Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of an impact of governmental action on a business paper.
Governments at all levels—federal, state, and municipal—exert a significant influence on business. The impacts of these influences may be negative, such as the
imposition of costly regulations, or they may be positive, such as the provision of financial incentives for the creation of new jobs. Both negative and positive
governmental actions present challenges for businesses: the impact of the action on the business’s “bottom line,” how public opinion will be influenced by the
business’s response to a particular action, and the ethical issues associated with each response, for example.
For this assessment, you will select a business that has faced, or is facing, governmental action and analyze the impact of this action on the business. In this
company, your role is vice president of governmental affairs. Ideally, the business that you select will be the same one discussed in the business plan you created
for MBA 560: Marketing and Strategy. If that company does not yet exist, you should choose one in the same area of focus that is facing a governmental action,
regulatory issue, or political challenge, with instructor consultation and approval. This is important because the analysis you complete now should help inform
your knowledge of potential situations or challenges facing your business product, service, or other idea from your business plan.
Note: If you have not yet completed a business plan in the MBA 560: Marketing and Strategy course, you will select a company of your choice.
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, and Six. The final project will be submitted in Module Nine.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Analyze potential political challenges for determining possible impacts on business environments and sustainable operations
Evaluate the roles and functions of business project teams for addressing government incentives or potential business-negative government regulations
Recommend communication approaches designed to be presented to the public for mitigating possible situations that would negatively affect company
image
Determine effective solutions for addressing multi-faceted business challenges in macroeconomic and global environments
Recommend external resources and approaches in effectively advocating for businesses by evaluating the roles and functions of lobbyists and public
affairs specialists in the political process
Prompt
Your macroeconomic evaluation should answer the following prompt: Select a business that has faced, or is facing, governmental action, and analyze the impact
of this action on the business. Ideally, the business that you select will be the same one discussed in the business plan you created for MBA 560: Marketing and
Strategy. If that company does not yet exist, you should choose one in the same area of focus that is facing a governmental action, regulatory issue, or political
challenge, with instructor consultation and approval. This is important because the analysis you complete now should help inform your knowledge of potential
situations or challenges facing your business product, service, or other idea from your business plan. While your area of focus may be different from the possible
topics and situations listed here, these should still give you an idea of the type of situation for which to look.
Topic examples:
The decision of LG Corporation to construct a new corporate headquarters on the Hudson River in New Jersey, in the face of environmental concerns
The decision of Tesla Motors, Inc. to choose among competing incentive packages from local governments for the construction of the company’s new
Gigafactory
The threat of Amazon.com to move its drone research development activities out of the United States unless the Federal Aviation Administration adopts
a more favorable regulatory stance
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s decision to issue numerous citations to Ashley Furniture
McDonald’s Corporation and the decision by Seattle, Washington to increase the minimum wage in that city
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I.
Overview: In your role as vice president of governmental affairs, your boss, the business’s CEO, is considering retaining an outside consulting firm to
assist the company with a government issue that it is facing. Jack Harris is the president of that firm, which is called Crisis Consulting. Jack has told your
boss that he will not know if he can help until he learns more information about your company and the issue it faces. Your CEO has asked you to prepare
a memo that will provide a detailed overview of your company as well as the government action that is it facing. Address the following:
A. Business Profile: Provide a brief profile of the business and the industry it occupies, including the business’s market share and competitors, as
well as opportunities and threats facing the business and industry outside of the particular governmental action now facing the business.
B. Governmental Action: Analyze the potential governmental action or political challenge that will affect the business in this particular situation.
C. Organization and Teams: Describe the organization of the company, including divisions and project teams, and the manner in which the
company has used these teams to respond to government regulations in the past.
D. Stakeholders: Describe the company’s internal and external stakeholders. In your description, include the actions taken by the stakeholders to
date to influence the political process and advocate for the business’s interests.
E. Current Environment: Describe the current business environment, both financial and otherwise, including the initial reaction of the company to
the situation and the initial position taken by political actors and other stakeholders.
