Organizational_Analysis

Organizational Analysis Jacqueline J. Hunter Sociology 101 Ms. Muhammad November 05, 2003 Organizational Analysis This course of instruction has altered my perception of my organization in a wide variety of ways. From gender bias to corporate stakeholders, I have been exposed to numerous insights into my day to day business, as well as the overall perception of the entire organization. The best example of my altered perception as a result of this course is the chapter topic of “The Corporation and Its Stakeholders.” The Marine Corps has many stakeholders within its organization. From the newest Private to the American public, all play a vital role in the success of this organization. Before this course I was incapable of making that kind of statement, let alone know its importance. For example, without a corporation’s consideration for its stakeholders there is sure to be failure within that organization. In the Marine Corps it can affect public opinion as well as the morale of the individual Marine. This class has opened my eyes to how important public opinion is for the military. Without the support of the American public financing would be almost non-existent, morale in the military would be low, and the numbers would slowly diminish as a result of poor recruiting. All of these factors would ultimately directly affect the security of our nation. Another example of my altered perception would be the chapter topic of “Technology as a Social Force.” It was not that long ago that the Marine Corps was using typewriters, Dos computers, and manpower to get their work done. Today we have state of the art technology to aide us in accomplishing our mission. Whether its computers or new combat technology, I have realized how important these advances have really been. For example, in combat Marines used to have to rely on laminated maps, informants, and terrain features when locating targets. Now, we have global positioning systems and real time satellite photos for battle assessment. These technological advances have given me greater respect for the challenges my leaders and predecessors faced in their day to day jobs. I am bewildered at how they mastered time management before these streamlined advancements. My favorite chapter topic, of which I have many examples to cite, is “Women, Work, and the Family.” Women’s opportunities in the military have changed over the years, particularly over the past decade. Because of its great strides in counteracting sexual discrimination the Marine Corps has been able to attract more females now than ever. For example, 10 years ago I was one of 2 females in an entire unit of 50 Marines. Today, I am one of 10 females in my unit of 43 Marines. This is an increase which has brought the ratio of female Marines in my unit from 4% in 1994 to 25% today. I feel the modern philosophy of equality towards women in society has to be the driving force for such a large increase. I can now see the by-product of the Marine Corps’ great strides towards equality as a result of this class. Additionally, leadership and management opportunities in the Marine Corps are more than available and are only limited to the individual’s desire. It is not uncommon these days to see women in senior officer positions. In fact, if you follow the television show “Jag,” the main female character is a Lieutenant Colonel. This highlights the general acceptance of not only the Marine Corps’ but the general public’s approval of women in positions of authority. In my occupation the first female Drum Major in Marine Corps history was appointed only four years ago. This has traditionally been a male dominated occupation. However, this selection would not have been possible without the Marine Corps’ proactive stance on removing the perception of the “glass ceiling.” For me personally, I currently hold a billet which is reserved for senior Staff Non-Commissioned Officers. However, I hold it as a Sergeant. My selection for this position was based solely on my performance and had nothing to do with rank, or more importantly, my gender. Until this course I was unable to make the connection to society’s advances for women. “Closer to home” is the topic of child care and work flexibility. This has had the most impact on my new altered perception. This topic was easily understood because of the fact I am a single parent. The affordability of quality child care in the military has the first tangible impact on my ability to function as a professional. I don’t have to worry about the stresses associated with civilian day care facilities. Department of Defense requires stricter standards for all of its on base child care facilities. Moreover, the facility is a Child Development Center as opposed to a day care center, which has been instrumental in the academic growth of my young son. The lack of burden on my “pocket book” as well as being assured my son is in “good hands” allows me to focus on my profession. As I am concerned with the upbringing of my son, as most parents are, I could ask for no better environment to work than the one I am currently in. The amount of flexibility, when it comes to my son, is unsurpassed. The appreciation has always been there for my work place; however this course topic has further opened my eyes to the impact on myself as well as my son. As a result, my son gets to enjoy a less stressful “mommy” and an overall better quality of life. There are several items to bring to light regarding “Employee-Employer Relationship. The first of which would be the importance placed on job safety. It has always been a “pet peeve” of mine the hyper-conscience approach the Marine Corps take toward safety. Its rules and regulations seems borderline ridiculous at times, however, this chapter topic has made me realize that the Marine Corps is not alone in its safety concerns. For example, the OSHA regulations are very similar to our industrial hygienist’s approach to hearing conservation. We are required to wear hearing protection when rehearsing music. This may not seem a big deal to a non-musician, but for someone who relies on the ability to hear all frequencies it makes for an impossible situation. We literally have to choose to perform poorly or to lose a certain percentage of hearing over a course of time. It is now my position that these requirements are really for our protection and not intended to create a difficult environment. Another area of interest with this topic would be an employee’s privacy rights. I have always been aware that the military monitors e-mails and web sites you visit. I have not necessarily agreed with this policy, however, I better understand the importance of these security practices. Without these policies, Marines would be free to surf unsecure internet sites and send e-mails that compromise national security. These sound a little drastic, however not everyone has to have bad intentions to compromise our security. Additionally, we go through great lengths to shred all documents that have information that could be used to steal someone’s identity or falsely represent the Marines in my charge. These are merely a few examples of the chapter topics that have had the greatest impact on altering my perception. My overall view of the Marine Corps has dramatically improved. The bottom line is the Marine Corps is leading the way in every area mentioned in the course topic and I truly believe I belong to the finest fighting force ever to walk the earth.