Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Business Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Air Force Institute of Technology

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 241 - 270 of 1164

Full-Text Articles in Business

A Condition Based Maintenance Approach To Forecasting B-1 Aircraft Parts, Joshua D. Defrank Mar 2017

A Condition Based Maintenance Approach To Forecasting B-1 Aircraft Parts, Joshua D. Defrank

Theses and Dissertations

United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft parts forecasting techniques have remained archaic despite new advancements in data analysis. This approach resulted in a 57% accuracy rate in fiscal year 2016 for USAF managed items. Those errors combine for $5.5 billion worth of inventory that could have been spent on other critical spare parts. This research effort explores advancements in condition based maintenance (CBM) and its application in the realm of forecasting. It then evaluates the applicability of CBM forecast methods within current USAF data structures. This study found large gaps in data availability that would be necessary in a robust …


Improving Minuteman Iii Maintenance Concepts, Daniel W. Crouch Mar 2017

Improving Minuteman Iii Maintenance Concepts, Daniel W. Crouch

Theses and Dissertations

Since the end of the Cold War, the Air Force has sought out efficiencies across multiple processes to transform into a cost-effective force. However, processes applicable to the Minuteman III (MM III) weapon system have only recently seen efforts to increase effectiveness. The purpose of this research is to investigate whether the use of third generation maintenance concepts could benefit the sustainment of the MM III through its planned retirement around 2030. Primary and secondary sources outlining the history of the strategic missile force and its current state were collected. Themes from each era were analyzed using Prospect Theory as …


Examining Regionalization Efforts To Develop Lessons Learned And Consideration For Department Of Defense Medical Facilities, Erik B. Schuh Mar 2017

Examining Regionalization Efforts To Develop Lessons Learned And Consideration For Department Of Defense Medical Facilities, Erik B. Schuh

Theses and Dissertations

The increase in competition locally and globally has forced companies to become more efficient. One way for companies to gain efficiency is by regionalizing their facilities by either consolidating or collocating to a particular location. A comprehensive literature review addressed the advantages and disadvantages organizations have used in the past when regionalizing. This insight was used on a case study looking at military hospitals in the National Capital Region. The case study was used to find potential cost savings for three surgical procedures by consolidating each procedure to the lowest cost hospital. Future years were then forecasted to find cost …


Implication Of Additive Manufacturing On United States Air Force Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Supply Chain, Shane R. Veitenheimer Mar 2017

Implication Of Additive Manufacturing On United States Air Force Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Supply Chain, Shane R. Veitenheimer

Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing is mandated as a technology for the Department of Defense to consider to implement. Previous efforts have shown positive potential for additive manufacturing (AM) for United States Air Force Civil Engineering but do not explore the economic impact. This research examines implementation by investigating a specific Explosive Ordnance Disposal repair part supply chain in the current combat theater of operations. A framework to capture the basic financial savings AM could realize was developed to aid AM decision making. This research established a Scenario Planning and Monte Carlo simulation based framework to produce an estimated annual cost for a …


Analysis Of Factors Related To Turnover Intentions Within The Financial Management (65fx/65wx) Career Field, Virginia L. Galbraith Mar 2017

Analysis Of Factors Related To Turnover Intentions Within The Financial Management (65fx/65wx) Career Field, Virginia L. Galbraith

Theses and Dissertations

There is currently a shortage of field grade officers within the United States Air Force’s Financial Management and Cost Analysis (65Fx/65Wx) career field. A questionnaire was distributed to all officers within the career field (N = 618) in order to identify the values and career intentions of the career field’s current officer workforce. Constructs such as organizational commitment, burnout, and perceived availability of civilian job opportunities were analyzed to determine their impacts on an officer’s turnover intentions. Demographics such as commissioning source, current job type, current job location, and time in service were also analyzed to see how they may …


2018 Military Retirement Options: An Expected Net Present Value Decision Analysis Model, Bret N. Witham Mar 2017

2018 Military Retirement Options: An Expected Net Present Value Decision Analysis Model, Bret N. Witham

Theses and Dissertations

The 2016 NDAA authorized changes to the military retirement system transitioning from the legacy High-3 defined benefit annuity to the new Blended Retirement System (BRS). In exchange for a reduced defined benefit annuity, the BRS incorporates automatic and matching contributions to the member’s Thrift Savings Plan and a continuation payment offered at 12 years of service. In 2018,service members with less than 12 years of service will make an irrevocable decision between the two retirement systems. This research effort addresses the problem by developing a decision analysis model incorporating up to 27 different input variables. Service members can use the …


