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Articles 31 - 60 of 124
Full-Text Articles in Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Flexibility – Designing For Optionality On Warehouse Modernization Projects, Stephen T. Lane
Flexibility – Designing For Optionality On Warehouse Modernization Projects, Stephen T. Lane
Theses and Dissertations
The Department of Defense relies upon a vast network logistics facilities and capabilities across the planet. Assets are largely sourced from the Defense Logistics Agency, which is considering a modernization project for their Eastern Distribution Center (EDC). It handles 25% of all materials that DLA supplies, and the facility is antiquated. In order to maximize their investment, flexible options for the modernization should be considered. This research was conducted as a case study of the EDC in order to develop a framework of flexibility for DoD decision makers going forward. This case study gathers subject matter expert knowledge from government …
A Study Of Military Health Care Costs: Direct Versus Purchased Care In A Geographical Region, Lindsey N. Mcevoy
A Study Of Military Health Care Costs: Direct Versus Purchased Care In A Geographical Region, Lindsey N. Mcevoy
Theses and Dissertations
Health care expenses are one of the largest contributing factors to increased personnel costs, the fastest-rising component of the Department of Defense's budget. This research examines the cost implications of developing a new military treatment facility in a specified geographical region, in an effort to reduce military health care spending. Care received at a military treatment facility is referred to as direct care, while care received in the private sector is referred to as purchased care. This research leverages existing information on direct and purchased medical care to gain insights into the workload costs for medical care in a geographical …
Unmasking Cost Growth Behavior: A Longitudinal Study, Cory N. D'Amico, Edward D. White, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Scott R. Kozlak
Unmasking Cost Growth Behavior: A Longitudinal Study, Cory N. D'Amico, Edward D. White, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Scott R. Kozlak
Faculty Publications
This article examines how cost growth factors (CGF) change over a program’s acquisition life cycle for 36 Department of Defense aircraft programs. Starting from Milestone B, the authors examine CGFs at five gateways: Critical Design Review, First Flight (FF), the end of Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E), Initial Operational Capability, and Full Operational Capability. Each CGF is assigned a color rating based upon the program’s cost growth: Green (low), Amber (moderate), or Red (high). Significant findings include dependencies among similar CGF color ratings and cost growth occurring primarily between FF and the end of DT&E during a program’s life cycle.
Analysis Of Factors Related To Turnover Intentions Within The Financial Management (65fx/65wx) Career Field, Virginia L. Galbraith
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 …
Forecasting Traditional Vs Blended Retirement System For Individual Service Members, Kevin M. Dwyer
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 …
Adaptive Acquisition: An Evolving Framework For Tailoring Engineering And Procurement Of Defense Systems, Christopher Gunderson
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.
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
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 …
Acquisition Challenge: The Importance Of Incompressibility In Comparing Learning Curve Models, Justin R. Moore, John J. Elshaw, Adedeji B. Badiru, Jonathan D. Ritschel
Acquisition Challenge: The Importance Of Incompressibility In Comparing Learning Curve Models, Justin R. Moore, John J. Elshaw, Adedeji B. Badiru, Jonathan D. Ritschel
Faculty Publications
The Department of Defense (DoD) cost estimating methodology currently employs T. P. Wrights 75-plus-year-old learning curve formula. The goal of this research was to examine alternative learning curve models and determine if a more reliable and valid cost estimation method exists, which could be incorporated within the DoD acquisition environment. This study tested three alternative learning models (the Stanford-B model, DeJong's learning formula, and the S-Curve model) to compare predicted against actual costs for the F-15 A-E jet fighter platform. The results indicate that the S-Curve and DeJong models offer improvement over current estimation techniques, but more importantly and unexpectedly …
A Process Improvement Study On A Military System Of Clinics To Manage Patient Demand And Resource Utilization Using Discrete-Event Simulation, Sensitivity Analysis, And Cost-Benefit Analysis, Michael Q. Corpuz
Theses and Dissertations
