Introduction And Background

Introduction and Background

Adapting to the rapidly changing global environment is difficult for all organizations. Opportunities for expansion and innovations in technology offer both businesses and non-profit organizations can often challenge leaders and stretch resources. This paper describes the efforts of one particular organization to adapt to both external and internal forces. It also suggests a strategy for managing this process that takes into account its mission and history.

International Missions Incorporated, IMI, was founded in 1930 through the merger of two evangelical mission organizations, both founded by American missionaries in the 19th century. IMI's early efforts focused on Hong Kong and India and then expanded in the 1940's and 1950's into Iran, Kenya and Pakistan. Growth was steady but relatively slow. New fields were added in countries that were open to traditional missionary approaches. Many of IMI's missionaries felt that the organization's family-style culture was its most important asset.

In the 1980's missionary organizations began prioritizing strategies for entering so-called "closed" countries. IMI did little to change their methods, but began to consider this emerging priority. In 1990, the president, affectionately referred to as "Uncle Bill", retired. The new president, Dr. Patrick, had a PhD in Islamic Studies from a secular University and had served in Iran until the revolution in 1979 and then for eight years in Egypt.

Dr. Patrick cast himself as a visionary and began to champion a program to transform IMI from a relatively small, family-oriented organization to a larger one that focused on the least-reached peoples from Muslim, Hindu and Chinese cultures. Dr. Patrick served as the primary change agent.

The organization increased in personnel by about 50% and nearly doubled the number of fields in which it operated. New personnel brought new methodologies and a significant shift away from a family-style culture. Recruitment goals such as 500 by 1995 and 1000 by 2000 were printed on cards and distributed. This aggressive approach to growth infected other areas such as training and the setting of ministry goals. Many of those who remembered the days of Uncle Bill worried that this aggressive attitude would create problems, yet few spoke up. This was possibly due to the previous culture, which encouraged respect for tradition and authority.

Dr. Patrick resigned in 2005. IMI had expanded to twenty-five countries, working among some of the world's least-reached peoples (Emphasis of Christar, 2010). Total personnel were still well below 500. The recruitment goal cards had become the subject of the occasional joke. A number of teams consisted of only a husband and wife. Supervisors found themselves overseeing workers in as many as a half dozen different countries. It seemed that the organization had become spread quite thin.

Possessing more personal charisma than Dr. Patrick, but lacking his academic credentials, the current president is simply referred to as Steve. Under Steve's leadership, the Board has pushed IMI to become more "international". This has been defined as having members representing many different nations. Currently more than 80% of IMI's members are from North America. Among the changes deemed necessary to achieve this status is a new international office in Bangalore, India, new recruitment offices in Canada, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. A corporate restructuring has Steve now holding the title International Director. An international board of directors has been elected with members from several nations and each new recruitment center has its own legal version of IMI with a separate board.

In November of 2010, IMI held its five-year organization-wide conference. Delegates from every field were present. The purpose of this conference was to introduce the international board and to develop a list of initiatives that can take IMI to the next level. Significant effort was made to build consensus and ensure that all had bought into this process. As primary change agent, Steve relies on selling an idea broadly and then working quietly with other leaders and the Board to implement changes.

It was evident at the November conference that not all had bought into the concept of internationalization as it was being pursued. When polled, more than half of the delegates were reluctant to rate the process higher than a five on a one to ten scale. The perception is that IMI is already international in many positive ways. All of the field personnel speak two or more languages. They interact cross-culturally daily, and have learned through training and experience to manage diversity in variety of environments.

There seems to be agreement that the problem is not necessarily in the current make-up of the membership. It is in the approach being taken to not be predominantly North American; an approach that is, itself, strongly informed by North American culture. Many of IMI's personnel minister in teams along with local associates who are not officially connected to IMI. In order to do this, they have overcome many of the challenges inherent in multicultural management. Few disagree with the initiatives or the need to recruit a more diverse organizational membership, yet this alone will not change the organization's culture or necessarily increase its effectiveness in reaching the world with the Gospel.

Forces for Change

The external forces that IMI is currently trying to adapt to include rapidly shifting political, cultural, and economic factors associated with globalization. Thomas proposes that in the world after 9/11 individuals and groups will respond to the challenges and threats of globalization with what he calls "creative dissonance" (2005). He argues that Christians, desiring to be effective in witness and in ministries of reconciliation will need to position themselves alongside the world's dissidents. Organizations like IMI need to change in order to meet these challenges.

Over the past twenty years, IMI has relied on its leaders to identify and develop areas needing change. Efforts to innovate have been shaped by their individual leadership styles and priorities. Internal forces, such as member's and leadership's perceptions that the organization is inadequately prepared to take on current challenges, are at least stimulating debate. Most within the organization agree that a wider diversity among members is an important step. Recruiting and assimilating a more international membership will present new procedural as well as organizational cultural problems.

Performance Outcomes

Implementing