GHSD 6030: Introduction to Health Systems, Management & Policy
Assignment #3: Organizational Direction
Select an organization of interest to you, preferably one you’ve worked with/for, would like to work for or have a particular interest in. A public health related organization is preferred but not a requirement for full credit. You’ll learn the most if it’s an organization in which you have some interest.
****PLEASE PUT IN ITALICS ALL INFORMATION THAT YOU COPY AND PASTE FROM A WEBSITE AND USE NORMAL PRINT FOR ALL THAT IS WRITTEN BY YOU. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT I CAN IDENTIFY WHAT IS IN YOUR VOICE RATHER THAN THAT OF THE ORGANIZATION. Use footnotes as appropriate. Review your paper at the end and be sure that you have done this.
GHSD 6030 Assignment 3 Chart
1. Identify the organization:
Why did you select it?
2. Seek out as much of the following as you can obtain:
a) Vision statement
b) Mission statement
c) Core values
d) Strategic goals
(At the very least obtain the mission statement. Strategic goals are rarely available on a website, but good chance you can find vision and mission and maybe even core values).
If you are unable to locate a list of core values, identify 2-3 core values that you believe may be underlying values of how this organization operates. If you are generating these yourself, you might want to check out sample core values of other similar organizations to get ideas of content as well as style in which core values are generally presented.
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3. Comment on what you observed in this (these) statement(s) consistent or inconsistent with how you saw this organization prior to assembling this information. Be thoughtful and insightful here.
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4. Identify three key stakeholders of this organization in their task environment (external to the organization). For this question and #5 you might want to go back and review the slide set on External Environment)
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5. Identify three key external forces of this organization in their external environment. For each identify how this external force potentially influences this organization.
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6. If you have had exposure to this organization: What organizational culture elements do you actually observe in this organization? Do they fit? Do they seem pervasive? Are they strong? (I recognize you may have limited ability to assess these, depending upon your situation).
If you have not had exposure to this organization: Suggest some organizational culture elements that you might want to create, ones that would be supportive of this organization’s mission.
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7. A SWOT analysis includes an assembly of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that an organization should consider as it proceeds with its strategic analysis and goal setting. For the organization you selected above, reflect on this organization and list real or potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Look at each of these individually, not in the matrix of combining them. These are not generally posted on a website but rather part of an internal brainstorming process. If this is an organization that you have not worked with or for, then strengths and weaknesses as internal factors will be there most difficult for you to assess but make your best thoughtful guess from afar.