Anticipating change and responding strategically is an important skill for administrators and educators. You will conduct an environmental scan (SWOT Analysis) of ROTC's placement at San Diego State University, highlight key holders of power and decision-making as it relates to policies and procedures influencing Cadets.
Consider the goals of ROTC alongside the goals of San Diego State University as a whole and how you might use organizational theories to build, enhance, and evaluate the item chosen, particularly as it relates to the leadership development of cadets. You will provide an evaluation as well as a future plan to implement changes for your organization.
Environmental scanning (sometimes called a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis) is a systematic process for surveying and interpreting information about an organization and the context in which it operates. Your environmental scan will focus on internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. Your scan should be succinct, but also thorough. A major goal of this assignment is to identify and understand ROTC's strengths, opportunities, and areas of improvement as it relates to institutional structure.
This first part of your paper will be a 2-3 page document that addresses the following:
- Strengths (What are the strengths? What does the organization do better than anyone else? Resources that can be drawn upon?);
- Weaknesses (What are the weaknesses? What can be improved? Where are resources distributed ineffectively?);
- Opportunities (What opportunities does the institution hold? What trends can be taken advantage of? How can strengths become opportunities?);
- Threats (What are the threats? What is the competition doing? What threats do the weaknesses expose the institution to?)
- So what: How does your analysis matter and relate to the role you play as a part of the organization?
Ultimately, discuss how ROTC and its varied parts fit within the institution, what role the university sees ROTC playing, and then how ROTC sees itself fitting with the structure of the university while also staying true to its goals and procedures.
2. (STRATEGIC) PLAN
After you've conducted an evaluation of an aspect of your program specific to your role, create a plan that focuses on your role in the improvement or maintenance of the program. Lay out the alignment between ROTC policies and procedures, the LRM, CCLDS, institutional goals and mission, and any other relevant documents and how you seek to address the SWOT you found in your future work. How can you, other cadre, cadets, and stakeholders contribute to the plan you create? Showcase how and where several courses or broadening elements of your program fit within your evaluation of an aspect of your program.
This second part of your paper will be a 2-3 page document that shows the plan that you will work on.
SUMMARY
Your full product will be a 4-6 page paper that encompasses both your SWOT and your strategic plan for an aspect of your program.