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Air Force Institute of Technology

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A Methodology To Assess The Impact Of The Global Positioning System On Air Combat Outcomes, Stephen F. Sovaiko Dec 1993

A Methodology To Assess The Impact Of The Global Positioning System On Air Combat Outcomes, Stephen F. Sovaiko

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force has a requirement to quantify the force enhancement effects of military space systems, but no methodology currently exists for the measurement of their contribution to air combat outcome. This research examines the Global Positioning System GPS and models its influence on air-to-ground combat. The decision analysis technique of influence diagrams is used to identify the effects of GPS launch decisions and constellation size on the navigation accuracy available to air combatants. The effect of accuracy variations on combat outcome is shown by using a value tree to identify the affected campaign Measures of Effectiveness. The study reveals …

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Business Process Improvement Applied To Written Temporary Duty Travel Orders Within The United States Air Force, Philip W. Mcdowell, David W. Morgan Dec 1993

Business Process Improvement Applied To Written Temporary Duty Travel Orders Within The United States Air Force, Philip W. Mcdowell, David W. Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the process currently endemic to the activity of producing written TDY orders. Business Process Improvement BPI methodology using IDEF ICAM Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing Definition and Activity Based Costing methods were used for this study. The objectives of the written TDY order activity were determined as identifying the travelers and verifying authenticity of the travel requirement and subsequent entitlements. Processing the TDY information, generating the TDY order, and processing the TDY order showed activities that add no value or limited value for either the traveler or the government. The activity costs incurred to produce a written TDY …

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Using Discovery-Based Learning To Prove The Behavior Of An Autonomous Agent, David N. Mezera Dec 1993

Using Discovery-Based Learning To Prove The Behavior Of An Autonomous Agent, David N. Mezera

Theses and Dissertations

Computer-generated autonomous agents in simulation often behave predictably and unrealistically. These characteristics make them easy to spot and exploit by human participants in the simulation, when we would prefer the behavior of the agent to be indistinguishable from human behavior. An improvement in behavior might be possible by enlarging the library of responses, giving the agent a richer assortment of tactics to employ during a combat scenario. Machine learning offers an exciting alternative to constructing additional responses by hand by instead allowing the system to improve its own performance with experience. This thesis presents NOSTRUM, a discovery-based learning DBL system …

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Developing Realistic Behaviors In Adversarial Agents For Air Combat Simulation, George S. Hluck Dec 1993

Developing Realistic Behaviors In Adversarial Agents For Air Combat Simulation, George S. Hluck

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes an initial effort into creating a rule-based, reactive system for air combat simulation. This program uses the object-oriented extension of the expert system tool known as the C Language Integrated Production System CLIPS. This effort rose out of the need for creating and integrating semi-autonomous forces for the Distributed Interactive System DIS. This thesis describes the basic maneuvers a pilot uses in present air-to-air combat. The methodology includes the design decisions, knowledge-base development, phase architecture, and maneuver architecture development. The actual implementation of the selected architecture is described. This thesis also discusses the results of experimental runs …

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Developing Realistic Cooperative Behaviors For Autonomous Agents In Air Combat Simulation, Dean P. Hipwell Dec 1993

Developing Realistic Cooperative Behaviors For Autonomous Agents In Air Combat Simulation, Dean P. Hipwell

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated, developed and implemented cooperative decision-making behaviors in an air combat simulation by using a knowledge-based system. Knowledge-based systems were well suited for this task because of built- in features such as inference engines and rule-based constructs. This thesis addresses the specific problem of generating autonomous forces for inclusion in the Advanced Research Projects Agency Distributed Interactive Simulation program. Existing autonomous forces implementations lacked flexibility, realistic behaviors, real-time planning and other features. The simulation system in this thesis addresses the problem of realistic behavior by modeling pilot decision processes rather than aircraft platforms. The system is based on …

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Performance Measurement Of Three Commercial Object-Oriented Database Management Systems, Timothy J. Halloran Dec 1993

