Objectives
• Build upon analytical and development skills when preparing a case study
• Identify change initiatives to incorporate into the case study

Royal Botanical Gardens – https://www.rbg.ca/

Description
Case studies provide an opportunity to bring real-world practices into the classroom and boardroom for further study. You have had the opportunity to analyze and scrutinize a variety of case studies in this course, as well as others over your BBA studies, and you now have the opportunity to develop your own case study related to a change initiative at an organization.

Resources
Utilize this resource in order to gather information about the development of a case study:
Monash University Library. (n.d.). Writing a case study. Retrieved from https://www.monash.edu/rlo/quick-study-guides/writing-a-case-study

Instructions
Prepare a business case study outlining a change initiative in an organization, using the information below as a guide.
1. Maximum length: 20 double-spaced pages.
2. Follow APA standards for style, citations, and references (a minimum of 8 academic sources).
3. Your case study report should have the following components in this order:
a. Cover Page (Include name and student ID).
b. Executive Summary (Focus on key points/findings – often written last).
c. Background Information (A brief history of the organization and a current situation analysis outlining where the organization currently finds itself).
d. The Need for Change.
e. The Change Process.
f. Results.
g. Conclusions (Should include where the organization might go from here, and/or how the sustainability of the change can be ensured).
h. References.
i. Appendices (Any charts, financials, visuals, or other related items can be placed here and referenced in the report).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Case Study: Royal Botanical Gardens (Burlington, Ontario)

Name of the student

 

 

 

 

Affiliation

Course

Instructor’s name

Submission date

 

Executive Summary

The case study focuses on a change initiative in Royal Botanical Gardens Ontario (RBG). The proposed change involves developing a comprehensive vision and mandate for the organization’s alignment and positioning with external forces and internal processes. Through thematic analysis, literature review, and financial statement analysis, building the case study, developing the main issue, and providing a change management framework is compressively, coherently, and conclusively explained. The main issue in the case study was the need for change initiatives in the Royal Botanical Garden in response to changing market trends and a non-streamlined vision and mission mandate that dispositioned and impeded the organization from fulfilling long-term goals and decrees of the modern or 21st century botanic gardens.

The case study finds major forces for changes being sourced from internal, political, socio-cultural, operating, and economic environments. Specific forces identified in the external milieu included emerging trends in the Canadian environmental market, industrial trend changes and political involvement, changing business operations to integrate sustainability and CSR, and the need to provide an arena for educational research and experimental studies. Identified internal forces include changing organizational objectives, goals, and the mandate, revising the organizational structure, governance, and leadership, and improving operational processes in work processes, and human resource management. The case study integrates Kotter’s Eight Steps Framework in the execution of change in RBG. The study finds that the implemented changes were structural, strategic, process, and cultural. Essential results identified were both positive and negative. Assumptions made were on the inclusion criteria of employees resisting change, assuming interviews were conducted, and employees presented honest answers. Assumptions on the subjects included in the study were made among the project team and corporate executives.

Royal Botanical Gardens (Burlington, Ontario)

Introduction

Today, the corporate world is susceptible to numerous changes requiring organizations to remain adaptable and flexible in their internal and external operating environments. Effective change management is imperative among organizations in the quest to maintain and maximize their business sustainability competitive advantage, enhance business model survival, and boost the organization’s preparedness for the future. Effective change management becomes one of the strategic necessities and goals that an organization must integrate for corporate survival in the ever-changing and competitive industry (Pathak, 2010). Moreover, many organizations have undergone changes and transitions to align with the changing market demands, evolving customers’ needs and demographic requirements, and digitalization of businesses, among others. When strategic changes and initiatives are conducted in an organization, there is a need to ensure all involved stakeholders are well adaptive to ensure a successful transition that maximizes and does not halt an organization’s life.