A Cost Benefit Analysis Of Emerging Led Water Purification Systems In Expeditionary Environments, Alicia D. Binggeli Mar 2017

A Cost Benefit Analysis Of Emerging Led Water Purification Systems In Expeditionary Environments, Alicia D. Binggeli

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force is a rapid mobile force responsible for national defense and reaction to calls for humanitarian aid across the globe. Rapid Global Mobility is a major tenant of the Air Force strategy. It provides the nation its global reach, underpins its role as a global power, and ensures that tomorrow, just as today, the United States can respond quickly and decisively to unexpected challenges to its interests. The ability to produce or acquire potable water is an essential piece of this tenant. Reverse Osmosis Water Purifications Units (ROWPUs), the workhorse for all military units, provide all the necessary …


Forecasting Traditional Vs Blended Retirement System For Individual Service Members, Kevin M. Dwyer Mar 2017

Forecasting Traditional Vs Blended Retirement System For Individual Service Members, Kevin M. Dwyer

Theses and Dissertations

Starting January 1, 2018, the Department of Defense new Blended Retirement System (BRS) will go into effect. Military members with less than twelve years of service will have the option to either remain in the current High 3 Retirement System or opt into the BRS. This decision will have a lasting impact on their lives well beyond their military careers. With this in mind, we have developed a Decision Support System that will enable service members to compare the two retirement choices in terms of annual and total lifetime expected value. There were three phases to the development of the …


A Longitudinal Study And Color Rating System Of Acquisition Cost Growth, Cory N. D'Amico Mar 2017

A Longitudinal Study And Color Rating System Of Acquisition Cost Growth, Cory N. D'Amico

Theses and Dissertations

different angles have been looked at to try and discover how to better estimate cost, what causes cost growth, and how to mitigate it. This research addresses this through examining cost growth from a longitudinal perspective, evaluating cost growth factors at major program reviews, and assessing the cost growth by applying color rating metrics. The results of this analysis show that breaking cost growth into longitudinal segments of a programs lifecycle allows the true behavior of cost growth to be seen, when it can often be masked in the traditional approach of evaluating lifecycle cost growth. Additionally, when applying the …


Using Multiple And Logistic Regression To Estimate The Median Will-Cost And Probability Of Cost And Schedule Overrun For Program Managers, Ryan C. Trudelle Mar 2017

Using Multiple And Logistic Regression To Estimate The Median Will-Cost And Probability Of Cost And Schedule Overrun For Program Managers, Ryan C. Trudelle

Theses and Dissertations

The main concern of a program manager is to manage the cost, schedule, and performance triad of a program. Historically, programs tend to meet the performance aspect at the expense of cost or schedule, or both. This research gives the acquisition community a set of tools that enables them to impartially analyze the cost and schedule of their programs, helping to mitigate these issues. Five regression models encompass this toolset; one to estimate the median program cost and four to identify the probability of realizing a given overrun. The cost model explains 81% of the variation in program acquisition using …


Benchmarking Dod Use Of Additive Manufacturing And Quantifying Costs, Ryan C. Crean Mar 2017

Benchmarking Dod Use Of Additive Manufacturing And Quantifying Costs, Ryan C. Crean

Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM), or three-dimensional (3D) printing as it is commonly referred to, is a rapidly developing technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way that firms develop and produce parts, as well as how they manage their supply chains. AM allows organizations to "print" prototypes, parts, tools, fixtures, tooling and a variety of other items at their production location. This can remove long lead times and high inventory levels for one-time or rare items. This research examines current AM use within the military services. Additionally, this study details the costs associated with fielding different levels of AM capability, …


An Analysis Of Forecasting Methods On Supply Discrepancy Reporting, Cody S. Freeborn Mar 2017

An Analysis Of Forecasting Methods On Supply Discrepancy Reporting, Cody S. Freeborn

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) tracks and records all cargo shipments as they move from one location to the next. Inevitably, there are mistakes that are made when dealing with these shipments. Currently the Air Force does not use any forecasting techniques to predict these shipping discrepancies, thus it has no way to prepare for them other than employing remedial measures after errors occur. The purpose of this research is to study the current Air Force shipping processes, specifically shipping discrepancies, and determine if any trends emerge. By examining historical shipment discrepancy data, a trend analysis was accomplished and from …


Supply Base Reduction Efforts Regarding Laboratory Reagents Within Hospital Networks, Kelsie L. Hughes Mar 2017

