Atam: Innovating in the Social Sector (A)

Atam is an association of Grupo Telefónica, which was founded in 1973 with the aim of providing assistance for the disabled and elderly dependents. It was the result of an agreement between the company and its labor unions. It is a nonprofit, national organization, declared to be serving the public interest, and has 60,000 members belonging to 28 companies of the group. Atam has three major areas of action: individual financial support, direct-care facilities, and labor integration and employment. The case study describes the turning point that Atam experienced at the conclusion of its second strategic plan, covering the period from 2004 - 2008, upon completing a process of fundamental change, leading to an alteration in the direction that the association was taking, from a business and organizational standpoint. The group's director general, Ignacio Aizpún, along with the president, Javier Clemente, and the management team completely revamped the company's strategy, structure and culture, creating clear goals and steps to be taken based on periodic strategic plans. Now, Atam is a more professional, qualified organization. At the end of the case study, the next step that needs to be taken in order to preserve this change and cope with the severe crisis in the industry, and in the Spanish economy in general, is introduced. Case B (DPO-245, "Atam: The Day After") closes the discussion by explaining the facts.