Performance Measurement Of Three Commercial Object-Oriented Database Management Systems, Timothy J. Halloran

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis was to study the performance of three commercial object-oriented database management systems. The commercial systems studied included Itasca, sold by Itasca Systems Incorporated Matisse, sold by Intellitic International and ObjectStore, sold by Object Design Incorporated. To examine performance of these database management systems two benchmarks were run the OO1 benchmark and a new AFIT Simulation benchmark. The OO1 benchmark was designed, implemented, and run on all three database management systems. ObjectStore was our top performer on all configurations of the OO1 benchmark. The AFIT Simulation benchmark was designed, implemented, and run on the ObjectStore database …

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An Analysis Of Fm Jamming And Noise Quality Measures, Timothy N. Taylor Dec 1993

An Analysis Of Fm Jamming And Noise Quality Measures, Timothy N. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a description of FM-by-noise jamming, both at RF and at the output of the radar receiver, in terms of spectra, time-domain waveforms, and univariate probability density of amplitude. Particular emphasis is given to the case where the peak frequency deviation of the FM modulator is sufficiently small that Woodward's Theorem does not provide a good approximation of the RF spectrum. Additionally, noise quality measures which have been used to measure noise quality of radar jammers are considered theoretically and experimentally, and it is concluded that a noise measure which incorporates both a spectral measure and a probability …

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Research And Development Project Selection Tools: Probing Wright Laboratory's Project Selection Methods And Decision Criteria Using The Lateral Airfoil Concept, James E. Barger Sep 1993

Research And Development Project Selection Tools: Probing Wright Laboratory's Project Selection Methods And Decision Criteria Using The Lateral Airfoil Concept, James E. Barger

Theses and Dissertations

This research accomplished three major tasks. First it examined familiarity and usage rates for fifteen published R&D project selection methods in the context of a larger general issue, the Air Force's ability to develop and exploit technology. Wright Laboratory served as the focus for the research effort and displayed a greater tendency to use formal methods in 1993 than was shown in prior research. The laboratory's overall preference for simpler models like Checklist, Scoring, and Sorting led to a recommendation that authors familiar with the other techniques communicate them in engineering and management vernacular. Secondly, the study introduced a technological …

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A Study Of Air Force Theater-Based Contingency Contracting Training Requirements For A Power Projection Strategy, Jon B. Tigges, Thomas J. Snyder Sep 1993

A Study Of Air Force Theater-Based Contingency Contracting Training Requirements For A Power Projection Strategy, Jon B. Tigges, Thomas J. Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the training needs for contingency contracting officers for a Power Projection Strategy. Contingency contracting officers (CCOs) that deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm (ODS) where asked to provide their perceptions of the training they received before ODS, training and equipment needs identified as a result of lessons learned from ODS, and whether current training meets those needs. The results of the study show that CCOs believe there are many areas of training that can be improved to ensure future contingency participants do not have to relearn the same lessons of ODS.

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Investigation Of The Sensitivity, Selectivity, And Reversibility Of The Chemically-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor (Chemfet) To Detect Nitrogen Dioxide, Dimethyl Methylphosphonate, And Boron Trifluoride, Neal T. Hauschild Sep 1993

Investigation Of The Sensitivity, Selectivity, And Reversibility Of The Chemically-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor (Chemfet) To Detect Nitrogen Dioxide, Dimethyl Methylphosphonate, And Boron Trifluoride, Neal T. Hauschild

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the sensitivity, selectivity, and reversibility of a chemically-sensitive field-effect transistor (CHEMFET) gas microsensor. Various physical operating parameters were tested to determine which produced the most significant sensitivity, selectivity, and reversibility which were computed from response changes generated from electrical conductivity modulations when exposed to challenge gases. The variable operating parameters included: thinfilm material, film thickness, challenge gas specie, challenge gas concentration, and operating temperature. Copper phthalocyanine and lead phthalocyanine were used as thin films to detect the following challenge gases: nitrogen dioxide, dimethyl methylphosphonate, boron trifluoride, methanol, carbon monoxide, vinyl chloride, and trichloroethylene. Tests revealed that copper …

