Discussion Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Discussion Questions - Assignment Example berg (Saadi, 2010), cooperation with Threadless Company gave Dell possibility to be closer to its customers as such art fitted consumers of Dell products. The co called crowdsourcing is also known business model which such companies as Mars and Ben & Jerry used within their strategies. Thus, Mars has launched the global contest in order to choose the new color of M&Ms. Ben & Jerry lineup added Primary Berry Graham. If to consider firm performance regarding customer satisfaction, Ngobo (n.d.) considers that in service sectors, firm-specific effects are more important than the industry effects as it is more difficult to imitate in the customized service industries. Within the strategic management, firm effects capture variation in strategies and performance outcomes throughout industries and firms (Mauri & Michaels, 1998). The three levels of strategy, the corporate, business and functional should be paid equal attention by an organization as it enables the firm to determine its long-term direction within the external environment, meet the stakeholders’ expectations and take care of its operations (Barnes, 2007). The firm should understand where it is in business, what it should acquire or divest, how to compete in this business and with what mission, determine its strategic objectives and resources managed in the function. Despite the different length, content, format and specificity if a mission statement, it should be informative and clear, inspire employees and all organizational stakeholders. Academicians consider (David, et al., 2014) that effective mission statement includes components directed toward customers, products or services, markets, technology, environmental concerns, philosophy, concern about society, employees and self- concept. Within the modern business world, it is important for an organization to understand the external environment in order to align it with the strategies which lead to a firm’s ability to remain sustainable in the

The Department of Defense as an Organization Research Paper

The Department of Defense as an Organization - Research Paper Example (Fox 4). This paper discusses on the organizing functions of a big organization which is the Department of Defense (DoD) in terms of its human resources, knowledge and technology. It is a good measure of the organization's ability when viewed in this perspective especially at a time when there is a dearth of resources available due to budgetary constraints. Efficiency and effectiveness are good criteria by which to judge the leadership of the DoD in these areas. Discussion It is no small challenge to manage an organization the size of the DoD which is also charged with keeping the security of the nation as well as its allies internationally through the many defense pacts it signs with them. The Department of Defense controls the United States armed force services (army, air force, navy and marines) through its chairman, the joint chiefs of staff. The designated DoD secretary is the chief policy adviser to the president in terms of execution of approved policies of the administration. In the exercise of its mandated duties or responsibilities, the DoD must likewise make full wise of the resources made available to it to carry out its mission of protecting the country and deterrence of war (DoD 1). Human Resources – the DoD is the oldest and also the largest of all departments in the United States government. With some 1.4 million men and women in uniform (active duty and another 1.1 million people in the National Guard and Reserve forces), it also manages the pension, retirement and other benefits for the estimated 2 million retirees and their families. In addition, the DoD also employs approximately 718,000 civilian personnel. This paper is more concerned and focuses on how the DoD exercises its organizing function with these civilians. The DoD manages and organizes its large civilian employees primarily through its Civilian Personnel Management Service or CPMS. It is considered as the â€Å"center of excellence† for its civilian human resources t o create and sustain a diverse, high-performing and flexible civilian workforce, a model of excellence in the entire Federal government bureaucracy (CPMS 1). The CPMS is charged with the overall strategic policy planning and oversight of the department's civilian employees' plans, policies, and programs of its employees worldwide. It is headed by the deputy assistant secretary for civilian personnel policy. Its mandate includes talent acquisition, development and sustainment of excellence through its various programs such as strategic workforce planning, career and succession planning, leader development and senior executive leadership programs including the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW). In line with cost-cutting initiatives, DoD has implemented its Emergency-Essential policy classifying the retention of employees in civilian positions only when that position has been designated as E-E before crisis situations and secondly, if the civilian position is deemed necessary to s upport combat-essential systems. This allows for flexibility to remove civilian employees to reduce payroll but still maintain effectiveness in the face of continued threats (AS-DOD 1). The second important direction the DoD has taken is in joining the outsourcing bandwagon by hiring contractors and sub-contractors to perform jobs previously done by the military personnel; this policy covers foreign host-country and third-country