Business Administration

CAPSTONE

Now that we have the first assignment completed, which covered the basic background information about your organization, it is time to move into its strengths! 

Strengths are the area where your organization is strong and doing things well above the competition. Strengths can come in the form of many things; when you consider this section of your SWOT think about some of the factors listed in the instructions and really try hard to find what it is that makes your organization great!

For this assignment you will research the strengths of your organization and provide a detailed paper on your findings. Consider the factors listed below and remember the given outline from Module 1 is there for your use. This outline is a great tool for getting your different sections fully covered and researched. In addition, remember that this paper on the strengths of your organization will become the second section of your overall SWOT paper due at the end of the course.

For this activity you will research the strengths of your company and provide a detailed paper on your findings. Factors to consider when you think about your company’s strengths both from an internal and external point of view include:

· What resources does your organization have? These could include: current human resources (staff, volunteers, board members, target population), physical resources (your location, building, equipment, does your building have a prime location, does it need renovations or updating), financial resources (grants, funding agencies, other sources of income and investments including shareholders).

· What activities and processes are currently being used to operate the company? These include all programs and procedures used by the company to run systems and other technology.

· What are some past experiences (both good and bad) used as the building blocks for learning and success? Think about employee programs and the overall company structure.

· What opportunities exist in your market or the environment that you can benefit from?

· Is the perception of your business positive?

· Has there been recent market growth or have there been other changes in the market that create an opportunity?

· Is the opportunity ongoing, or is there just a window for it? In other words, how critical is your timing?

For this assignment, complete the following:

· Do your research and really get in-depth about the strengths your organization currently has.

· Thoroughly explain at least TWO major strengths of the organization and discuss why each strength can be considered a distinctive competence for the organization.

. You should have a minimum of at least one full paragraph for each of the strengths presented.

. For each strength, be sure you use relevant business theories, concepts, and practices that are aligned to support the statements and findings. Note that bullet points are not acceptable.

Each of these strengths must come from a force or forces occurring within a dimension of the general environment within the organization’s external environment (keep in mind a strength can stem from more than one dimension within the general environment). Be sure to include in your analysis the relevant dimension of the general environment from which each of these forces is derived.

Running head: UNITED STATES NAVY 1

UNITED STATES NAVY 2

Shara Polk

Unites States Navy (BUS-299)

Excelsior

United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces (U.S. Navy Ships, 2006). This organization is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States of America. In regards to its capability, the United States Navy is considered the largest and the most capable in the world with the highest combined battle fleet tonnage. This is because the organization has the world’s largest aircraft carrier fleet. The organization has over 322,421 personnel on active duty and another 107,577 on the Navy Reserve. The organization is part of the United States Department of Defense and was found in October 13, 1775. The headquarters of the organization is The Pentagon and Arlington County, Virginia. The role of the organization is naval warfare, power projection, nuclear deterrence and sealift.

The mission statement of the United States Navy is to “maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas. As part of the military of the United States, the organization has three main responsibilities. One of the responsibilities is the preparation of the naval forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war. The second being the maintenance of naval aviation, which includes land-based naval aviation and air transport essential for naval operations. The third one is development of aircraft, weapons, tactics, and equipment of naval combat and service elements.

United States Navy has a rich history with its origins being traced to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. During the American Civil War, the U.S Navy played a crucial role by blockading the confederacy and seizing the control of its rivers. During World War II the navy was also important as it aided in the defeat of imperial Japan. The 21st century Navy maintains a good global presence through its constant deployment of forces in areas such as Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Western Pacific.

Being part of the Armed Forces of the United States, the organization has a very structured administrative system that is managed by the Department of Navy, which is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Navy. The Department of the Navy is a division under the Department of Defense as mention above and is headed by the Secretary of Defense. The most senior naval officer serving in the Department of the Navy is the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) (D’Alessandro, 2004).

Uniform is a very important aspect of this organization and most of the personnel under the organization are uniformed. The uniform of the U.S Navy have been evolving since the first uniforms regulations for officers were issues in 1802 on the formation of the Navy Department. The colors that have been predominant of the U.S Navy uniforms are the navy blue and white.

Just like other organizations have branches where they operate from, United States Navy has several branches within United States territory and in foreign countries such as Japan, where its largest foreign base is located at Yokosuka. Most of these branches have different activities going on in them while some house the weapons, some are used as training places for the Navy forces among other affiliate forces and also others house the day-to-day activities of the organization. However, the overall headquarters of the U.S Navy is at The Pentagon, which houses the Minster for Defense.

United States Navy is among the forces that have helped maintain world peace through its military and non-military activities both within and outside the United States. As part of the international responsibility, there are various war situations that have watered down the activities of these Naval forces and they have contributed immensely to world peace. However, these organization have been also involved in certain activities that have portrayed it in a more negative way. Some of the methods that are have been used in the military activities of the organization have been questioned several times that has led to many controversies. For example, in 2004 the organization was forced to shutdown one of its branches after controversial closer of the live ordinance training area on nearby.

In conclusion, United States Navy is one of the organizations that though are not business organization, operated in a more similar way as business organizations do on a normal basis. This is why various issues that build a SWOT analysis have been looked in anticipation of using such information in the preparing of a SWOT analysis for the organization.

References
D’Alessandro, M. (2004). Naval Open Source Intelligence”. New York City: Prentice Hall.
U.S. Navy Ships”. (2006). Military Analysis Network. Federation of America Scientists., 267-
278.