II. Analysis: After submitting your overview, your boss is having second thoughts about bringing Jack Harris and his firm, Crisis Consulting, on board. Before
he makes his final decision he has asked you to provide him with a thorough analysis of the situation faced by your business. He asks you to prepare a
memorandum to him (the CEO) analyzing the situation that your business faces as well as the resources that are available to it. Address the following:
A. Business Environment: Based on your analysis of the governmental action or political challenge, what will be the impact of the governmental
action or political challenge on the business’s financial situation and operations? Does the action represent an opportunity or a threat?
B. Sustainability: Based on your analysis of the governmental action or political challenge, how will the governmental action or political challenge
impact the sustainability of the business?
C. Internal Resources: Evaluate the internal resources of the company, including the business project teams that are available to respond to the
opportunity or threat. In other words, is the business adequately organized to address the opportunity or threat?
D. Communication: How has information about the situation been communicated to various stakeholders? For example, have any public hearings
been held? Have the radio, newspapers, and/or social media been used?
E. Company Image: Assess how the situation has affected the company’s public image. Has the impact been primarily positive or negative? If the
impact has been primarily negative, what are the positive aspects in addition to the negative aspects? If the impact has been primarily positive,
what are the negative aspects in addition to the positive aspects?
F. Response: What are the potential courses of action to respond to the situation in the current macroeconomic and business environment? In
other words, what is the range of options for the business in this situation?
G. Impact: How will these courses of action impact the business? Make sure to consider both short- and long-term impacts, including operational,
financial, and ethical implications.
H. External Resources: Evaluate the roles and functions of third parties or external resources in the situation. Consider questions such as these in
your response: How will lobbyists be involved in the situation? Will there be public affairs professionals who will argue on behalf of the
government or the business?
III. Recommendations: After submitting your analysis memorandum, your CEO has decided that your business needs the additional resources that Jack
Harris and his firm Crisis Consulting can provide. Time is of the essence, and so Jack has called a meeting of the team that will work on this project next
week. While Jack is familiar with your business, due to your overview, the rest of his team is not. Your CEO has asked you to provide a memorandum to
Jack that he can distribute to his team that will be assisting your business. Do not assume that the team knows anything about your business or the
government action it faces. In addition, the CEO has asked you to include your recommendations for addressing the situation the business is facing.
A. Business Project Teams: Based on your evaluation of the internal resources that are available to the company, how can business project teams
be efficiently engaged to obtain the most favorable results for the company?
B. Communication: Based on your assessment of the business’s public image, recommend communication approaches or strategies designed to
mitigate the impact of negative information about the business.
C. Solution: Based on the courses of action and their impacts that you previously described, determine an effective solution for the business in the
situation it is facing. How does the solution address the governmental action(s) or political challenge(s) faced by the business?
D. Political Influence: Based on your evaluation of external resources, how should the company utilize outside resources and approaches to
advocate for the business and influence the political process?
Milestones
Milestone One: Topic Selection
In Module Two, you will submit a topic selection short paper. Key to your success is providing the background to thoroughly address each of the critical
elements. The business topic will be the same one that you created in your MBA 560: Marketing and Strategy course. If the idea has not yet faced some
significant government impact, you will need to identify one or more government impacts that the business idea would be likely to face. See examples in the
prompt. Note: If you have not yet completed a business plan in the Marketing and Strategy course, you should choose an existing business as the subject.
Your short paper should identify and briefly describe the business that you propose to study and describe the government impact that it has faced or would be
likely to confront. Make your case for why the business and government impact you select are appropriate subjects for the final project. If your instructor
believes that your choice will not provide sufficient material for you to achieve success with the final project, you may have to select a different business and/or
government impact. The topic selection short paper should be 2–3 double-spaced pages. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Overview
In Module Four, you will submit the Overview section of your final project, which continues building on what you started in Milestone One to complete Section I
of the final project critical elements. You will provide the business profile and governmental action, revised according to feedback received on Milestone One,
then add organization and teams, stakeholders, and current environment. Be sure to support all factual claims/positions with appropriate citations to your
research materials. This overview should be 8-10 double-spaced pages. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Analysis
In Module Six, you will submit the Analysis section of your final project, which is Section II of the final project critical elements. Your analysis should include
answers to all the questions in the Analysis section on business environment, sustainability, internal resources, communication, company image, response,
impact, and external resources. The analysis should be 8-10 double-spaced pages. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Submission: Impact of Governmental Action on a Business Paper
In Module Nine, you will submit your comprehensive final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final
product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. Make sure to include the overview, analysis, and recommendations
sections in your final submission. The recommendation questions are listed in Section III of the final project critical elements and include the business project
teams, communications, solution, and political influence. Make sure to support all factual claims/positions with appropriate citations to your research materials.
