Military Sealift Command (MSC)

Military Sealift Command (MSC) External factors affecting MSC environment Military Sealift Command had the following factors affecting the external environment of the organization: their perceived opponents who tried to deny them access and even make it harder for them to access the global ports and sea-lanes that were sabotaging access challenges affecting the organization as the US navy who were to conduct their business around.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Military Sealift Command (MSC) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This freedom of access is very important to the global economy as it facilitates the movement of resources as well as the growth of trade. The decline of the overseas military presence will be quite uneconomical, as it will require more military forces to protect US interests since they will be forced to move further into the sea. They also faced infrastructure challenges as it had poor infrastructure development in most areas where the US has future interests is likely to hinder their future operations (Barney, 2007. p 65). These areas lack seaports and airports as well as poor road networks. These areas also have severe water shortages as well as few or no electrical and sewerage services. These shortages directly hinder the deployment of military forces by the US and her partners as well as in response to humanitarian aid. The other factor of the organization that affected the US military include the type of technology used even though the advancement of information and communication technology has proved to be beneficial, it can also be dangerous especially in the military field. While the US military has advanced in technology, their perceived opponents and enemies may also gain access to these same technologies and may use them to cause an attack, disrupt or even degrade the US military communications and the flow of information. Investment in technology has also proved to be expensive and one must choose carefully due to its cost, the training expenses as well as their key objective, which is to gain total efficiency. Getting good and efficient software for both financial as well as other decisions making such as AHP that was difficult and quite expensive (Mintzberg at el, 2004. p 152). The other external environmental factor is the government policies with the current financial crisis; the US government has a huge budget deficit that has affected several government operations including the military operations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According the US Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, the American government should put more emphasis on the military spending and adjust its priorities to address the increasingly changing threats from its enemies and world. The threats include; the terrorists, rising powers as well as the rogue nations who are determ ined to harm the US. These opponents have realized that they cannot confront the US directly on military grounds, so they are trying other possible options. This dominance is not perceived well by the US enemies and may do anything they can to jeopardize the military operations. This is the reason why the American government, should invest in programs, personnel as well as platforms that will guarantee her continued dominance. Since the end of the Cold War, the US Navy has shrunk but its battle fleet is still larger the next thirteen navies combined with eleven of those being the allies of US. The strategic planning on the future trends of challenges faced with the energy resources with the rising use of more fossil fuels by the emerging economies like China and India, there is a lot of pressure on the world’s energy resources (Barney, 2007. p 65). There is a need for the use of alternative sources of energy by the US military. These changes require huge capital use, changes in political attitudes by world leaders towards the use of nuclear energy as well as the dramatic changes in technology. Internal strength and weakness in the organization SWOT analysis involves strength and weaknesses of an organization are interior factors that affect a company business. The main strengths of MSC are that they have highly trained workforce, quality as well as safety management system focused. MSC Resources in the Military Sealift Command currently operates about 111 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships across the globe. The MSC also has approximately fifty military ships on standby and are ready for military use. The Headquarter of Military Sealift Command is in Washington, D.C with branches across the country. It has about 8,000 employees, both military and civilian. MSC get its finances from two main sources, i.e. the transportation working capital and the navy working capital fund. Each one of these funds has different functions. The purpose of the Transport wo rking capital is to finance the operation of the sealift services whereas the main purpose of the navy working capital fund is to support the navy force and operations as well as other military entities. Though MSC gets its funding from these two sources, it does not get funding from its command operations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Military Sealift Command (MSC) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it obtains finances from the money transfers its customers transfer into the working capital funds. These are the finances the MSC uses to finance its command operations. Since MSC is not a profit- making organization, they do not budget to make profits but instead their working capital funds budget to break-even. The company had the following weaknesses: it was slow in the hiring process of CIVMAR and the shore employees. MSC and the Navy component to USTRANSCOM which provides approximately 30 ships and crews daily to support operations in force sustainment, delivery of the combat equipments, fuel, vehicles, ammunition as well as the ammunitions to the US forces around the world in times of war and peace (Mintzberg at el, 2003. p 152). Sometimes MSC are involved in the misappropriation of funds. Since the MSC is involved in administration and one of their core objectives is administrate the scarce resources efficiently with the aim of saving funds. At times the military personnel concentrates on completing the mission and may lead to making fast in appropriate decisions in order to complete these missions lead to bad financial decisions. Personnel in the military usually have a turnover after every three years, this puts them under a lot of pressure in their careers like the need for promotions, evaluations and other penalties that civilians do not have. The military personnel face dilemmas between choosing between careers and professional interests when they are involved in decision-ma king processes. The MSC’s workforce is approximately 9,000 employees across the globe, with about 80 percent of the working at the sea. The majority of these workers are mariners who work for the civil service in their respective federal governments. Other employees work for private firms as commercial mariners, and other members of the reserve military. The civilians, unlike the US Naval ships that are operated by the military personnel, operate all the MSC ships.