Effective change management and transitions should consider organizational MVGOs, including mission, vision, goals, and objectives, to align the changes with the business processes and systems adequately. In this case study, the focus is on a change initiative in Royal Botanical Gardens Ontario (RBG). The development of an analytical, comprehensive, coherent, and conclusive case study is achieved in four main sections. In the first section, a brief but in-depth RBG background analysis is conducted highlighting the current status of the garden as an organization, its financial strength and performance, and industrial market analysis. In the second section, preceding problems are identified that establish the need for change in the organization identifying the underlying reasons for change and causal change forces. The third section focuses on the change process integrated, including Kotter’s eight steps plan, while identifying RBG’s ability to conduct effective change management. In the fourth section, an in-depth result analysis is undertaken to establish the effectiveness and efficiency of the change process in alignment with RBG’s business MVOGs. In the final part, the conclusion determines the effects of the change initiated in the company by evaluating its business processes and sustainability of the change.

Background Information

Organizational Profile

Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), Burlington Ontario, is described as the most extensive botanical garden Canada prides itself with, including being a national historic site as well as a charitable organization focusing on building cohesion between people, environment, and nature. It owns extensive natural premises that act as a tourist attraction site with attraction and historical sites. In addition, RBG collaborates with education facilities, horticultural agencies, and scientific research organizations as a resource for scientific research and development (RBG, 2020). This was as a result of organizational change initiated in the company, as described in the case study below. RBG was developed in the 20th century, around 1936, when the Board of Park Hamilton in Hamilton City first initiated the concept. For almost eight decades, equivalent to over 80 years, the garden has remained steadfast in its mandate to connect people with the planet and nature by awakening people on the beauty of plants and diversity and establishing a natural-oriented protective movement (RBG, 2020). Plant and animal species in the current world are susceptible to extinction, beginning with destructions of their habitats, presence of climate change, and regrettably human activities such as poaching and industrial businesses that maximize environmental degradation. These aspects would later form the basis for organizational change in RBG as major change forces.

RBG sits on a 2,700 acre, with 2,400 acres exclusively hosting nature sanctuaries of about 58 species, and the remaining 300 acres hosting gardens well cultivated and an arboretum. The land is solely environmentally sensitive and oriented. It protects and preserves Canadian nature and environment, improves the ecosystem, connects people with the planet, and establishes a balanced relationship between the main stakeholders, people, and nature. The guiding mission of the organization is, “We dedicate our expertise in horticulture, conservation, science and education to connect people, plants and places to nurture and preserve healthy growing life on our planet (RBG, 2017).” The mission shows all business processes and focuses that the garden prides in the environmental world. The guiding vision of RBG is,  “A world in which everyone is awake to the beauty, diversity,  necessity of plants, and from that consciousness more actively works together to protect and preserve plant species and habitats and, by extension, our planet (RBG, 2017).” After a successful change management process, these mission and vision statements were adopted in response to a vision and mandate change initiative initiated and discussed in this case study.

Financial Analysis Currently

According to RBG’s financial statements of the fiscal year 2018, the audit report shows a fair financial position and performance, as shown in Appendix I-III of outlined financial statements. Following ASNPO (Canadian Accounting Standards for Not-for-Profit Organizations), the organization’s financial activities and processes are ethically conducted with the management preparing effective and fair statements that have maximized internal control of the organization’s financial strength and performance. In 2018, the recorded revenue in 2018 was $17.1M and in 2017, $17.6M, a decrease of 2.7%. Moreover, in 2018’s statement of operation, RBG had an operating grant of $5.43M, an increment of 0.38% from 2017 operating grants of $5.41M. The increment realized was due to increased grants provided by the Hamilton city and Halton Municipality (RBG, 2019). In 2018, Hamilton city provided $625, 335 an increment of 1.5% in 2017, Halton provided $771,329, similarly an increase of 1.5%, with the Ministry of Tourism remaining steadfast in its donation of $4.04M in both years. The garden’s net asset was $7.43M, a loss and decrease in financial position by 7% compared to 2017. This loss was mostly acquired from the increased loss of the amortization of the organization’s capital assets of investment. Concisely, the total investment income in RBG in 2018 was $273,966, and an increase of 21% compared to 2017 (RBG, 2017). Concisely, in alignment with its financial sustainability goals, RBG presents a relatively low revenue to achieve its goals. Nevertheless, the financial position, health, and performance are relatively fair, with 2019 estimated revenue being 3.58M. BRG operates in the Environmental Services industry, whereby in the Canadian market, financial and market share seems to be growing and plentiful. In Canada, the Environmental industry sold $16.8B of goods and services in 2017, with the service sector, which includes the RBG accounting for $10.1B, equivalent to 40% (Statcan, 2019).

