Evaluate innovative strategies leveraging existing USPS capabilities and resources to advance as a vital 21st century service organization

Abstract

by providing universal delivery service. The Second Machine Age has ushered in a new digital economy, which is transforming the way the world communicates and conducts business. Consequently, USPS faces unprecedented challenges, including nearly a decade of declining mail volume and inflexible business conditions that make it difficult to sufficiently react. The Postal Service must continue to transform and adapt to advance as a vital service organization. To fully understand the capability to adapt, this thesis will explore the long Postal Service history of embracing innovative technologies and organizational transformations to meet the changing needs of the American public. The Postal Service has been exploring innovative strategies to continue to adapt to a rapidly changing digital economy. For a new strategy to be successful it must align with the firm's industry positioning, competitive resources, organizational capabilities and existing business conditions. This thesis will analyze the USPS positioning within the two Industries that it currently operates, and examine existing Postal Service resources, positioning and capabilities to identify competitive advantages that can be leveraged to implement innovative competitive initiatives. This thesis will develop an understanding of its organizational capabilities and evaluate existing business conditions that impact the ability to implement new strategies. This thesis will then evaluate potential strategies based on their ability to leverage these competitive advantages, align with organizational capabilities, and navigate current business conditions. Finally, strategic frameworks will be applied to evaluate and prioritize strategies based on their industry attractiveness, viability and competitive sustainability. Ultimately the goal is to provide strategic recommendations to leverage organizational capabilities and resources and help the Postal Service advance as a vital 21st century service organization and meet the changing needs of the American public.