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A Study Of Usn Aircrew Attitudes Regarding Technology's Ability To Replace The Naval Flight Officer On Typical Combat Missions Carrier Based Aircraft Are Tasked To Perform, Robert E. Britt, William J. Cain Sep 1993

A Study Of Usn Aircrew Attitudes Regarding Technology's Ability To Replace The Naval Flight Officer On Typical Combat Missions Carrier Based Aircraft Are Tasked To Perform, Robert E. Britt, William J. Cain

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed survey responses of 290 Navy pilots and Naval flight officers (NFOs) regarding their perceptions of technology's ability to replace the NFO in typical combat missions carrier-based aircraft are tasked to perform. The study is a follow-on to a similar USAF effort conducted with pilots. The objective of this study is to provide operator input to the critical crew complement issue. These missions vary significantly in complexity and in demands placed on the aircrew. The survey instrument and analysis methods were designed to detect and evaluate these differences. The USAF study concluded that-the perception of a requirement for …

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An Independent Evaluation Of Information Systems Support Of The Joint Forces Air Component Commander Concept Of Operations, Gregory R. Kincaid, Richard A. Poligala Sep 1993

An Independent Evaluation Of Information Systems Support Of The Joint Forces Air Component Commander Concept Of Operations, Gregory R. Kincaid, Richard A. Poligala

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines automated Air Tasking Order (ATO) generation and dissemination under the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) concept, focusing on an evaluation of information systems support given the differing service philosophies concerning control of tactical air assets. Current Department of Defense doctrine identifies the Contingency Tactical Air Control System Automated System (CTAPS) as the standard automated system for Theater Battle Management planning for the JFACC. To achieve service interoperability, the doctrine requires the use of CTAPS for ATO generation and dissemination when joint operations are conducted under the JFACC concept. A problem arises in that CTAPS is developed …

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Enhancements To The Animated Tutor For Air Combat Simulation, David A. Legge Mar 1993

Enhancements To The Animated Tutor For Air Combat Simulation, David A. Legge

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the use of the Ada programming language in combat modeling. It takes an existing combat model, the Animated Tutor for Air Combat Simulation (ATACS), and re-writes it into Ada. The new model also includes enhancements to the original model. ATACS+, as it is now called, is used as a learning tool in combat modeling classes at the Air Force Institute of Technology. ATACS+ consists of a preprocessor and a model, complete with two and three-dimensional graphics and engagement status reports. Conclusion are made about Ada's suitability for combat modeling, some of the features of Ada which can …

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The Use Of Simulation To Evaluate Strategic Aeromedical Evacuation Policy And Planning, Charles W. Wolfe Jr. Mar 1993

The Use Of Simulation To Evaluate Strategic Aeromedical Evacuation Policy And Planning, Charles W. Wolfe Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Strategic aeromedical evacuation (AE) of casualties from the theater of operations to the CONUS during wartime is a complex operation that involves the integration of medical personnel and policies with airlift concepts and capabilities. Military analysts within the Air Mobility Command Analysis Group (AMC/XPY) have traditionally used deterministic linear programming techniques to estimate the number of aircraft the United States Air Force (USAF) requires for given contingency scenarios. However, this group has yet to develop a stochastic approach to validate their resource recommendations, and more importantly, to study the interrelationships between key factors comprising strategic aeromedical evacuation. As the possibility …

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Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunnery: An Analysis Of Engagement Strategies For The M242 25-Mm Automatic Gun, James G. Riley Mar 1993

Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunnery: An Analysis Of Engagement Strategies For The M242 25-Mm Automatic Gun, James G. Riley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies various engagement strategies for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle's 25-mm automatic gun firing APDS-T ammunition against a BMP- type target. The Army currently provides only the broadest guidance for the structure of the 25-mm point target engagement which results in the employment of an assortment of strategies throughout the Bradley community. The goal of this research was to determine if a best method exists. Bradley gunnery is a complex set commander/gunner interactions which can be difficult to represent with the analytic models commonly found in the literature. A model, based on the simulation methods used by the US …

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Integrating Psychological Operations Into The Joint Theater Level Simulation (Jtls), C. Matthew Pecot Iii Mar 1993

Integrating Psychological Operations Into The Joint Theater Level Simulation (Jtls), C. Matthew Pecot Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a prototype and methodology for integrating psychological operations (PSYOP) into the Joint Theater Level Simulation (JTLS) combat model. The requirement rose out of the need for aggregate-level training models to reflect the role of PSYOP so that commanders and their staffs can learn how to manage plan for, and conduct PSYOP within the context of AirLand battle doctrine. As the JTLS model currently exists, there is no representation of psychological operations whatsoever. This thesis outlines a methodology for incorporating the PSYOP analysis process (including the target audience analysis), the PSYOP product development and production process, the PSYOP …

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A Statistical Analysis Of Terrorism And Instability In Latin America, Juan A. Hurtado Mar 1993

A Statistical Analysis Of Terrorism And Instability In Latin America, Juan A. Hurtado

Theses and Dissertations

In this research the effect of socioeconomic factors on terrorism and government instability in Latin America are studied. A commonly held opinion is that terrorism and instability are caused by repressive conditions. The objective of this research was to generate a methodology to forecast terrorism and instability given certain socioeconomic indicators. This methodology was generated for individual countries, two groups of countries, and a composite developing country. A set of 28 socioeconomic factors were evaluated and reduced based on correlation analysis. Patterns of terrorism and instability were investigated through data analysis and factor analysis. Multiple regression was used to develop …

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Spartan Ii: An Instructional High Resolution Land Combat Model, Edwin H. Harris Jr. Mar 1993

Spartan Ii: An Instructional High Resolution Land Combat Model, Edwin H. Harris Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This project improved SPARTAN, a high resolution land combat model demonstrator. SPARTAN was originally developed as a hands-on trainer for land combat modeling students because there were no models specifically designed to teach the analysts how the models function. SPARTAN is built to demonstrate the techniques used in the current generation of US Army high resolution models. Like the original, the model is primarily a small scale attrition (both direct and indirect fire) model. The model represents 12 soldiers involved in the following processes: target search, target selection, direct fire engagement, indirect fire engagement, movement, reaction to fire, obstacle breaching, …

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An Analysis Of The Ability Of Commercial Wargames To Fulfill The Education Requirements Of The Air Force Wargaming Center, Scott Goehring Mar 1993

An Analysis Of The Ability Of Commercial Wargames To Fulfill The Education Requirements Of The Air Force Wargaming Center, Scott Goehring

Theses and Dissertations

It has been the contention of some that current commercial wargames could possibly fulfill the education requirements addressed by the Air Force Wargaming Center. The Wargaming Center, lacking the opportunity to conduct a thorough, in-house analysis of these commercial wargames, requested an independent evaluation be performed. This thesis identifies potential commercial wargames and provides an analysis of those wargames to determine their ability to educate senior military officers in the application of aerospace power. In addition, this thesis establishes a set of Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) against which future wargames can be easily evaluated. The MOEs were developed from the …

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The Battle Of Little Round Top: An Analysis Of Battle Alternatives Through Commercial Wargames, John J. Mcguiness Mar 1993

The Battle Of Little Round Top: An Analysis Of Battle Alternatives Through Commercial Wargames, John J. Mcguiness

