aboriginals in MB Aging population Childhood obesity Increasing diversity Decline in school age

Increasing retirees Increasing cultural diversity More urban, less rural More disposable income Aging population Aging population Multicultural Travel costs due to geographic

location

Appendix F3: Social/cultural trends TOP TRENDS o Interest in health/wellness o Cultural diversity and

globalization o “Going green” and links to

our fields: active living, parks, etc.

Political correctness Health and wellness

(importance of physical activity)

Increasing interest/trends toward physical activity and wellness

Increasing diversity of client groups

Multicultural MB society to serve diversity

Globalization Global society Increase in aboriginal

involvement: workforce and schools

Decreasing perception/value of university degree

Safety and security Networking, people skills Online communication rather

than in person Changes in family structure Change in faculty values Urban renewal

Going green Going green Social entrepreneurship Stay at home mom Increasing need for

education/services that support health and wellness

Focus on health-related research

Focus on health-related research

Increasing health awareness yet increasing obesity

Less brand loyalty

Appendix F4: Economic trends TOP TRENDS o Increased demand for

workers o Decreased amount of

disposable income o Increased cost of living

Rising input prices Rising inflation (cost of

living) Good employment

opportunities

Waverly West o Influx of housing, young

families, $$$ Green movement Capital cost increase Less disposable income Decreasing disposable income

so increasing competition for $$$

Change in available resources

Disparity between rich and poor

Greater divide between rich and poor

Rising cost of infrastructure (new and maintenance)

Fears of recession Recession o Flatlining – discretionary o Rising costs of food/fuel


– 19 –

Rising prices (limited/depleted resources)

Cost of living Energy cost increases

Capital cost increases Increasing cost of education

delivery Job market growth

Provincial cost of living (affordable)

Baby boomer wealth

Appendix F5: Political trends TOP TRENDS o More stringent access to

information o Liability laws &

requirements o Removal of tuition freeze o Available public funding:

where does it go? o Increasing awareness and

recognition of healthy living from government (i.e. child tax credit)

Risks/legal liabilities

Increasing liability and litigation

Legal liability Increased legal liability International unrest Provincial entrenchment Federal instability Environmental issues Tuition freeze Lack of public funding Potential shift in funding

priorities University funding formula

Tuition tax reimburse Incentives $ Health/active living incentives Health/fitness tax credits Tax breaks for participation in

active programs Regulation of kinesiology as a

profession Priority of preventative

medicine Privacy laws

Appendix G1: Strengths TOP 3 STRENGTHS o Quality people/staff

(expertise and knowledge) o Breadth/diversity of

programs, people, and facilities

o Positive reputation/credibility (UM + KRM + Bison)

Knowledge leaders Provincial reputation Affordable/good value With spectators: Price Variety of sports Success/quality of teams Respect and credibility of

being associated with university.

High level of expertise. Expertise/knowledge Academic foundation. Academic excellence =

intellectual capital. Diversity of expertise in the

faculty. Relevance of programs in the

community.

One stop shop (variety of programs all in one collocation).

Location With central administration: o Strong research

productivity o Recognition through Bison

sport o Mini-U PR potential

Sustainability. Credibility Reputation With undergraduate students: o Diversity of programs o Quality of instruction

(good mix of theory and practice)

o Smaller classes Quality of personnel People: Passion, knowledge,

experience Quality of human resources With athletic therapy

customers o Location/access/space

o Staff with current skills (able to continually take professional development courses)

o Credibility – link to academic programs

The whole package o Leadership o Specialization o Professional expertise o Research-intensive o Health and leisure o Athletics

People/reputation Off it all – diversity New leadership Diversity – academic,

facilities, service With grad students: o Strong research programs o Research institute attached

to our faculty o Our Dean values the

graduate program Variety of programs Variety of opportunities Diversity


– 20 –

Have a valuable product: healthy living

With members/facility users: o Variety of facilities

o Affordable memberships o Knowledgeable customer

service reps With participants:

o Variety of programs o Link to academic programs o Convenience

Appendix G2: Weaknesses TOP WEAKNESSES o Funding model (lack of

funding) o Leadership/unified vision o Bureaucracy, red tape!

National reputation of the university (e.g., Macleans)

Not sexy (perception of Winnipeg)

Not enough awareness of career opportunities for graduates

Decision-making processes Red tape Accessibility (parking,

signage, facility accessibility, e.g., limited handicap access)

Infrastructure Lack of breadth of expertise

to deliver content beyond core programs

Lack of public knowledge of services offered

Lack of academic multicultural diversity representative of our society (behind the times)

Bureaucracy Outdated facilities (can’t offer

new programs) Lack of modern

facilities/maintenance Visibility => Funding =>

Partners Space facilities Slow process Parking Global

communication/marketing strategy (internal and external)

Lack of strategic feeder and marketing system

Competition among ourselves Culture Lack of support Faculty is low priority for

major resource allocation Space and facilities Funding (baseline) Facilities (dated) Funding Campus/faculty culture Image of U of M Lack of resources Resources: time, human,

money Leadership No doctoral program Location/climate

Appendix G3: Opportunities Movement toward healthy

living Waverly West New Dean and new university

President Creation of doctoral program Growth of South Winnipeg

(community) Degrees are growing in

professional sectors (demand increasing)

Athletic/rec fee $$$ Society’s promotion of

healthy living Increased interaction with

customers to get our “services” out there

Increasing momentum in our athletics profile

Bison sports identity Build on the relationship

between the faculty and central administration

Wellness institute

To capitalize on our knowledge base

Be leaders in the delivery of trends in growth of physical activity and healthy living

New synergy Expanding the way programs

and services are delivered o Technology o Remote communities

Opportunity to affect policy Taking advantage of

momentum created by the success of programs (Vanier Cup)

Opportunity to build relationship with new leadership (i.e. Dean/President)

Increased enrolment in faculty due to increased awareness of healthy living and need for professionals in school systems, etc.

