Improving finance's capability in responding to the needs of AAVAs stakeholders

• Main Author: Semana, Lhouella M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/4979
• Institution: De La Salle University

Ayala Alabang Village Association, Inc. (AAVA), like all other organizations, is encountering several workplace issues. The most common issues encountered are those related to political issues and operational issues. In improving its operations, an action research has been conducted with the goal of serving its stakeholders better. The action research has defined an issue that focuses on improving Finances capability in responding to the needs of its stakeholders. The first cycle of the action research was focused on how to eliminate misconceptions about Finances functions and assess adequacy of its capability to respond to the funding needs of AAVAs operations. The regular monthly Management Committee (MANCOM) meetings that included Finance were implemented to break the barriers between departments and put all of them into a common page where they can relate to each others needs and jointly address work issues. This Committee, who eventually played the role of collaborators, has bridged the gaps among departments because Finance was able to clarify its role better and was able to describe its limitations allowing other departments to understand its struggles in meeting their funding demands. Contrary to earlier perception of the existence of behavioral problem in Finance team, it was found out through joint analysis that the availability of sufficient supply of funds was the hindering factor for Finances responsiveness and not the attitude itself. At the end of the first cycle, the Committee has arrived at a common agreement in jointly linking Finance with other departments and did the necessary work adjustments on each others end. Cash control measures within officers level to generate cash inflow and to prevent or at least slow down frequent cash outflow was also implemented. However, upon evaluation of the actions done, the team discovered that they just produced impact on cash outflow only ---- weak impact was felt in the cash inflow. In effect, the problem of the insufficiency of supply of funds remained unresolved in full though we were able to accomplish some of our objectives. Seeing greater chance for improvements in the future, the second cycle of the action research is needed to pave way for greater stakeholders benefit, for full achievement of the objectives set through added improvements, and for completion of whats lacking from the first cycle. The second cycle focused its activities in fund generation to have better cash inflows and better management of expenses to control cash outflow. With the interventions done, an improved net cash flow result has been achieved at the end of the second cycle. This action research not only provided organizational improvement by yielding expected and unexpected outcomes but also allowed personal and professional growth through acquisition of the various learning from the collaborative activities done in the research journey. At the end of this research, the frameworks applied were given further modification based from the experience in applying them in AAVAs situation. The extrapolations made will serve as the researchers contribution to the body of research theories and knowledge that can be adopted by non-profit organizations particularly the village operations like AAVA.