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the problem of whether one can use commercial wargames as a tool for historical research. The research examines two wargames dealing with the battle of Little Round Top: Gettysburg: The Turning Point and Thunder at the Crossroads. This research emphasized the need to analyze the wargame's structure prior to playing the game. This will avoid a possible mistake of drawing a conclusion about a particular driver in the battle which may not be from the historical situation but rather an inevitable outcome produced by the model's basic assumptions. Additionally, quantitative measures of time lines, casualty rates, and …

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Object-Oriented Analysis, Design, And Implementation Of The Saber Wargame, David S. Douglass Dec 1992

Object-Oriented Analysis, Design, And Implementation Of The Saber Wargame, David S. Douglass

Theses and Dissertations

Saber is a two-sided, air and land war game that simulates decisions made of commanders at the theater-level. It is being developed by the Air Force Institute of Technology for the Air Force Wargaming center at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Saber models conventional, chemical, and nuclear warfare between aggregated air and land forces. It also portrays the effects of logistics, satellites, weather, terrain, and intelligence which add to the realism of the Saber war game. The Saber war game has three main components, the preprocessor. which is responsible for scenario development and pregame activities, the simulation. the guts of the war …

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Solution To A Multicriteria Aircraft Routing Problem Utilizing Parallel Search Techniques, James J. Grimm Iii Dec 1992

Solution To A Multicriteria Aircraft Routing Problem Utilizing Parallel Search Techniques, James J. Grimm Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Pilots select routes based on factors such as threats, fuel, time on target, distance, and refueling points. This is a time consuming task. This thesis presents the software engineering synthesis of a software tool, based on a parallelized A* search algorithm, to select routes. For simplicity only threats and distance are used. A centralized open list is used with one processor managing the list while the other processors perform the node expansions. This decomposition result in a dynamically load balanced system. A number of parameters are changed to study their impact on the execution time. The use of a branch …

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Management Of Simnet And Dis Entities In Synthetic Environments, Steven M. Sheasby Dec 1992

Management Of Simnet And Dis Entities In Synthetic Environments, Steven M. Sheasby

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the techniques used to create an object manager utilized by an application program during a distributed interactive simulation. This work is currently utilized by a number of AFIT synthetic environment applications for use during a SIMNET exercise. An extensive review of distributed interactive simulations is presented. A discussion of the current distributed simulation protocol, SIMNET, is presented along with the future protocol standard, DIS. Finally, a brief discussion on dead reckoning and its importance during an exercise is presented. An analysis of the SIMNET and DIS protocols provided the basis for the creation of a series of …

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An Analytical And Experimental Investigation Of Fm-By-Noise Jamming, Charles J. Daly Dec 1992

An Analytical And Experimental Investigation Of Fm-By-Noise Jamming, Charles J. Daly

Theses and Dissertations

Among the jamming waveforms used in Electronic Warfare, FM-by-noise is the least understood, and no exhaustive analytical and experimental investigation of the subject exists. This investigation presents a thorough review, consolidation, and elucidation of the theory of FM-by-noise. To explain and predict the behavior of FM-by-noise at RF and IF, three useful ratios, namely the deviation-to-victim ratio, the noise-to-victim ratio, and the sweep- to-victim ratio, are developed. To complement the theory, results of FM-by-noise jamming experiments conducted using commercial test and measurement equipment are presented. Specifically, the time- and frequency-domain behavior of FM-by- noise at RF and IF is studied …

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Etann Hardware Implementation For Radar Emitter Identification, James B. Calvin Jr. Dec 1992

Etann Hardware Implementation For Radar Emitter Identification, James B. Calvin Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated classification of 30 radar emitters with 16 signal features using Intel's 80170NX chip, the Electronically Trainable Analog Neural Network (ETANN). Software tools were developed to characterize the ETANN sigmoidal transfer function for use in a custom simulator, known as Neural Graphics. Neural Graphics operates on a Silicon Graphics workstation. The Intel Neural Network Training System simulators were used in early experiments, but were found to be inefficient in training on data used in this research. Using a modified Neural Graphics simulator, single chip and multi-chip experiments were performed to provide benchmark results prior to performing chip-in-loop training. …