Your final paper should be 15-20 double-spaced, pages. This milestone will be graded using the Final Project Rubric (below).
Deliverables
Milestone
Deliverable
Module Due
Grading
One
Topic Selection
Two
Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric
Two
Overview
Four
Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
Three
Analysis
Six
Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric
Nine
Graded separately; Final Project Rubric (below)
Final Submission: Impact of Governmental
Action on a Business Paper
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your macroeconomic evaluation should adhere to the following formatting not including title and reference pages), double-spaced,
using 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. You should use current APA style guidelines for your citations and reference list.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information,
review these instructions.
Critical Elements
Exemplary (100%)
Overview: Business Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Profile
response expertly balances
necessary detail with brevity
Overview:
Governmental
Action
Overview:
Organization and
Teams
Overview:
Stakeholders
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
analysis demonstrates keen
insight into governmental actions,
regulatory issues, or political
challenges that can impact
businesses
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description demonstrates
nuanced understanding of use of
business project teams for
addressing government incentives
and regulations
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description demonstrates
nuanced understanding of role of
stakeholders in the process of
advocating for businesses and
their interests
Proficient (90%)
Briefly profiles selected business
and industry it occupies, including
market share, competitors,
opportunities, and threats
Needs Improvement (70%)
Profiles selected business and
industry it occupies, including
market share, competitors,
opportunities, and threats, but
response is wordy or vague
Analyzes potential governmental
action or political challenge that
will affect business, but with gaps
in accuracy or detail
Not Evident (0%)
Does not profile selected business
and industry it occupies
Value
4
Does not analyze potential
governmental action or political
challenge that will affect business
4.65
Describes the organization of the
company, including divisions and
project teams, and the manner in
which the company has used
teams to respond to past
government regulations, but
description is cursory or
inaccurate
Comprehensively describes
Describes company’s internal and
company’s internal and external
external stakeholders, including
stakeholders, including actions
actions taken by stakeholders to
taken by stakeholders to influence influence political process and
political process and advocate for advocate for business interests,
business interests
but description is cursory or
inaccurate
Does not describe the
organization of the company and
the manner in which the company
has used teams to respond to past
government regulations
6.2
Does not describe company’s
internal and external stakeholders
6.2
Accurately analyzes potential
governmental action or political
challenge that will affect business
Comprehensively describes the
organization of the company,
including divisions and project
teams, and the manner in which
the company has used teams to
respond to past government
regulations
Overview: Current
Environment
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description demonstrates
nuanced understanding of current
business environment
Comprehensively describes
current business environment,
including financial status, initial
reaction of company to situation,
and initial position taken by
stakeholders
Describes current business
environment, including financial
status, initial reaction of company
to situation, and initial position
taken by stakeholders, but
description is cursory or
inaccurate
Analysis: Business Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Accurately determines impact of Determines impact of
Environment
response demonstrates keen
governmental action or political
governmental action or political
insight into relationship between challenge on business finances
challenge on business finances
governmental action and business and operations, based on analysis and operations, but response
environment
of action or challenge
lacks detail or accuracy or is not
based on analysis
Analysis:
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Accurately determines impact of Determines impact of
Sustainability
response demonstrates keen
governmental action or political
governmental action or political
insight into relationship between challenge on sustainability of
challenge on sustainability of
governmental action and
business
business, but response lacks detail
sustainable operations
or accuracy or is not based on
analysis
Analysis: Internal Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Comprehensively evaluates
Evaluates internal resources of
Resources
evaluation demonstrates nuanced internal resources of company,
company, including business
understanding of roles and
including business project teams project teams available to respond
functions of business project
available to respond to
to opportunity or threat, but
teams
opportunity or threat
evaluation is cursory or inaccurate
Analysis:
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Accurately assesses how
Assesses how information about
Communication
response demonstrates keen
information about situation has
situation has been communicated
insight into communication
been communicated to
to stakeholders, but with gaps in
approaches
stakeholders
accuracy or detail
