BUS303 Week 1 Discussion 2, SWOT Environmental Scanning
SWOT Environmental Scanning
In 150-250 words, conduct a basic SWOT analysis of an organization
... [Show More] or department to which you belong. How do you see these factors affecting the direction of HR? Please cite at least one scholarly reference in addition to the course text to support your response. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.
In the context of HRM, the outcome of effective environmental scanning is a starting point of a process commonly referred to as a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym that stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the organization, while opportunities and threats are external factors. The external focus of environmental scanning facilitates the analysis of those external opportunities and threats within the organization’s legal, economic, geographic, and social environments.
SWOT
MISSION STATEMENT:
STRENGTHS:
BRAND NAME:
WEAKNESSES:
OPPORTUNITIES:
THREATS:
CONCLUSION:
BUSINESS MISSION
EXTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THREAT
INTERNAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
STRATEGY FORMULATION
Week 1 - Discussion 2
In our week 2 discussion, I was asked to conduct a basic SWOT analysis for an organization or department to which I belong. I haven’t had too many outside jobs, I’ve been a military member of the air force for 17 years now so I will try my best to conduct a SWOT analysis on the Aircraft Armament Weapons section for which I belong to. My section consists of 3 flight chiefs, 6 weapons expediters to which is my current positions, and about 33 personnel that are broken down into groups of 3 to form separate weapons load crews, which total up to be 11 crews total. But before we can start this process we have to know what this process is. “SWOT analysis is an acronym that stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is the starting point for effective environmental scanning” according to (Youssef, 2015).
Mission Statement:
The for my career field Airmen in this Air Force job handle some of the most delicate weapons systems in the military, making sure that they can be deployed without danger to aircraft or fellow troops (Powers, n.d.). Aircraft Armament Systems specialists test new weapons systems and load ordnance onto aircraft. But most important of all is to test suspension, launch and release systems for malfunctions and other problem. They will also ensure munitions are inspected before and after they are loaded. It's up to them to make sure these weapons can launch safely and hit the intended target.
Strengths:
I believe the strengths in our weapons section are that we are a very close net shop that makes it seem as we are all family. So whenever issues arise they are quickly resolved. Another major strength I know we have a shop is that every 30 days we have to recertify on munition loading task to remain proficient all the different types of munitions we may have to load on any given day. This helps us stay up to date on any changes in procedures may have occurred without notice. Teamwork is one of our major key points to our success. You’ll always have a weapons flight line Expediter which is my job is to come up with a strategic plan daily to execute the daily flying schedule. Strategic plan meaning outlining the steps required for achieving organizational goals and objectives (Youssef, 2015). For a weapons load crew we always work in groups of 3 personnel per job each crew consists of a one-man which is the higher ranking individual of the three, then you have your two-man and your three man. And each person on that crew has their own responsibility within that job.
Weaknesses:
Our weaknesses in my career field would have to be the personnel turnover rate. With the unforeseen permanent change of duty stations (PCS) and permanent change of assignments (PCA), we have people coming in and leaving the shop very frequently. So with all the knowledge gain, we lose a lot of knowledge as well. It’s almost like starting back over from square one with the retraining of new airmen to replace the airmen that have left the unit. A few years back the air force went through a major Workforce downsizing is the process of reducing the workforce through eliminating jobs, which cuts costs and improves efficiency (Youssef, 2015). They did this to that we can save money, with the whole idea of let do more with less mentality. But with less personnel, you place a great amount of the responsibility on fewer people to do the same amount of work that was once done with 30% more people.
Opportunities:
The Opportunities in our section is that once you move to the section they have a minimum of 3 years that you have to stay in the shop before a request to move to a new location. To try to keep the turnover rates down. Along with equal employment opportunities come with rank, once you make rank your job and duty title will change and so will your pay. But with those changes, it also comes with more of an increase on your responsibility. Which is normal for any career advancement.
Threat:
Major threats for our career field would have to retain ability issues being that our job is being contracted out to civilians. This makes it very hard to keep personnel in the military, just the whole idea of doing less the work with better hours for more pay is hard to compete within the military force. And with the available opportunities in a civilian job doing the same thing for more pay presents a major threat for military employment.
Powers, R. (n.d.). Air Force Job AFSC 2W1X1 Aircraft Armament Systems. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/2wx1-aircraft-armament-systems-job-description-3344313
Youssef, C. (2015). Human resource management (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://ashford.content.edu [Show Less]