Problem Statement

Significant emerging trends in the Canadian environmental market include climate change and carbon print mitigation initiatives and promoting energy efficiencies. All these, including the necessity for a botanical garden to develop sustainable goals and objectives that align with the industries and Ministry, have resulted in the need for initiatives of change in the Royal Botanical Garden. In a committee review, conducted in RBG in response to this market trend, identified challenges facing the organization included a non-streamlined vision and mission mandate that would fulfill long-term goals and decrees of the modern or 21st century botanic gardens (Carter, 2005). This was in response to the industrial and market trends that necessitated the evolution of botanical gardens as not only sources of tourist attractions but platforms disseminating educational knowledge, promoting horticulture in the country, promoting environmental conservation, and playing a role in the research and development of ecological science.

The Need for Change

As identified above, RBG is faced with a vision and mandate restructuring challenge that requires making effective and significant changes or transitions in its organizational structure, propose, and governance. In the wake of the 21st century, the contemporary meaning of businesses changed to include not only profit making but also the sustainability of serving the planet and people as well as maximize corporate social responsibility in business operations, something that RBG seemed not to prioritize on (Pathak, 2010). The changing market trends in the environmental industry that involves industrial services, waste management, climate change, fuel efficiency, water treatment, and general ecological preservation have resulted in a shared or dependent sector. This requires clear and evidence-based mitigation strategies that can be sourced from botanical garden’s research of the species provided. The changes experienced in the external operating milieu of RBG necessitates a need analysis that requires restructuring the organization’s structure, governance, and mandate. An effective change process is crucial in this case, as it involves changing the organizational activities and procedures that affect all involved stakeholders, both internal and external.

 

Proposed Change: Developing a Comprehensive Vision and Mandate for Alignment and Positioning with External Forces and Internal Processes.

RBG needed to align its organizational culture, values, mission, vision, and corporate goals & objectives with the newly necessitated mandates of the Tourism Ministry of Canada. The committee held on deliberating the issue at hand and initiating a change and transition process. It believed that RBG played a crucial part in the horticulture, education, science, and research sectors. However, the vision developed and mandates granted were geared on providing tourist services, hence, making it un-positioned to fulfill overall expected duties to the community, country, and world at large (Pathak, 2010). Expanding its mandate and vision to include these aspects was a significant challenge to the RBG, as it involved restructuring its organizational structure, management, and company goals. However, on the positive side, it presented an unexploited opportunity of growth domestically in Canada, service differentiation, which would involve being an inter-industrial company, and an expansion growth strategy to help serve the world.

Changes to be made were aimed at creating a difference in Canada and globally. In terms of environmental conservation and preservation, expanding its corporate businesses that are in touch with the community, improving its surroundings, and promoting R & D for conclusive environmental preservation process. These examples identified an expanded mandate that would be realized through an operationalization plan affecting organizational governance, management, structure, and financial health. The expanded mandate required the RBG serves in not only providing tourist attraction services but also digging deeper into environmental conservation (Newhouse, 2007). It would involve contributing to horticultural thrive through its rich heritage of green lands and spaces that can be used to cultivate and manage gardens. In that case, RBG would increase botanical significance through the diversity of collections, effective maintenance, and investment in horticulture. Secondly, changes would ensure in-depth environmental conservation through cost-effective coordination and land management to protect, restore, and conserve natural habitats for plant and animal species.

Expanding these mandates would create an opportunity for R&D on ecological science as well as promote education in learning institutions. The 1,100 hectares of land possesses 58 species of plants and animals that would provide an opportunity and arena for scientific research on better species conservation, restoration, and sustainability (RBG, 2020). This would benefit not only the garden but also the world and community, as it will enhance future research and scientific research that can be incorporated globally to address eminent species extinction, the climate changed, and general environmental conservation. The interdependence is therefore established and expanded to include a significant role the RBG would play in promoting education. The presence of a botanical garden presenting opportunities to conduct scientific research and contributing to the development of horticulture and environmental conservation places the RBG as an experimental arena where higher learning institutions can hold experimental or demonstrative learning. Evidence and data acquired from the species found in the botanical garden would, therefore, be used to develop evidence-based solutions that are effective and improves environmental conservation outcomes. In this case, evidence-based research would help answer any ecological or environmental service questions through critical appraisal of information sourced from primary data and experimental research (Newhouse, 2007). In turn, this would improve the quality of information and mitigation strategies developed in environmental conservation, restoration, and protection (Bezzina, 2017).

