Evaluation Of Sustainable Enterprise Characteristics: A Case Study Of Nike

Characteristics of an Effective Monitoring System

Discuss about the Evaluation Sustainable Enterprise Characteristic.

The aim of the present paper is to accomplish a fruitful evaluation of the key characteristic features of the monitoring systems and the criterions those establish efficient indicators. This initial attempt would be followed by an in-depth elaboration of the sustainability dimensions attained by the considered organization in this present assignment. Most importantly, the assignment would successfully enlist and assess the indicators for monitoring, which will be accompanied by a detailed development plan. In this context, it is to state that the entire paper will concentrate on the dunphy phase in which the chosen company is currently at along with figuring out in which convenient dunphy extent, the company could elevate itself. It is to convey in the respect that, for the mentioned attempt the paper have considered the global organization Nike.

Prior to evaluate the prime characteristics of an effective monitoring system, it is significant to add that in a business organization monitoring system is necessary for preventing circumstances of adverse consequences. More specifically, in case of achieving any particular project or business program, an organization requires maintaining observation and taking records of each of the activities included in the program or project. The reason behind this importance is to see whether the designed activities are working as per the expectation to accomplish the organizational aim (Bell & Morse, 2013). Among the fundamental characteristic features of an effective monitoring system, probably the most significant one is an efficient monitoring system make measurement and produce reports based on the results that are reflected through the particular strategic objectives of an individual organization. Furthermore, this characteristic feature is followed by the attribute of identifying key existing issues.

However, most importantly, in case of evaluating the roles of monitoring system, it is necessary to give an eye upon the rudimentary types of monitoring and indicators frequent among the business organizations. It has been found that the most common kinds are – physical and financial monitoring, process monitoring, impact monitoring, project and decision making monitoring. The specific roles of each of this monitoring system are as follow –

Different kinds Save Time On Research and Writing Hire a Pro to Write You a 100% Plagiarism-Free Paper. Get My Paper	Characteristics
Physical and financial monitoring	Making measurement of the rate of progress of activities of a particular project against the procured indicators and schemes of success
Process monitoring	Recognizing the distinct factors, which accounts for the advancement of the activities designed for acquiring proper output production (Aoki, 2013)
Impact monitoring	The chief role of impact monitoring is to measure the actions and reactions regarding the project activities and the initial short term effects of them
Project on sustainability monitoring	To monitor the assigned or adopted models of corporate social responsibilities

Table 1: Characteristics of various monitoring system

(Source: As created by the author)

In this context of evaluating the role or rudimentary traits of monitoring any project of an organization, it has been found out that the every projects are monitored based on several significance, which are –

• Assessing the understanding of the stakeholders who are related with a project
• Reducing the risk factors of the projects
• Promoting a management which is systematic as well as professional
• Analyzing the progress regarding any implementation

Rudimentary Types of Monitoring and Indicators

Most significant aspect to be identified in this respect is the particular standards, which potentially contribute to establish an effective indicator. Predominantly, there are seven particular aspects which cumulatively give birth to an efficient indicator are –

Essential characteristics	Elaboration
Simple	To acquire a convenient indicator, the indicator essentially needs to stay simple. There are two individual ways for this, one is it has to be easily comprehended and the other is, it should be easily measurable
Aligned	It has been identified from the existing literatures that to become an effective indicator, it needs to stay aligned. More specifically, indicating objects should attempt to trickle down through the strategic goals and the regular operations, which have direct influence upon the activities of the employees (Aoki, 2013).
Relevant	It is considered that to become effective, an indicator needs to maintain its relevance. It means that indicating tools or measurement strategies should be applicable according to designed activities. Moreover, in terms of being relevant, indicating or measurement options should stay relevantly aligned with the organizational aims.
Measurable	An indicator needs to become measurable to assess both the positive and negative outcomes obtained from a goal. To become measurable in terms of being effective, an indicator should rely on potential and prioritized organizational goals.
Achievable	To become effective, an indicator needs to become easily accessible or achievable. It has been identified that according to NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) unachievable goals are synonymous with de-motivating factors. It is to say in this context that an indicator prove unattainable only when the established aims are unachievable (Bell & Morse, 2013).
Timely	An effective indicator needs to be timely. More precisely, an indicator should have the time management quality, for producing report on time and make an in-depth analysis of the report timely.
Visible	Another essential characteristic of an effective indicator is visibility. It means that the analysis of the outcomes by an indicator needs to be visible for every employee of an organization.

