what are the goals of the U.S. military?

Case Questions

2 Pages 

1. The text reminds us that      the U.S. military is a “government organization” that requires managers.      It adds, however, that managing such an organization is often regarded as      a “separate specialty.” What do you think the “separate specialty” entails      in this context? In what respects is Adm. Margaret Klein qualified in the      “separate specialty” that’s required for success in her job as Senior      Advisor for Military Professionalism?
2. The case indicates that      the Senior Advisor for Military Professionalism is essential “an ethics      officer at the Pentagon.” According to one simple explanation, an ethics      officer “aligns the practices of a workplace with the stated ethics and      beliefs of that workplace, holding people accountable to ethical      standards.” In what ways must a successful ethics officer play Mintzberg’s      ten different managerial roles? If you were to advise Adm. Klein on the      relative importance of these roles, in what order would rank them, from      most to least important?
3. According to the text,      not-for-profit organizations try to meet “intangible goals.” In the      broadest sense, what are the goals of the U.S. military? The text also      defines leading as “the set of processes used to get members of an      organization to work together to further the interests of the      organization,” including meeting its goals. What can and should military      leaders do to improve the organization’s efforts to meet its goals? Why      are ethical standards important in these efforts, and what can military      leaders do to improve adherence to ethical standards?
4. A profession can be      defined as an occupation, practice, or vocation requiring mastery of a      complex set of knowledge and skills through formal education and/or      practical experience. Professional ethics can be defined as professionally      accepted standards of personal and occupational behavior, values, and      guiding principles. Thus a “profession” is a specific kind of job with      certain specific rules for performing job-related activities. How do      professional ethics influence job-related activities in ways that don’t      necessarily apply in “nonprofessional” situations?