US Army Environmental Scan Dissertation Example

The United States Army is the largest branch of the US military with over a million soldiers. It includes the Regular Army, the National Guard, and the Army Reserve. The army is headed by the Secretary of the Army who is an appointed civilian and the Chief of Staff of the Army who is a military officer. It is the main ground-based force of the United States and participates in military activities all around the globe.

Internal Environment

One the best way to conduct an evaluation of internal environment of the US army is by using a SWOT analysis.

Strengths. One of the strengths of the US army is that it is highly innovative. The army constantly learns from its mistakes and takes action to correct them (Jones, 2011). This culture of innovation is weaved into the daily lives of all army personnel. The army has the full-time personnel and part-time reserves working together. The enables the part-timers to bring in civilian skills which may not be available to the full-time personnel. The army has high deployment capability and has a reputation for conducting efficient ground warfare. The army is well funded with the US having one of the largest military budgets in the world.

Weaknesses. The army has an aging workforce that needs constant replenishing. The ever-changing security situation globally has placed additional burdens on the army personnel. This requires that the army keeps updating the training of its personnel (Jones, 2011). However, the army does not have enough facilities to support the rapidly transforming force.

Opportunities. There are several opportunities that the US army can utilize to improve its efficiency. The army can collaborate more with other agencies to make itself more efficient. It can capitalize on the transformation initiatives going on within the military to improve service delivery (Offstein & Dufresne, 2007). Technological advancements and community partnerships are a good opportunity for the army to improve its efficiency.

Threats. An Increase in security threats against the US has placed a serious stress on the army resources. This includes newer threats such as cyberterrorism (Offstein & Dufresne, 2007). It has resulted in higher dependence on a few highly trained troops. Frequent deployment of troops to war zones has increased the number of injured troops. The army still needs more funding.
External Environment

One way to analyze the external environment of the US army would be to conduct a pestle analysis. The US army operates in a politically stable environment. However, the army is regularly deployed to places around the world that are politically unstable. The United States is also economically stable and has sustainable economic growth rates. Socially, the United States has an increasing demand for military services (Offstein & Dufresne, 2007). Individual incomes are gradually but steadily increasing. The US army is operating in an environment of rapid technological advancement. More and more machines are getting automated. This poses both a challenge and an opportunity to the army. In terms of legal factors, the army is operating in an environment of increased government regulation as well as increased human rights awareness globally (Offstein & Dufresne, 2007). Due to the nature and mobility of the industry, US Army’s environmental sustainability is poor compared to large civilian organizations. Its infrastructure is designed for efficiency as opposed to environmental considerations.

Competitive Advantage

The United States Army has a competitive edge over most other armies globally. Thanks to the army’s partnership with other industry players, it has access to top-notch war solutions and technology giving it a technological edge over the competition (Liu, 2017). Its ability to develop and field new war technology has for a long time placed it ahead of its competitors. The Congress has ensured that it receives adequate resources to meet its obligations and is one of the highest funded armies globally. Due to its military capability, the United States is widely regarded as an influential world leader on matters military. Its capabilities are higher than that of most potential adversaries (Liu, 2017). The force recruits nationally and internationally, hence, it has a large pool of talented and able-bodied people to recruit from and retain. Over the last 70 years the US army has established alliances which have enabled the army have presence in several places around the globe. These include NATO and other countries friendly to the US.

Strategies

One of the strategies applied by the US army to gain a competitive advantage is differentiation. The army has set itself apart from the competition for its unrivaled ability to develop and deploy warfare technology (Smith & Smith, 1992). Technology has enabled it to take a dominant position in terms of aerial warfare, long-range strikes, nuclear capabilities, and even electronic warfare.
Another strategy employed by the US army to gain and maintain competitive advantage is building strategic alliances. This includes building alliances with companies that manufacture weapons, other countries and with organizations such as Nato. This enables the army pool resources and participates in joint exercises that place it ahead of competitors.

Measurement guidelines

One of the measurement guidelines that the Army uses in assessing the effectiveness of its strategies is that there must be a clear purpose in assessing the effectiveness (Liu, 2017). The institution tries to align the assessment process with the unique culture of the army. While the army recognizes that the assessment may be affected by external factors, some beyond the army’s control, it mainly focuses on the institution’s ability to fulfill its current and future mandate. Hence assessment is seen as a major component of decision making within the force. Before the actual data collection and assessment, there has to be a comprehensive assessment plan. The institution emphasizes the use of assessment evidence in the process.

All key stakeholders have to be involved in the assessment process. This includes government representatives as well as other industry partners with whom the army collaborates (Jones, 2011). These are involved in the formulation of assessment questions as well as in the interpretation of key findings. An assessment must be done in an open manner, one that encourages stakeholders to own the process.

The Effectiveness of the Guidelines

The measurement guidelines the Army uses in evaluating the effectiveness of its strategies are very effective. The guidelines ensure a sincere commitment towards improving the strategies developed on the part of the various stakeholders involved. Building consensus during the assessment process helps the army avoid conflicts among the various stakeholders (Smith & Smith, 1992). The guidelines also ensure that the assessment focuses on what is important for the achievement of the army’s goals. Adherence to the assessment rules has ensured that the army maintains the high standards it is known for. The insistence on having a clear purpose ensures accuracy during an assessment. Acknowledgment that the army can be influenced by external factors enables the army use assessment tools that take into consideration all factors. To a large extent, one would conclude the measurement guidelines used by the US army are effective.

References

• Jones, H. (2011). How the U.S. Army Analyzes and Copes with Uncertainty and Risk. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 23(2), 34-40.
• Liu, C. (2017). Creating competitive advantage: Linking perspectives of organizational learning, innovation behavior, and intellectual capital. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 6613-23.
• Offstein, E. H., & Dufresne, R. L. (2007). Building strong ethics and promoting positive character development: The influence of HRM at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
• uman Resource Management, 46(1), 95-114.
• Smith, R., & Smith, D. (1992). Corporate Strategy, Corporate Culture, and Conversion; Adjustment in the Defence Industry. Business Strategy Review, 3(2), 45.