Table 2: Characteristics for developing a relevant indicator

(Source: As created by the author)

The organization chosen for description of the sustainable approaches along with sustainability dimension and indicators for monitoring the activities of sustainability is Nike, Inc. Nike is an American multinational giant that is focused into designing, developing, manufacturing, sales and marketing of the apparel, footwear, accessories, equipment and services to the global market. Nike is considered as one of the largest manufacturers of equipments of sports and suppliers of apparel and athletic shoes. Worldwide Nike has a huge market and it employs more than 44,000 employees as of 2012. However, in the year of 2014, Nike valued $19 billion. It makes Nike the most valuable brand in the perspective of sports businesses. Nike is also popular in most of the countries of the world. The brand slogan “Just do it” and the swoosh logo are the most popular things of the brand that reinforces the minds of the people about the brand Nike (Goswami & Ha-Brookshire, 2015). The trademark phrase is responsible for counteracting different types of effects in terms of change of climate in by developing different approaches of sustainability in the community. It can be said that Nike is considered as one of the top companies of the world in terms of environment friendly. There are many types of sustainability approaches initiated by the company in order to maintain environmental sustainability. The vision statement of the company usually focuses on the situation of the businesses i.e. it will speculate the scarcity of different types of information that is aligned to the corporate values.

The sustainability approaches of Nike is embedded the approaches of sustainability across different kinds of signals and businesses. Organizational commitment of Nike is committed into setting aggressive sustainability targets while investing in different types of disruptive innovation. These approaches are responsible for driving the growth of the company. It will deliver the performance of the innovation that the company is focused into i.e. boosting up the athletes by developing different types of accessories such as footwear, apparels, etc. The sustainability approaches acts as a catalyst in order to create an innovative effect and difference to the world especially to the community as a whole. Nike is committed in expanding its business almost to double while creating a challenge for them in attaining the number one position in its sector of industry. The bold ambition of the company is to take as much as possible more than that of its incremental efficiency. The innovation of Nike is an important aspect that is famous across the world. The company follows various aspects in different business operations including formulating sustainability approaches (Borland & Lindgreen, 2013). The sustainability department of the company focuses on different dimensions of social, cultural, economic and environmental dimensions. The dimensions are important in terms of developing a developmental plan while monitoring its aspects in the field of work. The sustainability goals of the company are reducing carbon emissions, delivering reduction of substantial water, working with better and fewer contract factories, driving down waste and improved product sustainability in a period of continuous growth.

The Enterprise

Prior to evaluate the dimensions of sustainability incorporated by Nike, it is essential to state that predominant dimensions related with the acts of sustainability are social, environmental and economic. It has been identified that through the global sustainability report of the considered organization – Nike preferably prioritize the need to maintain all its operations sustainable. It is evident based on the facts that Nike in the present year, Nike intends to make near about 10% decrease in its average rate of environmental footprint by its nature-friendly production of shoes. Moreover, it has been identified that Nike is impressively using less amount of energy for reducing the carbon emission and has already decided that Nike in its operated facilities, the company targets to use near about 100% renewable energies (Ciegis et al. 2015). Therefore, considering Nike’s existing contribution through its sustainable activity, it is understandable that the organization needs to prioritize the social and economical dimension with more significance along with the environmental one. Therefore, numerous relevant strategies could be given regarding two of these sustainable dimensions.