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Even though the MSC ships are operated by civilians, they may be involves in the military operation in moments of war by carrying military supplies as well as carrying communication equipments. They are able to do this because some of their ships have small military departments that are designed to carry out these operations. Contingency plan Contingency planning is defined as the method used in developing or inventing other plans to be used in solving risks that may occur in the organization. Contingency have the following advantages when properly planned within the company include: helps the company to prosper as it tackle any risk that may occur in the company, they will help in correcting risks and make decision making faster, company will be able to tackle more response faster and enables top managers to tackle the possible outcome before occurring. Strategic planning The main objective of strategic planning is understanding the advantages of strategic planning: include the und erstanding of product strategic planning, and knowing the process of planning and implementation. One of the best alternative strategies the MSC should adopt is creating an entrepreneurial strategy (Pearce Robinson, 2004. p 34). This will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency in its operations as well as the extensive use of the business management methods and strategies in its operations. The knowledge and methods of business management are very essential in the implementation of its functions, i.e. service and administrative functions. Another important alternative that the MSC should adopt is to use the external resources such as outsourcing services that focus on definite areas. This will help MSC in saving the funds that would have been used in the regulations, training, and providing benefits to its employees unlike in the case of employees under contract. Evaluation of the distribution of its employees such as the military employees versus the civilian employees is also a very vita alternative. The military workforce is quite expensive since a lot of money is required to provide all the turnover period of about three years. Delinking the Strategy and Decision-making policy from the Provision of services is also another good alternative. This strategy is sometimes known as separating â€Å"steering from rowing†. The separation of strategy and decision-making policy from the provision of services is enhanced through devolution. Top managers are therefore advised to put their effort and focus on the decision-making, leadership as well as in strategic management and leaving other employees to offer the services. Keys to successful implementation Functional-level strategies are the best grand strategy considering its nature and operations. These strategies involve coordinating the functional areas of an organization. These functional areas are human resources; marketing; production; finance as well as research and development. The purpose of coord inating these functional areas is to ensure that each one maintains and contributes to entity- level strategies as well as the overall corporate-level strategies. Every business within the corporate range are concerned with coordinating different operations either in designing, delivering, developing or even in sustaining manufactured products (Barney, 2007. p 65). Corporate strategies have several functions, but the major ones include the use of professionals in practical areas to produce the best results, to integrate an activity that involves research in operations, coordinating, processes, and future trends. Including resources, control of inventories, purchasing, and shipping. By also assuring that, the functional strategies integrate with the business level and corporate strategies. References Barney, J. B. (2007). Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Mintzberg, H., Ghoshal S., Lampel J., Quinn J. (2003). The strategy pr ocess  Concepts, and cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Pearce, J., A., Robinson B. (2004). Strategic management: Formulation,  Implementation and control. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Biography of Thomas Newcomen, Steam Engine Inventor

Biography of Thomas Newcomen, Steam Engine Inventor Thomas Newcomen (February 28, 1663–August 5, 1729) was a blacksmith from Dartmouth, England who assembled the prototype for the first modern steam engine. His machine, built in 1712, was known as the Atmospheric Steam Engine. Fast Facts: Thomas Newcomen Known For: Inventor of the atmospheric steam engineBorn: February 28, 1663 in Dartmouth, EnglandParents: Elias Newcomen and his first wife SarahDied: August 5, 1729 in London, EnglandEducation: Trained as an ironmonger (blacksmith) in ExeterSpouse: Hannah Waymouth (m. July 13, 1705)Children: Thomas (d. 1767), Elias (d. 1765), Hannah Before Thomas Newcomens time, steam engine technology was in its infancy. Inventors such as Edward Somerset of Worcester, Newcomens neighbor Thomas Savery, and French philosopher John Desaguliers were all researching the technology before Thomas Newcomen began his experiments. Their research inspired inventors such as Newcomen and James Watt to invent practical and useful steam-powered machines. Early Life Thomas Newcomen was born on February 28, 1663, one of six children of Elias Newcomen (d. 1702) and his wife Sarah (d. 1666). The family was solidly middle-class: Elias was a freeholder, shipowner, and merchant. After Sarah died, Elias remarried Alice Trenhale on January 6, 1668, and