Cuna Ms – Peru’s Early Childhood Program Struggles to Maintain Quality Harvard Case Solution & Analysis

Cuna Ms - Peru's Early Childhood Program Struggles to Maintain Quality Case Solution

The Cuna Ms Early Childhood Program in Peru is struggling to maintain quality. This is the result of a number of factors. Its finances, staff, and the environment have all been affected by the changes taking place in the country. As a result, it is becoming harder to keep up with the demands of parents and employees. Several things need to be done to improve this situation.

Case Study Solution

The Early Childhood Program (Cuna Mas) in Peru has struggled to maintain quality as it scales up. This case study suggests that there are areas where urgent change management efforts are needed. It also illustrates how Cuna Mas is entering new markets and building a new organizational structure.

Food security in Lima, Peru is increasingly prevalent. Families living in poverty often do not have access to resources or skills to meet their needs. The government provides food assistance programs in low-income neighborhoods. But in times of crisis, FAPs may not be effective. Rather, informal food resources may be more important. These resources include borrowing money to purchase food, hosting polladas, and purchasing food on credit.

As more families become food insecure, it is critical to identify which resources are most effective for addressing their needs. Moreover, the quality of the foods provided may be an important factor to consider. Further research could focus on the preferences of the beneficiaries.

A number of food assistance programs (FAPs) in Peru were shut down in the early part of 2020. Due to social distancing measures, FAPs were not able to operate at their full capacity. Therefore, informal coping strategies emerged. They included borrowing money to buy food, utilizing community-organized fried chicken sales, and bartering services for food.

One key element of the program was the development of a fortnightly curriculum for CHAs. It was also important to create a new organizational structure to address these needs.

Porters Five Forces

The Cuna Ms early childhood program of Peru has a long way to go to maintain quality. This is particularly true as the organization scales up. Consequently, implementing the trifecta of a sound organizational structure, a robust marketing strategy, and well-trained staff is paramount to keeping the program on the path to success. As such, a change management strategy akin to the popular lean startup methodology is a must. However, the challenge is to develop and sustain a high quality program without becoming overly stifling.

To do so, the program has embraced a sales driven, customer service oriented approach. In fact, the program has recruited volunteer community mothers to serve as its facilitators. Using an adaptive strategy, the organization has adapted its marketing, production and training initiatives to suit the changing landscape. One such initiative has been a revamped 2-day training for CHAs.

Another innovation has been the creation of a fortnightly curriculum as a means of engaging with parents. Among the resulting content is an educationally enhanced program that is not only beneficial for children and caregivers, but also for the organization. While the implementation of the program has been hampered by political wrangling, the organizational structure is now in order. Using a sound change management plan will help keep the program on track and allow it to grow and expand in the years to come.

PESTLE Analysis

The Cuna Ms, Peru's Early Childhood Program may have been one of the best, but it hasn't been a slam dunk. In fact, a recent survey of 750 early childhood programs nationwide showed the program has a long way to go before it can compete with the other titans of the industry. As the CEO of the program, Luis Garcés, puts it, the program is a "long shot." This entails more than just building a solid foundation. Keeping costs down and attracting the right people are equally important.

It also helps that the program is funded by the Peruvian government, which has a vested interest in improving the lives of its citizens. To make the most of these resources, it is necessary to develop an appropriate organizational structure and a strategic plan. One of the most important steps in this process is selecting the best location for the corporate headquarters. Some key considerations include demographics and socioeconomic factors. Moreover, it is crucial to learn the region's laws and regulations to avoid unnecessary legal expenditures.

A comprehensive PESTEL analysis can reveal a great deal of information. With the help of a competent and experienced team, a robust set of PESTEL tools can be assembled to produce an effective and efficient marketing strategy. Besides, the company's top line can be bolstered by a robust and customer-centric approach. Considering the scalability and efficiencies that can be achieved by a well-informed management team, this is definitely a win-win proposition.

Financial Analysis

When the Peruvian government launched the Cuna Mas program, it set out to reach remote communities in the country. It was the first social program to target those with limited access to services in the country. But as it scaled up, it struggled to maintain quality.

A case study on the program was recently published by Harvard Business Review. The article describes how the program reached out to rural communities, despite challenges, such as political instability.

As the program grew, it faced criticism from some civil society groups for its operational challenges. Some said the program relied too much on letting strangers into people's homes. Others criticized the lack of information in the financial report.

Peru's president Ollanta Humala introduced the program in 2012. He based it on an intervention that had successfully reached families in Jamaica.

However, as the program grew, it faced political pressure to increase coverage faster. This made it difficult for the government to consolidate its efforts across ministries.

With this new approach, the government had to ensure that the program offered quality service to the community. That meant addressing the needs of parents and the needs of their children.

Financial analysis plays a vital role in evaluating the health of an organization. By gathering and sharing financial data, it makes it easier for the company to be transparent and avoid compliance issues. And by creating a strong foundation, it helps companies to build trust with their customers and potential clients.

Recommendations

In 2012, Peru's President Ollanta Humala launched the Cuna Ms program, a nifty little initiative designed to help low-income communities improve the cognitive development of children aged three and under. The program was modeled on a successful home visiting intervention in Jamaica. Since then, the program has grown in scale, and has proven to be a success in its home turf.

While the program did well, it struggled to keep quality high as it expanded. For example, a study in Oxford University's renowned journal of education, The Journal of Education, reported that children from the tiniest of households were seven times less likely to attend early learning centres. This plight is a symptom of inequality in access to education, which is something the Peruvian government is well aware of.

One of the most challenging aspects of the Cuna Ms program was figuring out how to scale it up without sacrificing quality. For example, the program was originally developed to provide service in remote, rural areas. However, with political pressure on the administration to expand coverage in record time, the program inevitably encountered operational challenges. As a result, the program needed to identify and tackle the most effective approaches to achieving its goals.

Some of these efforts include diversification, using local women as care assistants, and the use of mobile technologies. During these efforts, the program also achieved the feat of launching a free daycare centre in an otherwise illegal settlement.

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