Provide more age specific programming o Increased enrolment

Looking outside the box for alternative funding

Relieve tuition freeze Alliances with the

private/business sector and strategic partners

Lifetime service/programs Physical activity for health

promotion Vanier Cup Increased funding to the

university means an increased opportunity for us… base line funding

Grade 11 and 12 physical activity outside school

Provincial and national pressure towards healthy living

Healthy living as prevention and treatment of disease


– 21 –

New leadership New faculty Healthy living ministry Awareness of the impact of

physical activity and leisure on quality of life

Creation of flagship programs/services = inclusion of health, athletics, research, education, leisure, indoor/outdoor facilities

Kinesiologists recognized by a Health Care Act

Appendix G4: Threats TOP THREATS o Ability to attract/retain

students, academics and paying customers

o Limited external funding o Ability to implement

change o Lack of

understanding/value for what we do

Balancing virtual learning with sense of belonging

Ability to maintain strong staff and faculty

Changes in demographics Increase in cost of living Lack of government support o Vision o Funding o HR

Falling further and further behind (facilities)

Aging facility and dated Low priority on university list

(funding)

Greater competition for students, faculty, members, memberships

Funding priorities/resources Current business

plan/practices Lack of buy into the

mission/vision Ability to implement change? Competition Other universities Competition o Resources o Programs/services o Members o Students o Employees

Lack of recognition for our field

Increased demand for participation in the “trades”… and the income it demands

Single income: Less discretionary funds to spend on our programs and services

Tuition increase Ability to recruit and retain

students Differences in provincial

investments in PSE o Axworthy

Specialization Losing faculty to other

universities o Difficult to replace faculty

Inability to retain academics Public perception Lack of

knowledge/recognition of what we do as a profession

Lack of understanding and appreciation of what we do

Privacy laws make it harder to communicate and provide customer service

Appendix F1: Suggestions Build jam pail curling rinks

for campus. Next retreat, go away for an

overnight (when the kids get a bit older).

Do up an insert in the faculty promotional brochures that shows stats on career trends; i.e., “200 new Phys.Ed. teachers in the next five years”. This will show students that there are lots of jobs available in different fields for when they graduate.

A new proper fitness area and/or building.

Proper/ample parking.

Outdoor basketball court(s). Baseball diamond. Jogging/hiking/bike path

around the campus. Staff Bison events o Dinner & drinks before

game o Bring family, kids, etc.

Adherence and accountability to strategic plan.

Cut our workloads by 5% so we can talk to each other more. (It’s just a joke but too busy = no time to talk.)

Creation of one “area” where all the small victories can be celebrated:

o Info on research grants procured

o Athletes who win awards (both big and small)

o Spotlight on certain programs

o Info on class valedictorian o SAPHER events o Staff recognition awards

(e.g., Dr. Henry Janzen who won Reh-Fit Healthy Living Award)

o Special collaborative patnerships

Development of faculty Marketing/Communications Team/Strategy o Highlight internal expertise


– 22 –

o Highlight the cutting edge research conducted

o Market programs and services

o Create communications package to recruit athletes (what we offer to athletes, UofM affairs, what our specific faculty degrees offer)

o Liase with government to be instrumental in policy changes directly impacting our industry

o Develop aggressive marketing strategy to recruit graduate and undergraduate students

Appendix F2: Issues We have people on campus

not coming to us for programs such as CPR, First Aid, & Employee Wellness

We should be focusing on the needs and wants of our students/staff rather than trying to please the community.

Not all departments within faculty recognized/valued equally.

Lack of knowledge about the term “integrated faculty”.

Impact of integrating on internal and external stakeholders.

Space o Lack of… o Reorganization of… o How to prioritize

stakeholder needs Political manoeuvring Accessibility of buildings and

parking for all potential clients, students, and subjects.

“Sub” mission versus multiple missions on parallel levels/importance.

Don’t let new facility fever overtake the strategic plan.

Internal fighting for resources and space.

Clear priorities for usage of space.

Are we a business or an academic institution?

Each BSAL department treated and recognized equally.

Self-agenda of each BSAL department.

No common vision among BSAL directors.

When units bring in external funding use it (funding) to enhance the program and do not use it as a reason to fund them less!

People on campus do not know a great deal [about] what we do, services we offer.

Too many separate (personal) agendas.

Too many decision-makers. Too much “us” versus

“them”. A mud/gravel basement for a

fitness area at a major university.

Brutal parking. Need a holistic view of health

and wellness (not only active participation).

Feel like we need to go to the bookstore to buy Bison gear.

Lack of presence (respect, representation) on campus.

Need HR manager for KaRMa.

Appendix G: Feedback Where are the lifesavers? Great job in facilitating this

large group, Michael. Your session allowed ideas to flow from all aspects of this group. I thought the process was very well delivered.

Put table numbers on sticky notes.

Great facilitating.

Please try not to stand in front of screen.

Looking forward to Thursday (Day 2).

Instructions were confusing (maybe it’s just the group) for some of the exercises; i.e., stakeholders, etc.

Faculty should have made the second afternoon Team Building, but afternoon off is pretty cool.

Great job, Michael. Great leadership, Jane. Very

inspiring and motivating!!!

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Report on the Strategic Context of the University of ...€¦ · The Strategic Context – 2 – INTRODUCTION This document provides an initial assessment of the strategic context