Forces for Change

The need for changes in RBGs was sourced from both internal and external forces. Externally, sources and forces of change were sourced from political, socio-cultural, operating, and economic environments (Pathak, 2010). Significant emerging trends in the Canadian environmental market, including climate change and carbon print mitigation initiatives and promoting energy efficiencies, form significant change sources. All these, including the necessity for a botanical garden to develop sustainable goals and objectives that align with the industries and Ministry, were external causal factors. These present sources of economic and political external forces, as it involves industrial trend changes and political involvement. Operating external factors include changing business operations to include the sustainability of serving the planet and people and maximizing corporate social responsibility in business operations. The integration of these functions maximizes RBGs corporate responsibility, aligning with the socio-cultural factors, including the need to provide an arena for educational research and experimental studies (Pathak, 2010). The changing market trends in the environmental industry involves industrial services, waste management, climate change, fuel efficiency, water treatment, and general environmental preservation have resulted in a shared or dependent industry, providing a combination of political, economic, and socio-cultural change factors.

The presence of external forces, which were the primary and most influential causal factors, resulted in internal forces (Pathak, 2010). Fundamental internal forces included changing organizational objectives, goals, and the mandate, revising the organizational structure, governance, and leadership, improving operational processes in work processes, and human resource management.

 

External Forces	Internal Forces
Political, socio-cultural, operating, and economic environments	Changing organizational objectives, goals, and the mandate
Emerging trends in the Canadian environmental market	Revising the organizational structure, governance, and leadership
Industrial trend changes and political involvement	Improving operational processes in work processes, and human resource management.
Changing business operations to integrate sustainability and CSR
The need to provide an arena for educational research and experimental studies

Table 1: Change Forces

Types of Change Integrated 

The above-proposed changes involved major transitions and restructuring of RBG’s governance and leadership, management, and organizational structure to accommodate the expanded mandate and corporate vision. Types of changes required in the complete and successful implementation of change management and transition include internal structural, strategic, process, and cultural changes. Primarily, Macqueen (2019) defines structural organizational change, as changes made internally in an organization’s structure that are sourced from internal and external factors. Structural changes influence an organization’s running and operation as it touches on an organization’s management systems, hierarchies of command, job structures, and administrative processes (MacQueen, 2019). In RBG, structural changes were imminent, as management, leadership, and governance would be altered to accommodate increased corporate functions and departments. A renewed leadership, management, and governorship structure were necessary to ensure efficacy in functions and mandate execution as well as providing an accountable command, is performance and achievement-oriented, and values quality. Thus, the organizational structure would require changing from simple, functional organization to a complex or matrix organizational structure with increased Board of Management representing the newly integrated functions. Besides, it involved having directors from the dominant supporters and donors, namely the Canadian Ministry of Culture, Hamilton City, and Regional Municipal, as seen in the company’s financial statements. Management changes required introducing new functions of Administration and Finance, Horticultural & Conservation Department, Research, Education, and Development departments. They would need CEOs with increased employment opportunities.

Strategic organizational changes include changes made in an organization’s purpose of existence, mission, strategy, and overall goals (Bergen, 2012). In RBGs, the proposed change initiative is developing a comprehensive vision and mandate aligning with external and internal industrial requirements. This means that strategic changes are essential to effectively position itself in the global economy and accommodate increased stakeholders such as the government’s involvement and partnerships with learning institutions. The attainment of structural and strategic changes results in a need to make cultural and process changes to ensure the workers align with the newly developed changes and transitions. This included restructuring their organizational culture to align and accommodate the expanded positioning focusing on an achievement, bureaucratic, and focused culture. Moreover, RBG required evolving its hiring, selection, and recruitment processes through new job structures to include new CEOs, directors, and employees.

