Muhammad Umer Yasin

CASE STUDY 1:MISSION POSSIBLE:STRATEGIC DIVERSITY

Title and Content LTHE U.S. NAVY AND THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, THE PRESTIGIOUS UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE OF THE NAVY SERVICE IN ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, MIGHT NOT BE PLACES THAT COME TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPERIOR DIVERSITY CHAMPIONS.79 YET THE NAVY IS JUST THAT. IN FACT, THE ENLISTED FORCE OF THE NAVY IS MORE THAN 40 PERCENT DIVERSE. layout with List THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS VICE ADMIRAL SAYS, “WE VIEW THE DIVERSITY IMPERATIVE AS A STRATEGIC ISSUE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.” ONE REASON IS THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE UNITED STATES. WITH NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF NEW WORKERS ENTERING THE WORKFORCE IN OURRECRUITABLE DEMOGRAPHIC BEING WOMEN AND MINORITIES, THE NAVY HAS TO PAY ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY. ANOTHER COMPELLING REASON IS THAT THE NAVY’S STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME TO INCLUDE PREVENTING WARS, NOT JUST WINNING WARS. THIS APPROACH INVOLVES ENGAGING IN HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, DISASTER RELIEF, AND BUILDING STRONG MARITIME PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD, ALL OF WHICH BENEFIT FROM A DIVERSE NAVAL FORCE. FOR INSTANCE, AFTER THE INDONESIAN TSUNAMI IN LATE DECEMBER 2004, A NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP WAS RELOCATED TO THAT REGION. DURING THAT EVENT, THE PUBLIC OPINION OF THE UNITED STATES CHANGED IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS FROM 70 PERCENT NOT LIKING TO 70 PERCENT SUPPORTING. SINCE THAT TIME, THE HOSPITAL SHIP HAS BEEN TO SOUTH AMERICA AND OTHER PLACES. “WE SEE AMERICA’S NAVY AS A FORCE FOR GOOD AROUND THE GLOBE.”

AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY, WHERE THE MILITARY BRANCH’S FUTURE LEADERS ARE EDUCATED, APPLICATIONS HAVE INCREASED 57 PERCENT AMONG BLACK, LATINO, AND OTHER TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED APPLICANTS. THE NAVAL ACADEMY SUPERINTENDENT VICE ADMIRAL SAYS THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE’S NO SPECIFIC NUMERICAL DIVERSITY GOAL, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE REPRESENTATION CLOSE TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COUNTRY. THE FACULTY/STAFF AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY HAVE SEEN CHANGES WITH THE NEW GENERATION OF “MILLENNIAL” MIDSHIPMEN (THE “STUDENTS” AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY) AND HAVE ADJUSTED THEIR METHODS AND APPROACHES TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE CHANGES. “HOW WE REACH OUT TO THEM IS DIFFERENT. WE JUST HAVE TO BE SMARTENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT.”

DISCUSSION QUESTION

1: HOW ARE POPULATION TRENDS AFFECTING THE U.S. NAVY’S EDUCATION AND OPERATIONS? WHAT MIGHT THE ORGANIZATION HAVE TO DO TO ADAPT TO THESE TRENDS BEYOND WHATTHEY’RE ALREADY DOING?

SOLUTION: AS THE POPULATION BECOMES MORE DIVERSE, LARGE ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE MILITARY, ARE LOOKING AT A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION FOR EMPLOYEES/RECRUITS TO FILL THEIR RANKS. FOR THE MILITARY, THIS MEANS MORE FEMALE CADETS AND CADETS FROM DIFFERENT RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE MILITARY ACADEMIES. FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS, THE ACADEMIES HAVE ACTIVELY RECRUITED AT HIGH SCHOOLS WITH GREATER MINORITY POPULATIONS AND HAVE INCLUDED MORE MINORITIES IN THE MARKETING MATERIAL.

2. WHAT CHALLENGES MIGHT THE NAVY FACE IN ADAPTING TO A MORE DIVERSE STUDENT BODY AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY?

SOLUTION:

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR THE NAVAL ACADEMY HAS BEEN THE INTRODUCTION OF WOMEN. MOVING FROM AN ALL MALE SCHOOL TO A SCHOOL OF MIXED GENDER HAS RAISED CONCERNS FROM MANY GROUPS – BOTH THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE IDEA AND THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST IT. IN 1995, SHANNON FAULKNER MADE NEWS AS THE FIRST FEMALE CANDIDATE TO THE CITADEL. DUE TO SEVERAL ISSUES INCLUDING CLAIMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SHANNON WAS NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE HER FIRST YEAR AT THE CITADEL, BUT SHE WAS FOLLOWED BY WOMEN IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS WHO DID SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATE.

3. JUST LIKE THE DILEMMA THAT BUSINESSES FACE IN RETAINING DIVERSE EMPLOYEES, THE NAVY HAS TO ENSURE THAT ONCE ITS WORKFORCE IS TRAINED THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS STAY WITH THE ORGANIZATION. WHAT CAN THE NAVY DO TO ASSURE THIS?

SOLUTION:ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR AIDING RETENTION OF MINORITY GROUPS IS MENTORING. THESE PROGRAMS HELP MINORITIES GAIN NEEDED SKILLS FROM EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS/SITUATIONS. EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS WOULD ALSO HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR MINORITY CADETS. STUDENTS MAY ALSO SUGGEST GREATER DIVERSITY AWARENESS TRAINING OR SKILL TRAINING FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES.

4. WOULD MENTORING OR EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS BE APPROPRIATE FOR A MILITARY ORGANIZATION? EXPLAIN. HOW MIGHT A MENTORING PROGRAM OR EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE NAVY?

SOLUTION:AS STATED IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, MENTORING GROUPS AID IN THE RETENTION OF MINORITIES. MENTORING PROGRAMS CAN BE EITHER VOLUNTARY OR AS PART OF ASTRUCTURED ARRANGEMENT WHERE EVERY CADET IS PAIRED WITH A MENTOR. FOR MINORITIES,IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE PAIRED WITH SOMEONE FROM THEIR SAME GENDER OR RACIAL GROUP. THESE TYPES OF PAIRINGS HELP MINORITIES IN THAT THE MENTOR HAS THE ABILITY TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AS BEING PART OF THAT GROUP AND THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY FACED.