AFRICOM: An Effective Organization or a Military Hurdle?
Abstract
Many organizations face challenges that impact their effectiveness and therefore success. These challenges are not easy to visualize, thus making it more difficult to derive and implement appropriate measures to deal with them. The problem becomes compounded when procedures or treatments are applied without diagnosis. The establishment of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to serve Africa's unique security concerns generated some reservations both within and outside the United States (U.S.). Despite attempts to communicate AFRICOM's intentions, the lukewarm acceptance among its stakeholders still persists and has raised concerns about its efficacy as a panacea for the problems on the African continent. The basic premise of this study is to diagnose AFRICOM's internal processes and examine its external environment in order to identify any organizational or environmental variables that support or hinder its effectiveness in attaining its goals. This thesis examines the extent to which key variables, such as mission, tasks, structure, culture, and environment are congruent or incongruent. Data was obtained both qualitatively and quantitatively. This study establishes that there is some degree of misalignment among the inputs, outputs, and the desired outcomes of AFRICOM's programs, and proffers recommendations for a better fit.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA535941
Entities
People
- Katrina Coolman
- Sileranda Lassa
- Yacoub Mohamed
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School