Analysis: Company Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Accurately assesses how situation Assesses how situation has
Image
response demonstrates keen
has affected company’s public
affected company’s public image,
insight into relationship between image
but with gaps in accuracy or detail
situation and company image
Analysis: Response Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Determines appropriate potential Determines potential courses of
response demonstrates nuanced courses of action for responding
action for responding to situation
understanding of relationship
to situation in current
in current macroeconomic and
between situation and potential
macroeconomic and business
business environment, but not all
solutions
environment
courses of action are appropriate
or response has gaps in accuracy
or detail
Does not describe current
business environment
4.65
Does not determine impact of
governmental action or political
challenge on business finances
and operations
4.65
Does not determine impact of
governmental action or political
challenge on sustainability of
business
4.65
Does not evaluate internal
resources of company
6.2
Does not assess how information
about situation has been
communicated to stakeholders
6.2
Does not assess how situation has
affected company’s public image
6.2
Does not determine potential
courses of action for responding
to situation in current
macroeconomic and business
environment
6.2
Analysis: Impact
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates nuanced
understanding of relationship
between business environment
and potential solutions
Analysis: External Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Resources
evaluation demonstrates nuanced
understanding of roles and
functions of external resources in
process of advocating for
businesses and their interests
Recommendations: Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Business Project
response demonstrates nuanced
Teams
understanding of use of business
project teams for addressing
government incentives and
regulations
Recommendations: Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Communication
response demonstrates keen
insight into use of communication
approaches to mitigate situations
that could negatively impact
company image
Recommendations: Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Solution
response demonstrates keen
insight into determining effective
solution for addressing business
challenges
Recommendations: Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Political Influence recommendations demonstrate
nuanced understanding of use of
external resources and
approaches in process of
advocating for businesses and
their interests
Accurately determines impact of
courses of action on business,
considering short- and long-term
operational, financial, and ethical
impacts
Comprehensively evaluates roles
and functions of third parties or
external resources in situation
Determines impact of courses of
action on business, considering
short- and long-term operational,
financial, and ethical impacts, but
with gaps in accuracy or detail
Evaluates roles and functions of
third parties or external resources
in situation, but evaluation is
cursory or inaccurate
Does not determine impact of
courses of action on business
6.2
Does not evaluate roles and
functions of third parties or
external resources in situation
6.2
Clearly explains how business
project teams can be efficiently
engaged to obtain most favorable
results for company, based on
evaluation of available internal
resources
Recommends appropriate
communication approaches or
strategies designed to mitigate
impact of negative information
about business, based on
assessment of business’s public
image
Determines effective solution for
business in current situation,
based on previously described
courses of action and impacts
Explains how business project
teams can be efficiently engaged
to obtain most favorable results
for company, but response is not
based on evaluation or lacks
clarity or detail
Recommends communication
approaches or strategies, but
approaches are not appropriate
for mitigating impact of negative
information about business or are
not based on assessment of
business’s public image
Determines solution for business
in current situation, but solution is
not effective or is not based on
courses of action and impact
Does not explain how business
project teams can be efficiently
engaged to obtain most favorable
results for company
6.2
Does not recommend
communication approaches or
strategies
6.2
Does not determine solution for
business in current situation
6.2
Recommends appropriate
utilization of outside resources
and approaches to advocate for
business and influence political
process, based on evaluation of
external resources
Recommends utilization of
outside resources and approaches
to advocate for business and
influence political process, but
recommendations have gaps in
appropriateness or are not based
on evaluation of sources
Does not recommend utilization
of outside resources and
approaches to advocate for
business and influence political
process
6.2
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and organization
and is presented in a professional
and easy-to-read format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
Total
3
100%
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
1
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
2
RAYTHEON COMPANY
MEMO
To: Jack Harris, President of Crisis Consulting
From: Vice President, Raytheon Company
CC:
Date: 26th April 2017
Re: Raytheon Company Information and Issues
This memo is concerned at availing Raytheon Company information, which is from its history,
headquarters, employees’ base and its segments of operation as well the organizational structure.
