Capstone, Essay Example

Introduction

Lockheed Martin is a well established capstone in areas concerning scientific and technology pursuits. The current CEO and president of the firm is Robert J. Stevens. Lockheed Martin is located in Maryland and is a well established global corporation that employs over 140000 workers (Lockheed, 2009). The firm was started by 3 California brothers in 1900. It’s during the 1950’s that the corporation experienced tremendous growth setting the offices in Bethesda as its firm’s headquarters.

The global security firm is well known for the research, manufacture, integration, manufacture and maintenance if advanced technology This Corporation is especially well known for its creation of IT materials as well as pother scientific items that can be used by other companies in improving its communication systems within the organization and without. When developing a particular IT material or other scientific materials, Lockheed Martin Corporation ensures it has planned for the change efficiently in a way that before it’s implemented the changes have already been accepted by their recipients such as the managers and other employees.

One of the areas that Lockheed martin corporation has been able to be successful is in the development of inter department communication materials. Communication can be viewed as one of the key areas that IT advancement has been experienced. To ensure when upgrading or installing interdepartmental materials the corporation encourages the agreement between the different departments before networking. One of the main goals of Lockheed Martin Corporation is to ensure it respects other firm’s goals and objectives. In addition to ensuring that the corporation satisfies its clients, it also ensures only the right thing is done at the right time and does not take advantage pf situations. One of the ways through which this firm has been able to win the trust of its customers is through ensuring there is mutual consent from all individuals involved in the deals.

One factor that has led to the success of the corporation is through the intense research and development and standard designing and manufacturing of various goods. Most of the business conducted by Lockheed Martin involves providing IT services to defense departments. One of the areas that the corporation has proved to be a company that possesses the art of research and development is through the several IT labs it possesses. One of the latest endeavors was the opening of nanotechnology lab which is mainly used in conducting aeronautical research and development, the corporation has invested huge amounts of many in such research and development labs.

Despite the many challenges facing the economic world today, Lockheed martin has managed to remain as a profitable corporative. Lockheed martin has varying or scattered interests and goals. Some of the branches that LM focuses on are in electronic system a branch which the firm can make sales of over $11.56 billion dollars. Another branch that the firm has established is the aeronautics branch in which the firm can make up to $11.5 billion dollars of sales. Other branches that the firm has shown to be interested in are the global services and information services which mainly help the defense departments. The government is very reliant on the technology that is provided by Lockheed Martin firm and a few other vendors. The firm also makes over $ 8 billion sales in space systems.

LM really values its customers and hence most of the policies it makes are customer driven. One of the ways through which the corporation shows appreciation for customers is shown through implementation of united gratitude initiative and also through producing activities that can be used to crown their customers achievement.

To ensure that it remains customer driven, the firm uses Six Sigma initiatives a system theory in its program. Six Sigma is a program that main theme is to drive a firm towards 6 standard deviations between the mean and to the nearest specification limit. This is achieved through adapted data driven approach, discipline methodologies that are designed to eliminate any defects. However the implication of the Six Sigma management strategies has brought some organizational challenges since they only give order services. Some of the suggested changes so that the firm can be able to overcome this challenge are through encouraging the managers to teach its juniors rather than given them orders (Carter, Ulrich & Goldsmith, 2005).

To ensure development of its products, LM uses IT technology is developing effective products. However at times it finds itself at times being faced with various technological and environmental challenges. Some of the technological barriers experienced in the firm is that its employees work remotely with direct interaction without the CIO and also without any set responsibility or authority. These technological barriers at times have negative effects on the employees making them less efficient. In addition the firm faces technology competition challenges.

In addition to technology challenges, LM like most other firms is faced with environmental challenges. One of the environmental challenges affecting the firm is the economic challenges with the firm like most firms experiencing economic down turn. To be able to overcome environmental challenges, the firm is in top position in physical environment challenges. One of the ways through which it is involved in the in addressing physical environment challenges is through supporting the Environment Protection Agency’s Information technology solutions. In addition the firm is also involved in addressing energy and climate problems as a strategy of addressing environmental challenges.

Other than the technology and environmental challenges the firm is also faced with political and social challenges. However the firm seemingly has proved to have the ability to integrate changes in its management strategies one of the attributes to its ability to cope in different environmental, political, social and technological challenges. The firm manages to integrate changes into its management system by allowing some old cultures and practices to continue flourishing in the management practice and also taking in some changes over the years. This makes the firm to have a hybrid form of management which can be attributed to the firms’ prosperity and growth with the environment.

Conclusion

Despite the fact the firm allows for some changes in its management practices, Lockheed Martin has tightly maintained some of its old management practices. To do so, the firm employs the use of systems theory hence making the firm process focused. The system theory mainly examines situation by looking to the problem as a whole picture rather than by analyzing the different parts of the problem. The main aim of using systems theory in managing challenges is to ensure there is balance between social systems and technology (Millward, 2005). Since the firm is customer & technology oriented, when faced with challenges the firm integrates the two aspects in getting a solution hence making the firm to continue fostering success even under big challenges.

Reference

Carter, L., Ulrich, D. & Goldsmith, M. (2005). Best practices in leadership development and organization change: how the best companies ensure meaningful change and sustainable leadership. John Wiley and Sons.

Lockheed Martin. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1,2009, from  http://www.lockheedmartin.com/aboutus/index.html

Millward, L. (2005). Understanding occupational and organizational psychology. Sage.