it was Alice that raised Thomas, his two brothers, and three sisters. Thomas likely served as an apprentice at an ironmonger in Exeter: although there is no record of it, he began to trade as a blacksmith in Dartmouth about 1685. Documentary evidence has him purchasing quantities of iron up to 10 tons from various mills between 1694 and 1700, and he mended the Dartmouth Town Clock in 1704. Newcomen had a retail store at the time, selling tools, hinges, nails, and chains. On July 13, 1705, Newcomen married Hannah Waymouth, the daughter of Peter Waymouth of Marlborough. They eventually had three children: Thomas, Elias, and Hannah. Partnership With John Calley Thomas Newcomen was assisted in his steam research by John Calley (c. 1663–1717), a man from Brixton, Devonshire. Both are listed on the patent for the Atmospheric Steam Engine. John Calley (sometimes spelled Cawley) was a glazier- some sources say he was a plumber- who served out an apprenticeship in Newcomens workshops and continued working with him afterward. Together they likely began working on the steam engine in the late 17th century, and by 1707, Newcomen expanded his businesses, taking out or renewing new leases on a number of properties in Dartmouth. Neither Newcomen nor Calley was educated in mechanical engineering, and they corresponded with scientist Robert Hooke, asking him to advise them about their plans to build a steam engine with a steam cylinder containing a piston similar to that of Denis Papins. Hooke advised against their plan, but, fortunately, the obstinate and uneducated mechanics stuck to their plans: In 1698, Newcomen and Calley made an experimental, 7-inch-diameter brass cylinder, sealed with a leather flap around the edge of the piston.  The purpose of the first steam engines like the ones experimented with by Newcomen was to drain water out of coal mines. Thomas Savery Newcomen was considered an eccentric and a schemer by locals, but he did know about the steam engine invented by Thomas Savery (1650–1715). Newcomen visited Saverys home in Modbury, England, 15 miles from where Newcomen lived. Savery hired Newcomen, a skilled blacksmith, and ironmonger, to forge a working model of his engine. Newcomen was allowed to make a copy of the Savery machine for himself, which he set up in his own backyard, where he and Calley worked on improving the Savery design. Although the engine that Newcomen and Calley built was not a total success, they were able to obtain a patent in 1708. That was for an engine combining a steam cylinder and piston, surface condensation, a separate boiler, and separate pumps. Also named on the patent was Thomas Savery, who at that time held the exclusive rights to use surface condensation. The Atmospheric Steam Engine The atmospheric engine, as first designed, used a slow process of condensation by applying condensing water to the exterior of the cylinder, to produce the vacuum, which in turn caused the strokes of the engine to take place at very long intervals. More improvements were made, which immensely increased the rapidity of condensation. Thomas Newcomens first engine produced 6 or 8 strokes a minute, which he improved to 10 or 12 strokes. Newcomens engine passed steam through the cock and up into the cylinder, which equilibrated the pressure of the atmosphere, and allowed the heavy pump rod to fall, and, by the greater weight acting through the beam, to raise the piston to the proper position. The rod carried a counterbalance if needed. The cock then opened, and a jet of water from the reservoir entered the cylinder, producing a vacuum by the condensation of the steam. The pressure of the air above the piston then forced it down, again raising the pump rods, and thus the engine worked on indefinitely. The pipe is used for the purpose of keeping the upper side of the piston covered with water, to prevent air leaks- an invention of Thomas Newcomen. Two gauge-cocks and a safety valve were built in; the pressure used was hardly greater than that of the atmosphere, and the weight of the valve itself was ordinarily sufficient to keep the pipe down. The condensing water, together with the water of condensation, flowed off through the open pipe. Thomas Newcomen modified his steam engine so that it could power the pumps used in mining operations that removed water from mine shafts. He added an overhead beam, from which the piston was suspended at one end and the pump rod at the other. Death Thomas Newcomen died on August 5, 1729, in London at a friends house. His wife Hannah outlived him, she moved to Marlborough, and died in 1756. His son Thomas became a serge maker (cloth maker) in Taunton, and his son Elias became an ironmonger (but not an inventor) like his father. Legacy At first, Thomas Newcomens steam engine was seen as a rehash of earlier ideas. It was compared to a piston engine powered by gunpowder, designed (but never built) by Christian Huyghens, with a substitution of steam for the gasses generated by the explosion of gunpowder. Part of the issue why Newcomens work was not recognized might have been that, compared to the other inventors of the day, Newcomen was a middle-class blacksmith, and the more educated and elite inventors simply couldnt imagine that such a person would be able to invent something new. It was later recognized that Thomas Newcomen and John Calley had improved the method of condensation used in the Savery engine. French inventor and philosopher John Theophilus Desaguliers (1683–1744), wrote that Newcomens steam engine came into extensive use in all the mining districts, particularly in Cornwall, and was also applied to the drainage of wetlands, the supply of water to towns, and ship propulsion. The first steam-powered locomotive was invented in the first decade of the 19th century, based in part on Newcomens technology. Sources Allen, J.S. Newcomen, Thomas (1663–1729). A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 1: 1500–1830. Eds. Skempton, A.W. et al. London: Thomas Telford Publishing and Institution of Civil Engineers, 2002. 476–78.Dickinson, Henry Winram. Newcomen and his Vacuum Engine. A Short History of the Steam Engine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 29–53.Karwatka, Dennis. Thomas Newcomen, Inventor of the Steam Engine. Tech Directions 60.7:9, 2001.  Prosser, R.B. Thomas Newcomen (1663–1729). Dictionary of National Biography Volume 40 Myllar- Nicholls. Ed. Lee, Sidney. London: Smith, Elder Co., 1894. 326–29.