Further areas to be handled include its business environment and will further focus on a specific
government action that impact the company.
Raytheon Company Profile
Raytheon Company is known as a technological organization and as leader in innovation
specialized in defense, cybersecurity solutions as well as in civil government. The company was
founded way back in the year 1922 and its central headquarters is currently located in Waltham,
Massachusetts (Hafeli, Holzman, Stein, & Vargas, 2015). The total number of employees housed
in Raytheon company globally is 63, 000 people, who propelled the 2016 sales value of 24 billion
dollars. Generally there exists maintained offices in nineteen countries but established companies
are found only in four countries; Germany, Australia, United Kingdom and United States. The
company has functionality in providing the following services to its various renowned global
customers;
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
3
•
Mission systems integration.
•
State-of-the-art electronics.
•
Sensing and image services.
•
Capability in command, communications, control, cyber, computing and intelligence;
commonly referred to as the C5I.
•
Mission support services.
•
Checks grown effects for clients.
•
Missile defense.
•
Precision weapons.
•
Electronic warfare.
•
Training and other services.
The company is further known for development of highly technological and integrated products,
solutions in addition to services. Raytheon does not stop at this, we operate in five distinct
segments, which helps in defining various roles this company has; Integrated Defense Systems,
Missile System, Space and Airborne Systems, and Force point. It is these segments that define
each of the above mentioned functionality issues. As a commitment to serve our global customers,
the company protects the Arctic, which enables ships to securely navigate along the southernmost
section of globe. The radar and satellites developed in the company roam all over the sky and the
sea to detect and guard against ballistic missiles and several other threats that might creep unseen,
which is what has protected the most important shipping lines of U.S. The air traffic management
systems that have been developed by the company has enabled safe movements of plants within
the hemisphere and all over the world. Again in the United States it has been possible to efficiently
train troops to be fit when called for future service.
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
4
Company History
Raytheon since its establishment has taken part in great wars by standing with the US since World
War Two. It met urgent production needs back in 1940 for magnetron tubes that were on demand
by U.S and its allies for defense in radar and it also produced Sea Going microwave surface search
that was specifically necessary for the U.S Navy ships. In 1960s, the company played a critical
role in the Apollo 11 by developing a computer system that enabled millions of world viewers to
watch the unfolding of events live from the moon (Dolphin, 2016). Raytheon through its associate
company, Hughes, performed significantly in the 1970s Vietnam combat by again developing the
most effective machines. In the Persian Gulf War of 1980s and 1990s, this company was again
reached and developed an interceptive missile that combated the firings made from Israel and
Saudi Arabia, which in history become the first ever missile to intercept ballistic missile in war.
Government Action
The major government policy that directly applies to Raytheon Company is the Arms Export
Control Act that is being review by the congress every now and then depending with the regime
of the day. The policy outlined in Arms Export Control Act is one that is bureaucratic in nature
since it takes several process and time to be approved. A one month prior notice is called upon is
when the congress sit and communicate to the senate house who in turn communicate to the
President’s office. All these steps as per the act are necessary before the approval to sell to a
particular country (Christopher, Blackman, Rosen, & Dempster, 2014). The government has to
verify the various kinds of weapons and machineries being sold to various countries. This
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
5
condition has developed from the relationship the company has been having with the U.S.
government considering the fact that most of its revenues are generated for defense contracts
This policy and the Exportation act clearly are limiting factors to Raytheon Company, which is
because every sale is watched and controlled by the government. This actually has the possibility
of limiting revenue standards of the company since the market is large but not every potential
customer is reached. This policy is basically constructed to protect the U.S. security being that she
is the super power and must control the machinery base of potential threat nations. However, this
personal strategy might limit the market and possibly the revenue since only some few selected
states and nations will be reached. The issue of time taken to approve a transaction is also serious
and in case of emergency, the client can lose interest and go an alternative service provider who
will do the same thing at a faster pace. These are some of the threats that might or rather are being
faced by Raytheon Company provided the Arms Export Control Act is strictly applied.