As part of the economic dimension that could be applied to the organization – Nike, it could be said that the in terms of the dimension, the company can be said that the company should give importance to become more profitable, have low-cost or cost effective production and provide affordable price for their products. Moreover, in terms of economic dimension of sustainability, Nike should keep in mind the need to produce products, which have high demand and should give significance in paying tax and using local resources (Wood & Hertwich, 2013). Considering this dimensions, Nike should consider recruiting the local individuals with high talent in each of its regional front. Moreover, in their production, the company should consider using materials, which are available from the local territory. Most significantly, the company could consider building a separate decision making council or a consultation team, which will help in formulating and implementing the required strategies. Furthermore, as per Hawkins et al. (2014), an advisory group of stakeholders composed of both public and private alongside civic stake holding entities who will be able to support the strategies for sustainable economic advancement. Possibly, under the title of economic dimension, Nike should maintain four individual objectives, which are green savings, green opportunities, green talents and green places. Through the objectives of green savings and green opportunities, the company could encourage community, governments and other companies to use renewable energies and assist market and economical growth of the companies through business development and increasing the rate of income (Winter & Knemeyer, (2013). On the other hand, through the objectives of green talent and green places, Nike can invest in the advancement of technical and educational research and innovation as well as can promote the eco-smart development.

Sustainability Dimension

Nevertheless, on the part of social dimension, Nike should give priority to produce products, which can improve the community lives, to maintain the resource materials with responsibility and to support communities to acquire a better living. Moreover, it would be required for to concentrate on to improving the quality of the environment of the neighboring society (Missimer, 2013). Henceforth, to maintain these dimensions, Nike should give priority to numerous aspects, such as social equity, health equity, cultural competence, social capital and labor rights. In terms of social equity, Nike should consider providing equal job opportunities to the local inhabitants and in terms health equity, Nike should think about providing health benefits to the exiting employees along with supporting the community to occupy convenient and accessible health benefits. On the other hand, in terms of cultural competence, Nike can promote the cultural activities of the neighborhood globally through impressive investment. It would be relevant for maintaining a successful brand image alongside would increase cultural competencies (Montiel & Delgado-Ceballos, 2014). However, for labor rights, which are regarded as one of the major facets of social dimension of sustainability, Nike should increase the empowerment among its employees and should provide equal opportunities and an impressive scale of payment to them. Moreover, it would be relevant to include the employees in time of taking major decisions in terms of maximizing labor rights.     

Moreover, in terms of social capital, Nike should focus on maximizing the communication between the employees, peers and seniors within the organization. It would be relevant as per the significance of implementing strong social networking, which leads to strengthen the position of social capital (Kharrazi et al. 2013).

In the above section, the sustainability dimensions of Nike are explained in a detailed manner. The dimensions are categorized into three categories socio-cultural, economic and environmental dimensions. However, the indicators are chosen in order to control the strategies, activities and other policies regarding the dimensions of sustainability. There are many regulatory requirements that that are prevalent in choosing indicators which are more relevant to the sustainability approaches of Nike. However, the indicators chosen for the three dimensions of sustainability are discussed in the form of a table.

Indicator Name	Definition	Measurement	Limitations
Resource consumption rates	Resource consumption rates in terms of environmental aspects of Nike are defined as the consumption of different types of sustainable approaches of Nike. It can be said that Nike will use its resources to its fullest in order to create successful strategies in the environmental aspect of the sustainability dimensions (Egels-Zandén, 2016).	Rates of resource consumption are measured by the supervisors that are kept for checking the optimum use of different types of available resources.	Limitations of this indicator is sometimes actual measurement of resources are not calculated in an exact amount.
Embodied or embedded carbon	This dimension of embedded carbon is related to the emission of carbon by Nike in their manufacturing sites and other departments of operations (Epstein & Buhovac, 2014).	Carbon footprint or the amount of carbon emitted by Nike can be measured scientifically using various devices.	Limitation of this indicator includes that if the rate is high, then government will control the emissions of carbon by introducing many regulations regarding environmental protection act.
Changes in flora, fauna and local ecosystems	In terms of flora and fauna in the ecosystems, changes in terms of flora and fauna are responsible for creation of change in the sustainable approaches.	It can be said that there are no particular ways of measuring flora and fauna in terms of using this aspect in the sustainable approach of Nike.	There are many limitations to the changes in fauna and flora because it might affects the different strategies of the sustainable approaches of Nike.
Loss of materials	Loss of materials and energy is the most important aspect in terms of measuring the different approaches of the sustainability of Nike.	Loss of energy and other materials can be measured by scientific instruments and other devices.	Limitations of this indicator are almost nil.