Supply Base Reduction Efforts Regarding Laboratory Reagents Within Hospital Networks, Kelsie L. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Medical Operations Agency currently has contracts for laboratory reagents at approximately 75 Air Force medical treatment facilities; however, each medical facility has a separate means used to procure these reagents. AFMO Awants to know how other hospital networks are purchasing their reagents and see if it could be applied to the Air Force. The goal of this research was to use the case study methodology to showcase how other hospital networks applied supply base reduction to laboratory reagent purchases. We examine what drove the organizations to begin supply base reduction, how they transitioned to a smaller supply …


Adaptive Acquisition: An Evolving Framework For Tailoring Engineering And Procurement Of Defense Systems, Christopher Gunderson Jan 2017

Adaptive Acquisition: An Evolving Framework For Tailoring Engineering And Procurement Of Defense Systems, Christopher Gunderson

AFIT Documents

The Defense Acquisition System, as documented in DoDI 5000.02, mandates that programs should not follow process models by rote. Rather, stakeholders should tailor program activities and documentation according to specific requirements, priorities, risks, and boundary conditions. Adaptive acquisition provides an evolving set of broadly applicable adaptive engineering and adaptive procurement tools and processes intended to help tailor acquisition programs.


Global Command And Control For The Future Operating Concept: Implications For Structural Design And Information, Ian M. Slazinik, Benjamin T. Hazen Jan 2017

Global Command And Control For The Future Operating Concept: Implications For Structural Design And Information, Ian M. Slazinik, Benjamin T. Hazen

Faculty Publications

Due to increasing demands on air mobility aircraft, US Transportation Command(USTRANSCOM) has more recently advocated retaining operational control (OPCON)of aircraft it might have transferred to a requesting combatant command in the past. This recent approach mirrors that of similar-type civilian logistics operations that are centrally managed to maximize efficiencies by flowing resources to the point of need without having to navigate through time-consuming sourcing processes. Furthermore, the acceleration of information availability has condensed decision timelines and changed how similar civilian organizations organize and perform, allowing them to react seemingly on a dime to changing market conditions anywhere.4While retaining OPCON might …


An Information Theoretic Investigation Of Complex Adaptive Supply Networks With Organizational Topologies, Joshua V. Rodewald Dec 2016

An Information Theoretic Investigation Of Complex Adaptive Supply Networks With Organizational Topologies, Joshua V. Rodewald

Theses and Dissertations

Supply networks exist throughout society in manufacturing and knowledge-intensive industries as well as many service industries. Organizations have been noted to behave as complex adaptive systems or information supply networks with both formal and informal structures. Thoroughly understanding supply network structure and behavior are critical to managing such organizations effectively, but their properties of complex adaptive systems make them more difficult to analyze and assess, forcing researchers to rely on unrealistic data or assumptions of behavior. This research proposes an information theoretic methodology to discover such complex network structures and dynamics while overcoming the difficulties historically associated with their study. …


Improving The Nuclear Reform Implementation For Success, Allen Y. Agnes Sep 2016

Improving The Nuclear Reform Implementation For Success, Allen Y. Agnes

Theses and Dissertations

This research identifies the method used for successful implementations. This method is critical to the nuclear enterprise as it will continually guide the program. Post-Cold War began an era of decline in the nuclear enterprise. Leaders were risk-averse in fear of being fired for making mistakes, the nuclear culture lost its experts, organizations were drawn to the conventional fight, and training lacked the priority necessary to rebuild the nuclear enterprise. In 2007 and 2008 two major incidents occurred, a necessary to bring focus and priority back to the nuclear enterprise. Several reports were accomplished to identify the issues and recommendations. …


The Influence Of Education And Experience Upon Contextual And Task Performance In Warehouse Operations, Allen R. Miller Sep 2016

The Influence Of Education And Experience Upon Contextual And Task Performance In Warehouse Operations, Allen R. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Supply chain workers make observable, preventable errors while completing their assigned tasks in the shipping process. Previous research has indicated that individuals with a greater grasp of their work and better system knowledge are less likely to commit interpretation errors. We believe worker-performance may, likewise, be affected by an individuals knowledge of why and where they fit into a larger system defined as mission knowledge. To assess our research objectives, we conduct a controlled experiment with 100 workers in the Air Force supply career field to discern how mission clarity, that is, education, experience and subject characteristics affect pick and …


Applying Lean To The Ac-130 Maintenance Process For The Royal Saudi Air Force, Fisal A. Alzahrani Sep 2016