Figure 1: Forces-Change Relationship

The Change Process

Webber describes three types of environments in which organizations operate: stable, changing, and turbulent environments. A turbulent environment involves rapid and unexpected changes such as rapid technological changes, globalization, launching unexpected products and services among competing organizations, and revolutionary innovations that destabilizes and re-defines an industrial competitive edge. Stable environments of business operations involve minimized or no sudden or unexpected changes. In contrast, a changing environment includes expected changes such as governmental laws, market trends, and technological developments that are anticipated and unanticipated. In this case, RBGs operated in a dynamic or changing environment, where the 21st century presented new opportunities and threats in market trends and technological development. In that case, it was important for RBG to understand its organizational-environment interface. In the exchange interface, influence, information, and resources are exchanged, and since the external forces have the highest significant power over the organization’s change, RBGs was mandated to develop values, a culture, and MVGOs globally diverse and inclusive.

The change process developed integrated the Kotter’s eight steps plan. Kotter summed perceived changes of change that can be used to initiate sustainable transformation and successful change in an organization. The eight steps developed include in the first step, creating urgency of change in the organization. The second step comprises forming effective and power teams or coalitions that would effectively lead the change. The third step requires creating a vision to act as a directive and guiding framework and communicating it in step four. In step five, empowering action in the successful execution of change is conducted to eliminate potential impediments such as resistance and risks that may undermine change systems or processes. In step six, the development of short-term successes is undertaken. In the seventh step, change consolidation and operationalization continues to pave the way for the eighth step, which involves institutionalizing the changes as the new approaches. In relation to RBGs, the implementation of Kotter’s change model was improvised to divide the eight steps into three main phases as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Kotter’s 8 Steps Change Framework

In the first phase, RBGs created a climate for change in the organization integrating the first three steps of Kotter’s change model. Creating a change and transition emergency included calling for an emergency meeting with the existing governing, management, and leadership body, including the chairperson, CEO, and three directors. It was in this stage that the review committee presented market and industrial realities, identifying the main problem, potential crises, and opportunities arising. The involved members had conflicting interests and perspectives with change proponents describing it as a blessing in disguise. In contrast, opponents described it as a futile investment, costly, and a chance to completely change the initial mandate and essentiality of the garden as a tourist attraction site. The divisions and conflicting interests required effective decision-making, which was poorly conducted, as the change was implemented without full support from some of the top executives. Berson (2019) establishes the essential roles of leaders as well as their impact on organizational change. Leaders have a direct link in facilitating and implementing change in an organization, including making strategic decisions that direct and guide the change process (Berson, 2019).

Despite the internal divisions among leaders, a consensus was reached. The proponents of the change won the vote, which resulted in forming an effective and powerful coalition that would effectively lead the change. The alliance consisted of the CEO, two directors, and four employees from the communication, marketing, and financial departments. Each team was assigned to their respective roles and duties throughout the change process. These responsibilities were recorded in a RACI matrix to enable each member to identify their responsibility, accountability on deliverables, and who was to be consulted as well as informed, as seen in Appendix IV. In addition, a communication plan was developed that facilitated reporting changes and progress of the process, as seen in Appendix V. Upon assembling the most applicable team, a vision was developed that identified the need for changes, transformations that would take place, and each stakeholder’s responsibility in ensuring effective change management and sustainability.

In the second phase of the RBGs change process, an engaging and enabling climate was established. This was achieved by communicating the developed vision, empowering action in the successful execution of change, and developing short-term successes. When delivering the vision, the responsible leader was from the Communication department, who explained the need for change, described the benefits of the changes, and collected feedback and employee reactions. Expounding on the need and advantages of the shift were efficiently covered. However, the latter requirement was not addressed. The aim of communicating the change process underway was to get everyone onboard, maximize support, and eliminate potential impediments such as resistance and risks that could undermine change systems or processes. This objective was not adequately achieved. Many employees were recorded resisting the change, claiming that it would eliminate the primary purpose of the garden, which would probably be their job security. They wondered whether the expansion and changes would affect their duties, jobs, and pay structure. Despite the significant concerns, they were not addressed or integrated when making changes in the organization. Overly, empowering the crowd was relatively, or some would describe as subjectively achieved, despite having many internal and external stakeholders such as the customers, partnership agency, and community supporting the changes underway in RBGs. Much positive feedback motivated the project team to push further for more wins, and over the period, changes were integrated and became part of the new RBGs we have today.