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Design And Development Of A High-Speed Winograd Fast Fourier Transform Processor Board, James F. Herron Dec 1992

Design And Development Of A High-Speed Winograd Fast Fourier Transform Processor Board, James F. Herron

Theses and Dissertations

Since 1985, the Air Force Institute of Technology has pursued a project to develop a 4080-point Discrete Fourier Transform processor using the Winograd Fourier Transform Algorithm (WFTA) and Good-Thomas Prime Factoring Algorithm (PFA). In the first attempt to build a working system, this research effort designed and constructed, in part, a modified single processor architecture in order to demonstrate the proof of concept of the WFTA system design. This prototype architecture is simpler in implementation but uses the same principles and procedures as those of the 4080-point WFTA design. The design developed in this thesis was validated using the Very …

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An Enhanced User Interface For The Saber Wargame, Donald R. Moore Dec 1992

An Enhanced User Interface For The Saber Wargame, Donald R. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is part of an on-going effort by the Air Force Institute of Technology to develop a computer-based, theater-level wargame for the Air Force Wargaming Center at Maxwell AFB, AL. The wargame, Saber, is intended to augment the education the students receive at the Air War College and the Air Command and Staff College in the employment of air and ground power. This thesis documents the integrated design and implementation of the two components of the Saber user interface: the pre-processor and the post-processor. Although previous thesis students designed and implemented substantial portions of the user interface, a fully …

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Is Nipars Working As Advertised? An Analysis Of Nipars Program Customer Service, Peter F. De Kam, Dorothy J. Tribble Sep 1992

Is Nipars Working As Advertised? An Analysis Of Nipars Program Customer Service, Peter F. De Kam, Dorothy J. Tribble

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, Foreign Military Sales non-standard item support has been a labor-intensive, time-consuming process. Additionally, when forced to compete for USAF resources, the foreign customer's need is often subjugated to the higher priority active USAF requirements. These problems motivated the Air Force to initiate a program to streamline procedures for the procurement of non- standard items. The program is the Nonstandard Item Parts Acquisition and Repair Support (NIPARS) program. The basic program concept is to move the management tasks for nonstandard items from USAF resources to a contractor in order to 'fix' the inefficiencies of the previous system. This thesis explores …

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Examination Of Psychological Type And Preferred Negotiation Tactics And Strategies Of Contract Negotiators, John P. Hebert, Alan J. Meade Sep 1992

Examination Of Psychological Type And Preferred Negotiation Tactics And Strategies Of Contract Negotiators, John P. Hebert, Alan J. Meade

Theses and Dissertations

This research identified the psychological types of government and industry contract negotiators and determined whether their preference for using negotiation tactics and strategies were correlated with their respective psychological types. A survey consisting of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and a questionnaire concerning use of negotiation tactics and strategies was mailed to 2,000 contracting professionals of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). During May and June 1992, 627 usable surveys were received. The MBTI results were paired with the responses to the negotiation tactics and strategies questionnaire. These results were analyzed on a microcomputer using the DBase IV, Excel, and …

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Analysis Of U. S. Military Mobilizations, Demobilizations, And Peacetime Force Maintenance From 1890 To 1991, Gottfried Kloimwieder, Noel P. Owen Sep 1992

Analysis Of U. S. Military Mobilizations, Demobilizations, And Peacetime Force Maintenance From 1890 To 1991, Gottfried Kloimwieder, Noel P. Owen

Theses and Dissertations

Military manpower management principles and policies are in constant flux as the military forces mobilize and demobilize during periods of war and peace. This study identifies trends in U.S. military manpower policies and procedures from 1890 to 1991. Major military conflicts reviewed are the Spanish- American War, World wars I and II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. In all wars until Vietnam, post war active duty forces were larger than prewar forces. However, these active duty forces tended to be relatively small until the Cold War period. This tendency is driven by a combination …

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