Applying Lean To The Ac-130 Maintenance Process For The Royal Saudi Air Force, Fisal A. Alzahrani

Theses and Dissertations

The ideas expressed in this research come from the researchers experiences working in the AC-130 maintenance squadron in the Royal Saudi Air Force. The AC-130 maintenance process is not currently being used as effectively as it could be to make AC-130 fully mission capable. That can be done by improving communication, reducing distances needed to move or transport anything during the maintenance process and by efficient use of the available qualified workforces, tools and equipment. Consideration is given to applying an existing management technique to the Royal Saudi Air Forces AC-130 Maintenance Squadrons. The selected technique is the Lean management …


An Advanced Tabu Search Approach To The Dynamic Airlift Loading Problem, August G. Roesener, J. Wesley Barnes Jun 2016

An Advanced Tabu Search Approach To The Dynamic Airlift Loading Problem, August G. Roesener, J. Wesley Barnes

Faculty Publications

This research effort presents a tabu search algorithm to solve the dynamic airlift loading problem. Given a set of palletized cargo items which require transportation from an aerial port of embarkation to an aerial port of debarkation within a pre-specified time frame, the dynamic airlift loading problem seeks to partition the pallets into aircraft loads, select an efficient and effective subset of aircraft from available aircraft, and assign the pallets to allowable positions on those aircraft. The dynamic airlift loading problem differs from many partitioning and packing problems described in the literature because, in addition to spatial constraints, factors such …


Amlo Promotion : Perception And Reality, Nicholas J. Conklin Jun 2016

Amlo Promotion : Perception And Reality, Nicholas J. Conklin

Theses and Dissertations

Air Mobility Liaison Officers (AMLOs) provide a valuable service to Air Mobility Command as embedded liaisons to Army and Marine Units. This paper looks at the perceptions and realities of AMLO career advancement, and seeks to answer two research questions: 1) Is there a perception in the MAF that an AMLO assignment will negatively affect an officer’s promotion opportunity, and 2) Does having an AMLO assignment in one’s record affect promotion opportunity? All 18th AF Operational and OSS squadron commanders were surveyed to determine if the perception exists. To determine if an AMLO assignment actually affects promotion opportunity, HAF A1 …


The Impact Of Learning Curve Model Selection And Criteria For Cost Estimation Accuracy In The Dod, Candace Honious, Brandon Johnson, John J. Elshaw, A. B. Badiru Apr 2016

The Impact Of Learning Curve Model Selection And Criteria For Cost Estimation Accuracy In The Dod, Candace Honious, Brandon Johnson, John J. Elshaw, A. B. Badiru

Faculty Publications

The first part of this manuscript examines the impact of configuration changes to the learning curve when implemented during production. This research is a study on the impact to the learning curve slope when production is continuous but a configuration change occurs. Analysis discovered the learning curve slope after a configuration change is different from the stable learning curve slope pre-configuration change. The newly configured units were statistically different from previous units. This supports that the new configuration should be estimated with a new learning curve equation. The research also discovered the post-configuration slope is always steeper than the stable …


Factors Influencing Skill Retention In Multi-Skilled Air Force Aircraft Maintainers, Jessica A. Salgado Mar 2016

Factors Influencing Skill Retention In Multi-Skilled Air Force Aircraft Maintainers, Jessica A. Salgado

Theses and Dissertations

The 2013 National Defense Authorization Act allows the Air Force Air Logistics Complexes (ALCs) to promote workers proficient in more than one trade by one pay grade. Multi-skilling is the term used to describe workers trained in more than one job. The United States Air Force wants to utilize multi-skilling at these ALCS, but the effects of implementation are still unknown. This research focuses on the identification of skill retention influences to better understand this multi-skilling through the use of a human subjects experiment at two Air Force bases. We examine the retention of aircraft mechanics’ skill to evaluate the …


Simulation Modeling And Analysis Of Air Force Depot Engine Repair During Normal And Increased Operational Tempos, Changsung Kim Mar 2016

Simulation Modeling And Analysis Of Air Force Depot Engine Repair During Normal And Increased Operational Tempos, Changsung Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Maintaining an adequate level of aircraft availability through Agile Combat Support (ACS) is crucial for the Air Force to perform its mission. During normal day to day operations, demands for depot repair including spare parts and maintenance man-hours typically fall within a range supportable with current assets and capabilities. However, with increased flying operations during a conflict, demand at the depot level may likely exceed current capacity for timely support, resulting in backorders for spares and increased turnaround times. This thesis develops a discrete event simulation of the F-16 engine repair network to investigate the impact on engine availability (a …