In the final phase of the change process, RBGs decided to consolidate the newly integrated functions and institutionalize the changes as the new approaches. Remarkable processes witnessed in consolidating the improvements were on hiring, selection, and recruitment. In this process, job structures were developed in alignment with the newly formed organizational culture. Hiring requirements focused on talent or educational experiences and candidates that understood what RBGs stood for, its MVGOs, and shown interest in customer satisfaction and experiences. Processes were digitalized extensively with a diverse and inclusive workforce. At first, the changes faced resistance, and adaptation was challenging, especially among the existing employees. Normalcy seized to exist, and the previously known visions and guidelines expanded. The part of the workforce that remained ‘stuck’ in the past RBG seemed to have a hard time adapting. In addition, the new workforce was seen to struggle to understand the operations of the organization. Besides, the existing workforce was of no much assistance, as they considered themselves new in a transformed and restructured organization.

Despite the main challenges that were expected and planned for, the change process of RBGs was a success as it transitioned into the newly functioning organization. The mission and vision statements are compressive, as they openly disclose the purpose of the organization. When analyzing the effectiveness, viability, alignment, applicability, and efficiency of vision and mission statements, Nataraj (2015) provides four main elements of analysis, including

1. Mission components (philosophy (1), markets (2), customers (3), growth, survival, profitability (4), self-concept (5), products/services (7), image (6), employees (8), technology (9).
2. Purpose (what they want to become), strengths (aspects they are best in) (10)
3. Indication of strategic goals and objectives (11) (Nataraja, 2015).

Table 2 summarizes the mission and vision statement analysis conducted to determine their alignment, comprehensiveness, and efficiency.

Organization	Statements	Analysis
Royal Botanical Garden, Burlington, Ontario	Mission “ {To be recognized in Canada and throughout the world (6) (2) for our unique contribution to the collection, research, conservation, exhibition and interpretation (7) of the plant} (11) {world and the development of public understanding and appreciation of the relationship between the plant world, Humanity and the rest of nature (2) (RBG, 2017).”} (10)	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 √ √ √ x x √ √ x √ √ √   The purpose is indicated and specified Goals and objectives are specified
	Vision “{A world (6) in which everyone (2) (3) is awake to the beauty, diversity, necessity of plants, and from that consciousness (7)} (11) {more actively works together to protect and preserve plant species and habitats and, by extension, our planet (1)} (10) (RBG, 2017).”	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 √ √ √ x x √ √ x x √ √   The purpose is indicated and specified Goals and objectives are specified

Table 2: Mission and Vision Statement Analysis

Results

The change process adopted in RBGs resulted in both positive and negative results in the organizational performance, productivity, and competitive advantage in the first years but soon after picked up momentum and gained essential results in the productivity and performance locally and globally. Primarily, a noticeable negative result immediately after the institutionalization of the changes was in the digitalization of processes and embracing a changing working environment in terms of employee diversity and inclusivity. As mentioned above at first, the changes faced resistance, and adaptation was challenging, especially among the existing employees. Normalcy seized to exist, and the previously known vision and guidelines expanded. The part of the workforce that remained ‘stuck’ in the past RBG seemed to have a hard time adapting. In addition, the new workforce was seen to struggle to understand the operations of the organization. These challenges were due to the subjectivity and insufficient change and vision communication to employees on personal levels as well as not integrating employees in the planning and execution of the transition, since the first step and phase. The many employees who recorded resisting the change, claiming that it would eliminate the primary purpose of the garden, which would probably be their job security translated their concerns and negativity in the transitioned organization, hence affecting productivity and performance in the first stages of newness.

