This report attempts to analyze AkdemIstanbul LTD by casting light at its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing it. Upon completing the analysis, one of the weaknesses will be systematically and logically dissected in order to come up with an action plan that may eliminate or mitigate the weakness and the possibly to turn it into an opportunity. The report will start with the description where a brief introduction will be provided about the institution, its main characteristics within the framework of SWOT and presenting the weakness that will be analyzed. The section of discussion will takcle a weakness that will undergo an in-depth problem-solving procedures by deploying reliable and valid methods based on the available primary and secondary research and striving on to turn it from burden into either a strength or an opportunity. The conclusion will sum up the outcomes attained so far by giving a succinct synopsis of what was mentioned. In the recommendations section, we will provide an action plan to follow up based on the outcomes that we have reached and we will propose some policies and measures to be taken in order for that to take effect practically.

1. To see a problem as an
opportunity
SWOT Analysis Report of Akdemistanbul™

2. 1. Intro
Everyone wants to succeed but not everyone
wants to tidy things up on how to succeed.
Some sleep on what they should do till it piles
up above them and they find themselves in a
chaotic mess not knowing what to do and
where to go. Akdemistanbul may fall in this
trap if it doesn’t take decisive measures to
face this problem. It’s not easy but the good
news is that it’s possible when we really want
to and we plan accordingly.

3. Founder of Akdemistanbul
Akdemistanbul?
Ahmet AGIRAKCA
Fullname: Akdemistanbul Eğitim Yayıncılık ve Danışmanlık
Hizmetleri LTD ( Akdemistanbul for Education, Publication and
Consultancy Services LLC)
Address: Akşemseddin Mh., Akdeniz Cd No:99-101,
34080 Fatih/İstanbul / Turkey
Website: www.akdemistanbul.com.tr
Email: info@akdemistanbul.com.tr
Phone: +90 (0212) 521 4116

4. CEO of Akdemistanbul
About
Muhammed AGIRAKCA
Akdemistanbul is a private institution that offers courses in
Turkish and Arabic language along with other distance learning
services. It has also an edition house that specializes in
publishing Arabic and Turkish language books and materials. It
represents some universities from Europe and Middle East and
it co-partnered with them to offer Associate Degrees and
Bachelor’s Degrees tracks.

5. 1. Registration assistance for online and distance courses offered
by the following universities:(European Islamic University in
Netherland,Polytechnical European University in Bulgaria,
Islamic Online University in Qatar, Ouzai University in
Lebanon).
2. Arabic and Turkish language courses and crash courses for
some placement tests ( YDS, TÖMER,...etc).
3. Consolidation courses in Arabic Didactics and theology.
4. Publication of books ( Akdem Yayinlari Edition House).
Partner Universities
Islamic European University
European Polytechnical University
Islamic Online University
Al Imam Ouzai University
Akdem offers:

6. SWOT

7. 1. Biggest Arabic language teaching private institution in
Turkey.
2. Strong ties with Turkish government and MENA
countries.
3. Strong ties with Imam Hatip High and Middle Schools.
4. Qualified Arabic native-speakers teachers.
5. Strategic location in the heart of Istanbul
Strengths

8. 1. Ad hoc Organizational and administrative management.
2. Weak outreach of international students coming from
abroad.
3. Inability to concretize relations with MENA.
4. Lack of project management skills and diversity of
financial streams.
5. Insufficient Infrastructure and lack of necessary
technological tools in classes
6. Small numbers of branches.
7. High rate of employees turnover
Weaknesses

9. 1. Fame among Arab residents in Istanbul.
2. Opening an Arab University where the language of
instruction is Arabic
3. Flow of Investors from and to MENA and Turkey.
4. Designing majors and specialties for Imam Hatip
High Schools at undergraduate and postgraduate
level.
5. Current government policies are pro-MENA.
6. Location where the majority of residents are migrants
Opportunities

10. 1. Political instability in the country.
2. Universities steadily opening new majors in Arabic leading more
students whether Turkish or non-Turkish to join these
programmes, and public institutions offering free Arabic courses,
and other actors opening unauthorized courses.
3. Lack of innovation in teaching methods adopted and used in
Akdemistanbul.
Threats

11. What is that challenge
Akdemistanbul has problems in getting things right in terms of
organizational and administrative structure.

12. Discussion

13. Root-Cause Analysis

14. Results of Root Cause Analysis
1. Centralized administration:
a. Lack of consistent control and evaluation procedures.
2. Lack of administrative intuition:
a. Lack of training and workshops for the staff.
3. Lack of business managers:
a. Not seeing the importance
b. Financial burden
People causes:

15. Results of Root Cause Analysis
1. Absence of planning and decision-making section:
a. Lack of staff.
b. Financial burden.
2. Monitoring and evaluation:
a. Lack of time.
b. Lack of expertise.
Methods Causes

16. Pareto Analysis

17. Results of Pareto Analysis
Centralized Administration Lack of Administration Intuition Absence of monitoring and evaluation

18. Leadership & Decisions
Leadership in Akdemistanbul is a merge of
democratic and coercive styles and
decisions are authority with input style

19. Skills to be developed
Practice is the essence of
information

20. People SKills
Communication Coaching Team

21. Administrative SKills
Project Management Resource Management

22. Proposed steps

23. First Step
1. Identification and clarification of the mission.
2. Definition of SMART objectives and goals.
3. Researching the environment to be able to perform an ex ante
evaluation.
4. Determining priorities and evaluating alternatives.
5. Designing an action plan that serves as a baseline.
6. Identification resources available and needed.

24. Second Step
1. Determining organizational structure and rebuilding it.
2. Designing a yearly project plan.
3. Creating procedural policies for internal and external interactions.

25. Third Step
1. Performing a risk management analysis.
2. Creating metrics for goals and objectives and defining KPI.
3. Implementing a general monitoring system for control and
auditing.
4. Setting contingency plans and corrective actions.

26. Stakeholders Analysis
1. Senior managers who act as a Board of Trustees.
2. Second level managers ( general managers and
presidents of departments).
3. First level management( executive assistants,
designers,...etc).
4. Partners(universities, public institutions,etc).
5. Potential investors.
6. Students and customers.

27. Stakeholders Analysis

28. Limitations and barriers
1. Will of change by leadership.
2. Duration and degree of disruption caused by
the new change.
3. Allocation of necessary time.
4. Allocation of necessary finance.
5. Possibility of excluding some stakeholders by
leadership.
6. Survival policy discourse.

29. Conclusion
Organizational and administrative structure may
cause serious financial and administrative damage
to Akdemistanbul in the long-run and makes it
vulnerable to economic and political changes.

30. Recommendations

31. Preparing for change
1. Change management strategy
1. Preparation of change management team

32. Implementation of the change

33. Monitoring and Evaluating Change
1. Collection and analysis of feedback
1. Diagnosis of gaps and managing resistance
1. Implementation of corrective actions

34. Change can happen if you
gather all the pieces

35. Thank you
*Mehdi Zouaoui, Education Consultant