Organization and Team
This company is basically being propelled by the executive team who work in one accord with an
aim always remaining the top most missiles and inventory base in the entire globe. This what every
officer, the Chief Executive Officer inclusive. The board of the executive office has got a president
or chairperson and sixteen vice presidents who are in charge of various sectors and departments of
the company. This in fact has encouraged serious division of labor and the president of the
company does not tackle every issue, he only oversee into issues that need attention. In case
something is of weight he does not sit and make decisions alone, the president however calls for a
board meeting with the all the sixteen vice presidents and discuss with everyone contributing and
providing a way forward (Leary et al, 2014, March). The departments where the vice presidents
serve include, contract and supply chain; controller and chief accounting; corporate affairs and
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
6
communication; space and airborne systems; global business services; engineering, technology
and mission assurance; intelligence, information and services; evaluation team; human resources
and global security; chief financier’s office; Missile system; integrated defense system; general
counsel and corporate secretary; internal audit, Raytheon treasury; and finally business
development.
The government’s act on arms exportation really is a challenge but understanding how delicate the
business is and how it can cost the home country, U.S., this company in the past sat down and
formulated its own guiding policy. This has shown the paths to follow whenever dealing with
clients and also when legal issues come up. Clients and other potential customers must understand
the company’s terms and condition before the onset of any transaction of whatever kind. This has
helped before since it has been possible to consult early enough before any agreements are made
and the client profiles reasons for the purchase are ascertained. This has been important because it
helps in preventing any global arm that could taint the image of Raytheon Company. This reduced
the threats that could come to the government security and the company output level was never
interfered with.
Raytheon Stakeholders
In every organization there normally exists two categories of stakeholders, external and internal,
who are interested in the happening of that particular business. Raytheon Company as well has the
same and considering its nature plus being a large enterprise, it attracts several stakeholders as
outlined below.
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
7
Internal Stakeholders
This includes of those individuals who are interested in the business in one way or the other and
have made the step of operating from within the company.
•
Employees
•
owners
•
Board of vice presidents
External Stakeholders
This a list of those individual who are interested and influenced by the companies from the outside.
•
Consumers
•
Government
•
Suppliers
•
Investors
•
Creditors
•
Society.
The internal stakeholders influence the political arena their output, which implies on how much is
being produced at every given quarter or financial year when the federal budget is being read.
Another important issue concerning the same is how the company management does the bids that
are worth millions of dollars. One thing that is strategic is a close relationship with the government
of the day to the extent that during the U.S. presidential elections, the company takes care of several
political campaigns; a common example being the year 2004 when Raytheon Company was
involved and spent millions of dollars (Mattera, Hilliard, Shapoval, & Aigbedo, 2016). All these
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
8
are with an intention of securing a good operational atmosphere that has less competition when
bids are made for defense tenders. The external counterparts, however, are influensive depending
on their levels of demand for products from the company, if the demand is high the government
through its powerful houses would come in to put policies that restricts the same and reduce the
outside hands into accessing such powerful products and services.
Current Environment
The company has good working environment with sound professional ethics and code of conducts
that must be adhered to as the service to be various global is upheld. It does not just stop at that,
but also incorporates good interrelationship between employees and top management, employees
themselves and even the general company to its global customers (Weiss, 2016). Depending on
the structure of the organization, some employees through their feedbacks do propose a new
competitive organization structure to be announced in the next session considering the dynamic
nature of the industry. Another arising issue is on the salary increase, though it is being almost on
a yearly basis but some employees given the changes in the economic status feel the percentage is
significant after viewing responsibilities and demand.
9
MILESTONE 2: Raytheon Company
Reference
Christopher, Blackman, Rosen, & Dempster, (2014). U.S. Patent No. 8,654,005. Washington,
DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Dolphin, (2016). On the Incorporation of Metallicity Data into Measurements of Star Formation
History from Resolved Stellar Populations. The Astrophysical Journal, 825(2), 153.
Hafeli, Holzman, Stein, & Vargas, (2015). U.S. Patent No. 8,943,662. Washington, DC: U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2016/09/21/senate-section/article/S5948-3
Leary, Stadter, Ostdiek, Binning, Schlacter, Durey, & Southwood, (2014, March). Collaborative
engineering in competitive environments: The PTSS Integrated Systems Engineering
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MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
Situation Analysis
1
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
2
To: C.E.O Raytheon Company
From: Vice President, Raytheon Company
CC:
Date: 7th May 2017
Re: Situation Analysis
This memo is concerned at providing the analysis that Raytheon Company faces during its
daily business operations. Additional areas to be observed consist of its business atmosphere and
will further focus on a specific government deeds that affect the company.