Positive changes witnessed included increased cultural performance, increased financial strength, and performance. For instance, in 2017, RBGs was able to disburse about $1.05M to support other botanical gardens and institutions in a tree planting, research, and environmental conservation. The diversity exposed RBG to global, environmentally oriented campaigns that help in raising funds to support environmental initiatives. In another instance, in an event referred to as the Big Five Christmas Challenge of UK, RBGs participation resulted in €20,000 (Sharrock, 2018). Moreover, when comparing annual revenues of the given financial annual reports of the company since 2016-2018, as seen in Appendix VI and VII, shows an increasing trend in revenue acquisition, increase in expenses, and substantial net assets acquisition in the company (RBG, 2019). The expanded mandates have opened other opportunities, including increased admissions and memberships. As opportunities and activities increase, there seems to be an increase in expenses that have been sourced form funding the mandated activities of horticulture, education programs, R&D, and environmental conservation initiatives. The financial strength and performance for the company seems to be performing more than before, with increased productivity.

Environmental knowledge, solutions, attitude, and willingness to act has been promoted highly since the implementation of the changes. Just as predicted and expected, RBGs in the contemporary world plays a crucial part in the horticulture, education, science, and research sectors. It is not only a source of tourist attractions but also a platform disseminating educational knowledge, promoting horticulture in the country, promoting environmental conservation, and playing a role in the research and development of ecological science (Sharrock, 2018). This is seen through its immense contributions to horticultural thrive through its rich heritage of green lands and spaces that are used to cultivate and manage gardens. RBG has increased botanical significance through the diversity of collections, effective maintenance, and investment in horticulture. Significant achievements include initiatives to protect rare species and extensive garden surveys. Through research, partnerships, education, and awareness creation, cost-effective coordination, and land management to protect, restore, and conserve natural habitats for plant and animal species are achieved in many regions. It has provided an opportunity and arena for scientific research on better species conservation, restoration, and sustainability, enhancing future and scientific research. The organization collaborates with the University of Cambridge, holds educational conferences globally, and facilitates adult education and school programs.

In a journal report, RBGs, global expansion strategy has been achieved, as sustainable developmental agendas in environmental conservation are realized. The number of visitors in the gardens has increased to 500 million annually, community participation and participation has enormously improved. For instance, in 2017, RBGs trained about 957 people from 48 different countries on a tree campaign that was global in nature, where over 120 tree species were planted in 17 countries (Sharrock, 2018). Over time, these tree species have resulted in new 450,000 seedlings that have helped reinforce and re-introduce tree conservation and protection. Concisely, the organization is involved in global research, environmental campaigns, and initiatives in Asia, Africa, USA, and Europe.

When analyzing the vision and mission statements observed above, one can conclude that RBGs is working in alignment with the intended purposes, goals, objectives, mission, and vision. However, they can revise it to include the missing elements of sustainability, self-concept, employees, and technology. According to the organization’s news, RBGs is seen to develop a 25-year plan that would improve the existing mandated functions as well as addressing new trends in the environmental industry (Sharrock, 2018). In the master plan, RBGs seeks to elevate its business processes and activities to a global level, addressing climate change issues, ensuring global conservation of plants and animal species, and reinforcing economic sustainability (Sharrock, 2018). This shows that the change process was effectively implemented, acting as a solid background and foundation for extensive plans and strategies such as the 25-year master plan. The plan extends the existing problems and helps exploit untapped industries, market trends, and dynamic customer needs. Concisely, the change process has opened RBGs to the global world, maximized its corporate social responsibility, and helped fulfil planet and people protection. According to the triple down theory, an organization should strive to enhance people, planet, and profit, which RBGs has achieved, except for the fact that it is a non-profit organization; hence, profits are un-prioritized objectives (Żak, 2015).