Indicators	Definition	Measurement	Limitations
Human rights commitment	It is defined as the total number of suppliers who are selected for the criteria of the human rights.	It can be measured directly by any instruments. Manual head count of the persons involved in it and the level of commitment can be gained by collecting feedback from the persons associated with the strategies of sustainability.	Indicators of social factors must have some limitations. Sustainability is a sensitive issue that has a connection with the cultural element.
Customer satisfaction	Customer satisfaction is a vital indicator while measuring the effectiveness of the sustainable strategies adopted by Nike in the socio-cultural aspect.	Customer satisfaction can be measured by the loyalty programs set by Nike for customer engagement. From this aspect, feedback of the customers can be known from these types of technologies (Werbach, 2013).	Limitations of customer satisfaction include vivid nature of customers and their preferences into it.
Number of outcomes in the community engagement initiatives	It is the indicator that is used by Nike in order to practice the different initiatives of sustainability in order to engage the community as a whole.	The number of outcomes will be measured in order to measure the effectiveness of the implemented strategies.	Limitations of this indicator are related to the decreased number of outcomes to the expected outcomes.

Indicators	Definition	Measurement	Limitation
Business efficiency	It is the most important indicator that is related to the applicability of the different types of sustainable strategies adopted by Nike in their different branches of operations.	Efficiency of a business vertical can be measured in different ways while improving the profitability.	Limitations of business efficiency will definitely hamper the economic aspects of the company.
Waste	Waste management is a major aspect which is a major concern that is related to the actual outcomes of the strategy implemented by Nike (Galpin, Whitttington & Bell, 2015).	Waste can be measured in many terms using scientific devices along with other modern technologies.	A limitation of waste is that the company must recycle the maximum amount of waste in the manufacturing process.

Following the importance of the dimensions prescribed under the title of sustainability dimension, it is understandable that the concerned company – Nike would have to elevate itself in the social and economical dimension. It is because of the fact that the company has been found to give more attention upon the environmental dimension of sustainability, henceforth the organization required to develop relevant strategic steps to perform well upon the social and economical dimensions of sustainability. Therefore, an appropriate plan to develop operations for the two mentioned dimensions of sustainability will be –

Development objectives	Actions	Resources	Responsible authority	Time
To develop a separate decision making council	·         Enlist name of the significant authorities ·         Hold a face to face meeting with them	Chief executives from production team, finance, marketing and quality control	The present CEO of the organization	Within two months
To develop a team whose responsibility will be to promote the importance of using renewable energies	·         Hire individuals for this specific goal ·         Include a responsible authority from the production management department ·         Organize public events and broadcast over the topic, which will be covered during the event	New employees, one responsible manager from the manufacturing department	Human resource department	Three months
To develop a team whose responsibility will be only to make thorough market research and keeps records regarding the current needs of development among the community	·         Hire individuals who have experience in thorough market research	New employee with impressive amount of experience in market and community research	Human resource department	Four months
To introduce health programs for the employees and a specific monitoring team	·         Design several health packages ·         Make thorough enquiry about the present need for medical facilities upon the existing employees	·         Health check up team, first aid kits for each and every employee and health insurance ·         A group of individuals to monitor whether employees are acquiring enough medical help or not	Management from each division, Human resource management	Three months

Table 3: Development plan

(Source: As created by the author)

Conclusion

The entire paper initially indicates that the chief features of an effective monitoring system are it makes appropriate measurement of the activities undertaken for accomplishing success of an organization. Moreover, the paper has indicated that an efficient indicator should be relevant, simple, attainable, timely and visible. However, considering the considered company Nike’s existing sustainability activities, the assignment has indicated the fact that the organization chiefly concentrates upon the environmental dimension of sustainability. The assignment indicates that the organization should elevate itself to accomplish the other two major dimensions of sustainability, which are social and economic. Furthermore, based on this particular realization, the paper has discussed that in terms of economic sustainability, the organization should have objectives like green savings, green opportunities, green talents and green places, whereas for social sustainability, the enterprise should focus upon aspects like social equity, health equity, cultural competence, social capital and labor rights. Finally, considering the existing requirements for sustainability, the paper has designed a detailed development plan, that highlights that the organization should develop separate groups for decision making, community research and monitoring along with medical facilities for accomplishing an appraisable global sustainability.

References

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