Area of Analysis
Analysis will be carried out on the government action or political challenges impacts on
the financial or operation situation of the company (Pierre, 2014). Due diligence on the business
environment will be done to ensure that every facet is studied. Conclusion will be made whether
the situation poses threat or provide opportunities. The investigation will also be conducted on the
sustainability of the operations of the business after the assessment of the impacts of the
government actions or the political challenges. The study will assess the internal resources of the
business, including the project teams that are ready to act in response to the opportunity or threat
caused by the government actions.
Communication as a fundamental element between the government and the business
operators must be studied to understand the channels of communications and the effects of the
communications to business environment. An assessment of the state of affairs to the company’s
public image will be carried out to verify whether they are affirmative or pessimistic. The
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
3
examination needs to offer respond to the situation in the current microeconomic and business
environment. The impact of the action taken by Raytheon Company will be assessed in their short
and long-term effects considering their financial, operational and ethical implication. Role of third
parties in solving the problem will be studied and conclusion made.
Business Environment
Here at Raytheon we directly participate in many new programs within the defense and
government electronics, space, information technology and technical services and support
markets. We compete worldwide with a number of U.S. and international companies in these
markets, where some are more extensive and are more specialized in the areas of engineering,
manufacturing and marketing capabilities than us. The continued merging of the U.S. and global
defense, space and aerospace industries enables our competition to strengthen, for this reason must
continue to work on our relationships within our DOD programs with our suppliers, some of whom
are, our competitors on other programs. In addition, the U.S. defense spending levels in the near
future are increasingly difficult to predict. Changes in U.S. defense expenditures May theoretically
hamper certain future market opportunities (Raytheon,n.d.).
According to the Arms Export control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations
policies of the current government, the financial and operational situations of the business are
negatively affected (Fleisher, & Bensoussan, 2015). The threat comes from the point that the
government has barred arms purchase and transport to some African countries e.g. South Sudan
and the Middle East countries e.g. Syria, Iraq and the North Korea in Europe. These reasons have
forced the company to reduce its operations hence reduced financial return. This analysis points
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
4
to the bad times ahead therefore Raytheon Company has to develop counter strategies to reduce or
totally eliminate the effects of these policies.
Sustainability
The government policies on the purchase and control of arms have reduced the market
share of Raytheon Company to where the business is no longer sustainable. The reduction of the
market share means that the number of sales is reduced hence less financial returns. The current
business operation of the company is not sustainable therefore the business cannot remain afloat
(Tan, 2014). Though the threat is real and very harmful to the company’s operations, the firm is
putting measures to ensure the continuity of the company’s daily business operations. The
company may consider lobbying for the lifting of the ban or get into new markets like the Far East
of Europe continent and the eastern parts of the African continent. These considerations will be
beneficial to the company to the point that it will no longer rely on some few markets but have a
wide field to play within. As such the current situation would not have had major impact on its
operations. The end point is that companies are primarily in business to do sales and make profit.
Internal Resources
Raytheon Company has competent personnel to steer the company through this tough time.
The employees are skilled in missile defense, precision weapons, electronic warfare, military
training, mission support etc. Putting in consideration the policies the government is implementing,
the company has embarked on elaborate lobbying within the Department of Defense (Rothaermel,
2015). A plan to review the arms transport ban to the Middle East is currently understudy and
detailed analysis has been done to ascertain the impacts of the ban to the people of the United
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
5
States and those from Middle East. The review is at the final stage and indications are that the ban
will be lifted.
Communication
The board of vice presidents met with the directors of the department of defense before the
publication of the item in the Department of Defense website. The discussion on banning was done
with a lot of consideration and finally a conclusion was made (Goetsch, & Davis, 2014). The
pronouncement was also done in the local radio stations and written in local dailies. Complete
information was provided with reasons why the trade was halted. Communication is an important
tool in trade hence informing stakeholders through the right channel was the best thing done by
the Defense Department.
