garfield Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Or it could simply serve as a model of how to run things a bit differently. DCI has far too much overhead and far too many long-term commitments to some things. In some ways, these commitments provide stability, but they have also prevented the organization from being more agile when it needs to be. DCI should be lean and mean and outsource as much as possible (ideally to a company that it also owns, that provides similar services to other entities... making additional $ though existing investments and competencies). Dan, I know you don't believe in the 990's, and possibly you're right that they aren't a good representation of an org's finances, but from what we've seen so far in the 990's thread, "efficiency" (Program Service Expenses/Total Expenses) at DCI is around 70% (30% spend on Management and General Expenses and Fundraising Expenses). Of the corps I've looked at in that thread I'm not convinced that the corps can run their new operation any more "lean and mean" than DCI, based on the individual corps' "efficiency" (same metric). Would you expand on your comment that DCI has far too much overhead by describing exactly some specific examples? It seems to me that MIMPA will have to provide similar services and I'd like to know how they would do it more "efficiently". And I don't think you can include one-off PPP deals as the basis for long-term efficiency but, if you disagree, I'd like to know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I'm not sure how a new organization with yet another executive staff to pay will increase efficiency. Because there is no new executive staff, no new administrative staff.... all activities are performed from within the framework of existing organizations. Yes, this is the model everyone is trying to follow these days, from movie studios to universities. I'm not sure it's appropriate for an organization as small as DCI that depends on so many other groups (show sponsors), which in turn often depend mostly on volunteers, however. DCI should be smaller than it is... should depend less on volunteers... should spend less money.... but should make more money. Process.... process... process. Not enough attention to PROCESS. There could be 1,000 times (not an exaggeration) more efficiency in the process of how most things are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Or it could simply serve as a model of how to run things a bit differently. DCI has far too much overhead and far too many long-term commitments to some things. In some ways, these commitments provide stability, but they have also prevented the organization from being more agile when it needs to be. DCI should be lean and mean and outsource as much as possible (ideally to a company that it also owns, that provides similar services to other entities... making additional $ though existing investments and competencies). The rest of this is absolutely true, IMO, especially that last sentence. That is the salvation, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Dan, I know you don't believe in the 990's, and possibly you're right that they aren't a good representation of an org's finances, but from what we've seen so far in the 990's thread, "efficiency" (Program Service Expenses/Total Expenses) at DCI is around 70% (30% spend on Management and General Expenses and Fundraising Expenses). Of the corps I've looked at in that thread I'm not convinced that the corps can run their new operation any more "lean and mean" than DCI, based on the individual corps' "efficiency" (same metric). Would you expand on your comment that DCI has far too much overhead by describing exactly some specific examples? It seems to me that MIMPA will have to provide similar services and I'd like to know how they would do it more "efficiently". And I don't think you can include one-off PPP deals as the basis for long-term efficiency but, if you disagree, I'd like to know why. DCI should be pretty much an entirely virtual organization. There is zero reason for an office... zero reason to have a physical presence (who needs to come see them?). DCI should be less of a organization but more of a movement, a concept, a conduit. DCI events should have an "anchor point" that is an administrative staff member of an individual corps (only corps or organizations that are aspirational to create a drum corps should be show sponsors). This administrative burden of the show should be on the sponsor, not DCI. DCI should not produce shows, with the exception of finals and maybe 2 "all in" shows. All shows should follow exactly the same system and same templated format for everything, to the point of not requiring DCI staff at all (virtual guidance is fine). Merchandising is not something DCI should do at all. Pointless and diverts revenue from corps. DCI should not do marketing internally. DCI should outsource 100% of marketing to a firm that is compensated purely on an increase in revenues. This will create a VERY strong incentive to focus on ONLY activities that will boost revenues. DCI should have no physical assets... not even computers.... should be an extremely agile, virtual and distributed organization... one that embraces technology in every aspect of operations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Short answer.... If I took over DCI, I would fire EVERY single individual and close down the office day one. Day two I would rehire EVERY single individual into new entities that would work virtually... that DCI would contract to perform various tasks.... that would also be charged with expanding the client base to generate revenues from similar organizations and companies. DCI should do nothing in house. DCI should not even have a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 (edited) danielray . . . I absolutely appreciate your contributions here. Please continue. I'll try to be as professional as I can. Your organizational model (assuming it will work) should be extended to the NCAA, the NFL, hospitals, public school systems, etc. One big Sim City with many at the keyboard. Your thinking goes beyond my practical, life experience. Seinfeld would say "Not that there's anything wrong with that." Edited December 1, 2012 by Fred Windish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I am just going to sit back and wait see. I'm not really sure what to think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 (edited) Short answer.... DCI should do nothing in house. DCI should not even have a house. Would you eliminate a house on the field of DCI ? Or just eliminate the off the field DCI house ? Edited December 2, 2012 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Because there is no new executive staff, no new administrative staff.... all activities are performed from within the framework of existing organizations. That is a crock. We already see the G7 bringing in additional people to coordinate what little they actually did with the TOC shows that was in any way different from the rest of DCI's events. If you want something done "within the framework of existing organizations"....well, DCI is an existing organization. Done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Short answer.... If I took over DCI, I would fire EVERY single individual and close down the office day one. Day two I would rehire EVERY single individual into new entities that would work virtually... that DCI would contract to perform various tasks.... that would also be charged with expanding the client base to generate revenues from similar organizations and companies. And what would you tell the employees on day two, when they ask you where all the audio/video master recordings went? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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