STRATEGIC ANALYSIS: UNITED WAY OF AMERICA
This research performs a strategic analysis on the United Way of America organization. United Way of America is a non-profit umbrella organization that provides guidance and authorization to local and regional United Way organizations (United Way of America, 4).
This research develops the strategic analysis of United Way of America through a focus on four foci of organizational analysis. The focus areas are (1) environmental analysis, (2) Porter's (139) Five-Forces Model, (3) strategic strengths and weaknesses, and (4) core competencies.
Environmental analyses performed by organizations concern the external environment within which an organization must function. Important elements of an organization's external environment are (1) law, (2) politics, (3) social structure, (4) economics, and (5) technology (Slevin and Covin 196-197).
Legal developments hold the potential to affect the functioning of the United Way. The Bush Administration has been unsuccessful in persuading the Congress to approve faith-based social service initiatives. Nevertheless, the Administration proceeded to implement some faith-based programs in the absence of implementing law. Faith-based service programs hold the potential to undermine the fund-raising efforts of the United Way, as some donors will assume that government funding is available to provide for the needs of charitable organizations.
Political actions also create problems for the United Way. Public law, as an example, requires the United Way to eliminate bias from its operations, which means that it cannot fund organizations that function with biased polices toward some groups. A case in point is the United Way's denial of funding for the Boy Scouts of America because that organization discriminates against homosexuals. In response, conservative politicians exhibit public fits of apoplexy and encourage the public to retaliate against th...