An Evaluation Of Forecasting Methods That Could Be Used In The Brazilian Air Force Uniform Distribution Process, Leandro Valviesse De Oliveira Mar 2016

An Evaluation Of Forecasting Methods That Could Be Used In The Brazilian Air Force Uniform Distribution Process, Leandro Valviesse De Oliveira

Theses and Dissertations

Every year the Brazilian Air Force (BAF) spends the equivalent of approximately 15 million dollars for uniforms. These purchases come from a tight budget, are executed through public procurement processes, and are tied to Brazilian acquisition regulations, which are often very strict. For this reason, lead times are unpredictable. It can take anywhere from one month to a year to replenish an item. The purpose of this research is to analyze the forecasting process performed at a BAF military organization named Sub-directorate of Supply (SDS) with the intent of building an algorithm comprised of a selection of forecasting models in …


Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer Training Needs Analysis For Contingency Operations, Brian S. Greszler Mar 2016

Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer Training Needs Analysis For Contingency Operations, Brian S. Greszler

Theses and Dissertations

In terms of active duty personnel, the USAF is the smallest it has ever been since its creation in 1947. With fewer personnel to accomplish essential tasks, the training of Airmen is more important than ever. Outdated and irrelevant training can lead to gaps in the knowledge of trainees. The purpose of this research was to analyze the training needs of Civil Engineer (CE) Company Grade Officers (CGOs) in the contingency environment. This was done by first conducting a Job Analysis (JA). The JA resulted in a list of 36 critical tasks and 58 important Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). …


Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Operators’ Workload Reduction: The Effect Of 3d Audio On Operators’ Workload And Performance During Multi-Aircraft Control, Sungbin Kim Mar 2016

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Operators’ Workload Reduction: The Effect Of 3d Audio On Operators’ Workload And Performance During Multi-Aircraft Control, Sungbin Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The importance and number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations are rapidly growing in both military and civilian applications. This growth has produced significant manpower issues, producing a desire that multiple aircraft are controlled by a single operator as opposed to the current model where one aircraft may require multiple operators. A potential issue is the need for an operator to monitor radio traffic for the call signs of multi-aircraft. An investigation of the use of 3D sound was undertaken to investigate whether an automatic parser, which preselected the spatial location of relevant versus irrelevant call signs, could aid UAV …


A Comparative Study Of Learning Curve Models And Factors In Defense Cost Estimating Based On Program Integration, Assembly, And Checkout, Brandon J. Johnson Mar 2016

A Comparative Study Of Learning Curve Models And Factors In Defense Cost Estimating Based On Program Integration, Assembly, And Checkout, Brandon J. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the flattening effect at tail end of learning curves by identifying a more accurate learning curve model. The learning curve models accepted by DOD are Wright’s original learning curve theory and Crawford’s Unit Theory. The models were formulated in 1936 and 1944 respectively. This analysis compares the conventional models to contemporary learning curve models in order to determine if the current DOD methodology is outdated. The results are inconclusive as to if there is a more accurate model. The contemporary models are the DeJong and S-Curve and they both include an incompressibility …


Consolidating Supply Chain Management Education Through Professional Certification, Christopher L. Clawson Mar 2016

Consolidating Supply Chain Management Education Through Professional Certification, Christopher L. Clawson

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force and Department of Defense can benefit from professional certification in supply chain management. Research addressed the benefits and impact certification can have on individuals and an organization. Without a defined and concise education plan for supply chain management, certification remains a viable option. Interviews with defense industry partners highlighted key aspects of successful SCM development and education programs.


Determining The Optimal Work Breakdown Structure For Government Acquisition Contracts, Brian J. Fitzpatrick Mar 2016

Determining The Optimal Work Breakdown Structure For Government Acquisition Contracts, Brian J. Fitzpatrick

Theses and Dissertations

The optimal level of Government Contract Work Breakdown Structure (G-CWBS) reporting for the purposes of Earned Value Management was inspected. The G-Score Metric was proposed, which can quantitatively grade a G-CWBS, based on a new method of calculating an Estimate At Completion (EAC) cost for each reported element. A random program generator created in R replicated the characteristics of DOD program artifacts retrieved from the Cost Analysis Data Enterprise (CADE) system. The generated artifacts were validated as a population, however validation at the demographic combination level using an artificial neural network was inconclusive. Comparative WBS forms were created for a …