Home in Place’s ongoing collaboration with the University of Newcastle (UoN) has provided another mutual benefit for the two organisations.

Four students doing a new Work Integrated Learning pilot capstone course in the University’s Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program were given a practical, real world, opportunity to hone their strategic consulting skills. The project challenge for Ross Anderson, Suyi Benseman, Willy Gomero, and Esther Vidueira was to conduct an intervention on Home in Place. In a back to client presentation and report, Home in Place received strategic advice and recommendations to assist it to further develop and operationalise its international strategy.

Building on insights from strategic analysis of their research, combined with discussions with Home in Place management, the MBA team built an internationalisation strategy framework. The students developed positioning, preferred structures and specific market entry strategies for two international locations identified by Home in Place – the US city of Seattle and Fiji.
The students conducted deep dives into those locations’ social and community housing markets – including needs, political context, current solutions, and perceived gaps – aligned with Home in Place’s strengths, capabilities and resources.

The students found that expanding into Seattle and Fiji matches Home in Place’s 2020-2030 Strategic Plan and aligns with its vision, values and mission statement.
Course Co-ordinator and Newcastle Business School Lecturer Dr Garry Haworth congratulated the students and Project Executive Claire Shamley for their commitment and dedication and for delivering such quality work.

“The MBA pilot strategic consulting Work Integrated Learning capstone course was a success for the clients, including Home in Place, the UoN and Newcastle Business School.” Dr Haworth said.

Home in Place Group Managing Director Greg Budworth said he was impressed by the students’ depth of analysis using various strategic management models.

He said Home in Place has previously partnered with the University of Newcastle to provide students, from a range of schools and colleges with a practical, real world, opportunity to put theory into practice.

“Over the past two decades, Home in Place has grown from a small Newcastle-based community housing organisation to Australia’s second largest,” Mr Budworth said.

“Both Home in Place and the University of Newcastle are Newcastle based organisations that have successfully expanded into other markets. Our respective successes are helped by our common desire to work with others to create better outcomes for clients, the broader community and our organisations.

“Supporting UoN students to build skills in strategic thinking and developing solutions for our work is a win-win.

“Home in Place has successfully established a presence in New Zealand. Other parts of the Pacific and the United States are logical next steps in expanding our tenancy and asset management services help other governments and citizens to deliver secure and affordable housing for people, especially disadvantaged people who have difficulties sourcing adequate housing.”