Company Image
The banning of the arms export to the Middle East and South Sudan countries has
negatively impacted Raytheon and the effects almost brought the company’s operations to a
standstill. The image of the company is tainted and the new markets which it considers to enter are
seemingly not very receptive.
Though the situation negatively portrayed the image of the
company, on the other hand, the company conducted itself with transparency and a lot of sincerity
making some clients to believe in its work ethics (Johnson, & Zinkhan, 2015). Right now Raytheon
has embarked in image rebuilding by first apologizing to the affected clients and then devote time
and resources to encouraging affected clients to give the company another chance and continue
trading with it.
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
6
Response
The company should politely excuse the weak employees and retain the right people with
the right skills. This is done through reviewing individual’s accountability and teamwork
performance. The situation in the current microeconomic and business environment calls
company’s action to reduce finances used in wages by doing away with employees who do not
perform to the standards of the company. The company must also reduce arms production to avoid
wastage therefore reducing the production and the overhead cost. The company must consider
raising capital to support turnaround. It needs to protect the resources and asset value in order to
remain in business.
Raytheon needs to come up with customer retention plan to stop loosing clients to its
competitors e.g. the advisory board should sit with the top clients and seek their counsel on the
way forward. This strategy will make the clients feel valued hence continue trading with the
company. The company should also venture into the new markets and increase its global market
share. This will help in increasing sales volume hence increased profits.
Impact
Reducing the number of employees as a short-term measure will ensure that the company
remains with few but competent people. When the operations resume normally, the company will
consider adding other competent people on board to ensure sufficient business operations. The
reduction of unit numbers of arms produced is also a short-term measure to curb wastage of raw
materials. Immediately the ban is lifted, the company will resume to its normal quantity of
production.
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
7
Long-terms measures include but not limited to customer retention plans and new market
exploration. Customers are the primary reason why we are in business therefore it is upon us to
make them satisfied at all time. Involving top customers in the decision making on the way forward
will prove to be a major turnaround decision hence more stability to the company. Entry into new
market to enhance our presence and increase our sales volume as a long-term strategy will make
the company to attract new clients thereby increasing its market share. The decision made by the
board will ensure that the company avoids financial wastage while keeping business operations
going. Ethically, the company has scored very well by being honest to the clients.
External Resources
Currently the board of vice presidents is engaging the Department of Defense in the
discussion on the matter. A number of considerations are on table and the government is willing
to lift the ban. Assessment of the impact of the ban is being studied and recommendation shall be
made soon. It must be understood that it is for the safety of the American people and the world at
large upon which the government actions are taken, therefore Raytheon Company must act in
accordance with the laws and the government directions (Rothaermel, 2015). The US weapons
dealers association has also come on board to give their support and try lobby for the lifting of the
ban. With their help, the discussion has been fruitful. They bring lots of expertise in weapons trades
and foreign relations that set the agenda straight at the discussion table.
Conclusion
The study has revealed that according to the Arms Export control Act and International
Traffic in Arms Regulations policies of the current government, the financial and operational
situations of the business are negatively affected and that the business is almost to the point of not
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
8
sustainable. Internal resources are ready to be deployed to salvage the situation and the image of
the company which is currently tainted. The study also points to the fact that there has been clear
and elaborate communication between the Department of Defense and the affected parties.
Strategies have been lined up to respond to the situation and their impact stated. External resources
have also proved beneficial to the course of action. Though the situation is bad, a lot of energy has
been put at work to reach a more comprehensive conclusion in solving the problem.
MILESTONE THREE: Raytheon Company
9
References
Fleisher, & Bensoussan, (2015). Business and competitive analysis: effective application of new
and classic methods. FT Press.
Goetsch, & Davis, (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson.
Johnson, & Zinkhan, (2015). Defining and measuring company image. In Proceedings of the 1990
Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 346-350). Springer
International Publishing.
Pierre, (2014). The global politics of arms sales. Princeton University Press.
Raytheon CO’s (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2017 from
http://csimarket.com/stocks/compet_glance.php?code=RTN
Rothaermel, (2015). Strategic management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Tan, (2014). 1 The global arms trade. The Global Arms Trade: A Handbook, 18, 1.
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