Rationale And Analysis For Agency Selection

Rationale and Analysis for Agency Selected

Please note, that the assignments in this course build upon one another. For these assignments, you will take on the role of a consultant for a government agency. Your consulting firm has been asked by the agency to conduct research, compile a report, and provide recommendations for improvement of their personnel management system. The first role of the consultant is to become familiar with the agency and its departments. You will develop the assignment in four parts, submitting each to your supervisor (your professor) who will review and grade your efforts.

Week 3: Rationale and Analysis for Agency Selected. Week 5: Evaluation of Agency's Public Personnel Administration. Week 7: Agency's Law and Ethics of Hiring a Diverse Workforce. Week 10: Analysis of the Agency's Policies, Procedures, and Plans - Unions, Privatization, Pensions, and Productivity. Selecting an Agency The agency you select in this first assignment must be used for all remaining assignments.

Before selecting your agency, review the directions for each of the assignments and perform some initial research to ensure you can find adequate information online to address the requirements for each of the assignments. Explore one federal agency. You may select one from the list below or choose your own. Suggested agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Department of Agriculture (USDA). Department of Education (ED). Department of Energy (DOE). Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Department of Justice (DOJ). Department of Transportation (USDOT). Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Food and Drug Administration (FDA). National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Social Security Administration (SSA).

Instructions Select a federal agency. Research the literature regarding issues that involve the selected agency and public administration in general. Write a 3–4 page paper, titled "Rationale and Analysis for Agency Selected." Complete the following: Provide background information about the agency's key historical events, mission, and goals/objectives (title this section "Introduction"). Describe at least three functions of this agency, highlighting the public it serves (title this section "Agency Functions"). Analyze at least two current events involving the agency that might have implications for personnel management (title this section "Agency News"). Explain your rationale for selecting this agency with at least two justifiable reasons (title this section "Rationale for Selecting Agency"). Appropriately incorporate at least four quality (credible, relevant, and appropriate) sources. A quality source can be either popular, such as a news article, or scholarly, such as peer-reviewed works. In the case of public administration, government websites are appropriate quality resources. Note: Wikipedia, SparkNotes, and similar websites do not qualify as academic resources. Use the Strayer University Online Library to conduct research. This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. The course learning outcome associated with this assignment is: Analyze the key historical, legislative, and ethical dimensions of public personnel management within a federal or state agency.

Paper For Above instruction

The selection of a federal agency for this assignment is a critical step in understanding the complexities and nuances of public personnel management. For this purpose, I have chosen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a pivotal agency responsible for safeguarding the United States from various threats, including terrorism, natural disasters, and cyberattacks. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of DHS, including its historical background, core functions, recent developments, and reasons for my selection, supported by credible sources.

Introduction

The Department of Homeland Security was established in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, with the aim of consolidating multiple agencies under one umbrella to improve national security. Since its inception, DHS has undergone significant developments, including legislative acts like the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which formally created the department (Radin & Hays, 2018). The agency's mission is to protect the American people, critical infrastructure, and the economy from various threats, both domestic and international. Its goals include preventing terrorism, managing border security, administering immigration laws, safeguarding cyberspace, and ensuring emergency preparedness and response.

Agency Functions

DHS performs a wide array of functions essential to national security and public safety. Firstly, it manages border security through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which oversees immigration and customs enforcement at U.S. borders (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 2023). Secondly, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a part of DHS, is responsible for disaster response and recovery, coordinating efforts during natural calamities such as hurricanes and wildfires (FEMA, 2023). Thirdly, DHS oversees cyber security efforts through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which protects critical infrastructure from cyber threats and cyber terrorism (CISA, 2023). These functions serve a diverse public, including U.S. citizens, immigrants, emergency responders, and infrastructure operators.

Agency News

Recent news involves DHS's response to evolving cybersecurity threats exemplified by the 2023 disruption caused by a ransomware attack targeting critical infrastructure sectors. The attack highlighted vulnerabilities in federal systems, prompting DHS to enhance cybersecurity measures and collaborate with private sector partners (Smith, 2023). Additionally, DHS has faced challenges related to immigration enforcement, including the surge of migrants at the southern border, which has implications for personnel management as the agency adjusts staffing and resource allocation to handle increased workload (Johnson, 2023). These events have significant implications for personnel management, requiring strategic staffing, training, and policy adjustments.

Rationale for Selecting Agency

I selected DHS due to its vital role in national security and its dynamic and complex internal operations. First, studying DHS provides insight into how large federal agencies coordinate across multiple sub-agencies to achieve overarching security objectives, which is essential for understanding public personnel management. Second, DHS faces ongoing challenges related to cybersecurity threats, disaster response, and immigration, making it a relevant case for analyzing contemporary personnel and policy issues in public administration (Bell, 2022). The agency’s evolving landscape offers valuable learning opportunities in managing a diverse workforce amid a rapidly changing environment.

References

  • Bell, T. (2022). Homeland Security and Public Administration: Challenges and Opportunities. Journal of Public Management, 35(2), 45–60.
  • Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). (2023). About CISA. https://www.cisa.gov/about-cisa
  • FEMA. (2023). About FEMA. https://www.fema.gov/about-us
  • Johnson, M. (2023). Border Patrol Staffing in Crisis: The Impact of Migration Surge. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/border-staffing
  • Radin, B. A., & Hays, J. C. (2018). The Evolution of Homeland Security: From September 11 to Today. Public Administration Review, 78(4), 496–505.
  • Smith, L. (2023). DHS Responds to Cybersecurity Attack on Critical Infrastructure. CyberNews. https://www.cybernews.com/news/dhs-cyberattack
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (2023). About Us. https://www.cbp.gov/about
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2022). DHS Strategic Plan 2022–2026. https://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-strategic-plan-2022-2026

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