RBGs prides in extensive cultural response and increased community responsibility. Currently, it employees about 400 employees, which forms an essential source of employment. This translates in internal and external benefits, including political contribution through research and supporting the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. The interdependences established among sectors in the environmental services industry translates in the quality of the economy and industrialization (RBG, 2020). As through research and evidence-based practice facilitated by RBGs and learning institutions provide mitigation strategies and preventive initiatives that are incorporated in these industries to reduce carbon prints, pollution, and climate change. The success of RBGs is in alignment with compelling and supporting organization MVGOs and the presence of an engaged, motivated, and participative workforce. During the change process, a remarkable foundation in the human resource department was made whereby, job structures were developed in alignment with the newly formed organizational culture, hiring requirements focused on not only talent or educational experiences but also candidates that understood what RBGs stood for, its MVGOs, and shown interest in customer satisfaction and experiences. These special considerations help the organization execute and implement all business operations and activities. RBGs invested in its workforce to ensure they are valuable and assets of the company (PSU, 2016). Employees are brand ambassadors of an organization’s products and services as well as success determinants and drivers of change and sustainability, making it a good investment in RBGs.

Conclusion

Royal Botanical Gardens, as a non-profit environmental organization operates in a changing environment characterized by newly developed changing market trends and dynamics of environmental services. Changes made had laid a strong foundation for extensive plans and strategies such as the 25-year master plan, which is one of the sustainability plan and strategy (Sharrock, 2018). In order to achieve change sustainability, RBGs should consider three primary aspects including training its workforce on business processes, MVGOs, and activities to ensure they are well equipped, with adequate skills, knowledge, and abilities to execute duties with high-quality performance and productivity. Secondly, the organization should revise its communication procedures and decision-making models to develop an effective communication strategy. The strategy should support top down-approach with open and two-way communication framework in collaboration with a participatory decision-making model. This way, even employees are involved in decisions such as changes to ensure employee or stakeholder resistance is eliminated. Finally, RBG should implement a support structure that will help its employees emotionally, psychologically, and physically to ensure maximized engagement, job satisfaction, and productivity.

 

References

Bergen, B. K. (2012). Louder than words: The new science of how the mind makes meaning. New York: Basic Books.

Berson, S. O. (2019). Leaders’ Impact on Organizational Change: Bridging Theoretical and Methodological Chasms. Academy of Management Annals, Vol 13(1).

Bezzina, F. (2017). Evidence-based human resource management practices in three EU. European Management Journal, Vol. 35 pp. 688-700.

Carter, R. W. (2005). A Fresh Start for the RBG: Final Report of the Royal Botanical Gardens Review Committee. Ontario: RBG.

MacQueen, J. (2019). Culture and Organizational Change. The Flow of Organizational Culture, 65-89.

Nataraja, S. (2015). Vision and Mission Statement Analysis. Journal of Competitiveness Studies, Vol 23(3), pp; 1-103.

Newhouse, R. P. (2007). Organizational change strategies for evidence-based practice. Journal of Nursing Administration, Vol 37(12), 552–557.

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Żak, A. (2015). TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE CONCEPT IN THEORY AND PRACTICE. Social Responsibility of Organizations, 252-264.

 

 

Appendix I: Statement of Financial Position

 

Appendix II: Statement of Operations

 

Appendix III: Cash Flow Statement

 

Appendix IV: RACI Matrix Chart

R– Responsible

A– Accountable

C– Consultation

I – Informed

 

 

 

 

 

Tasks	CEO	Director 1	Director 2	Finance Dpt.	Communications Dpt.	Marketing Dpt.
Project head & manager	R	A	C	I	I	I
Marketing the new RBGs	I	A	C	C	R	R
Communicating with partners, clients, partners, employees	I	C	C	C	A	R
Providing financial services	C	A	A	R	I	I

 

 

Appendix V: Communication Plan

Sender	Receiver	Message	Medium	Report
CEO	All supervisors	Weekly reports submission	Memo	Weekly
Department heads	Directors, CEO	Kindly, confirm the approval of the designs and financial requirements	Email	Weekly
Directors	CEO, Department heads	Weekly reports	Memo, email	Weekly

 

 

 

Appendix VI: Financial Comparison 2016-2018

	2016	2017	2018
Revenue	$15,744,731	$17,597,083	$17,127,146
Expenses	$15,590,525	$17,554,350	$17,087,141
Net assets	$8,124,509	$8,570,116	$17,433,795
Cash at the end of the year	$1,702,534	$607,750	$1,709,855
Excess	$298,804	$200,119	(192,512)

 

Appendix VII: RGBs 2016-2018 Financial Comparison