Inefficiencies in the healthcare system are a growing concern. Long wait-times are a concern at military clinics because it takes servicemembers away from performing their duties. Managing wait-times are particularly challenging due to frequent relocations of servicemembers and variable patient demands that are less likely to be experienced by civilian clinics. Military clinics must be capable to meet increasing demand when servicemembers require a Deployment Health Assessment; it also needs to be capable of handling an instantaneous surge of walk-ins when a medical incident occurs in the local area. It must be able to meet these demands in a fiscally …
Initial Capabilities Documents: A 10-Year Retrospective Of Tools, Methodologies, And Best Practices, Bryan D. Main, Michael P. Kretser, Joshua Shearer, Darrin A. Ladd
Initial Capabilities Documents: A 10-Year Retrospective Of Tools, Methodologies, And Best Practices, Bryan D. Main, Michael P. Kretser, Joshua Shearer, Darrin A. Ladd
Faculty Publications
The Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) is 10 years old and ripe for review. A central output document of the JCIDS process is an Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) used by the Department of Defense to define gaps in a functional capability area and define new capabilities required. The research team analyzed 10 years of ICDs to identify methods and trends. The team found that several methodologies were favored and a convergence emerged in format and necessary content. Additionally, potential shortfalls in current best practices of interest to implementers and decision makers are identified. Guidelines and best practices are …
Adverse Impacts Of Furlough Programs On Employee Work Rate And Organizational Productivity, Adedeji B. Badiru
Adverse Impacts Of Furlough Programs On Employee Work Rate And Organizational Productivity, Adedeji B. Badiru
Faculty Publications
This article is primarily a research-provoking exposition against the management approach used in the 2013 government furlough program. It is intended to prompt potentially productive research investigations on the impact of personnel furloughs, particularly on defense acquisition programs. Defense acquisition programs are time-sensitive and systems oriented. What appears as a minor delay in one unit of an acquisition life cycle can lead to long-term encumbrances within the entire defense system, resulting in enormous cost escalation. Pertinent analytical techniques/methodologies are provided to illustrate potential pathways for further research studies of furloughs and how they adversely impact organizational productivity. The author’s intent …
Investigation Into The Ratio Of Operating And Support Costs To Life-Cycle Costs For Dod Weapon Systems, Gary L. Jones, Edward D. White, Erin T. Ryan, Jonathan D. Ritschel
Investigation Into The Ratio Of Operating And Support Costs To Life-Cycle Costs For Dod Weapon Systems, Gary L. Jones, Edward D. White, Erin T. Ryan, Jonathan D. Ritschel
Faculty Publications
Recent legislation, such as the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, requires a renewed emphasis on understanding Operating and Support (O&S) costs. Conventional wisdom within the acquisition community suggests a 70:30 cost ratio with respect to O&S and acquisition of an average weapon system. Using 37 Air Force and Navy programs, the authors estimate the mean overall ratio of O&S costs to acquisition costs to be closer to 55:45, although many weapon systems displayed significant deviation from this 55 percent average. Contributing factors such as life expectancy and acquisition strategy (i.e., new system or modification) affect this variance. Their …
Capturing Creative Program Management Best Practices, Brandon Keller, Joseph R. Wirthlin
Capturing Creative Program Management Best Practices, Brandon Keller, Joseph R. Wirthlin
Faculty Publications
This research attempted to capture the creative aspects of government program management in three specific areas: efficiently navigating oversight, capturing the intent of regulations, and developing innovative risk management practices. Respected acquisition leaders with diverse backgrounds and experiences were interviewed with ranks ranging from 0-6 to 0-8 and GS-15 to SES. Several contractor interviews were conducted for specific purposes. The data were iteratively coded and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. The results were categorized into four themes, each with three sub-elements. Differences between respondents with program director experience and those with rapid acquisition experience are discussed. A survey was then distributed to …
Continuous Process Improvement At Tinker Air Logistics Complex, Robert S. Rabon
Continuous Process Improvement At Tinker Air Logistics Complex, Robert S. Rabon
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Logistics Centers (ALC) represent the Air Force's largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Operations. The ALCs strive to become leaner by reducing Work In Progress (WIP) inventory, reducing flow times, and increasing product quality to meet aircraft and engine demand levels. The Toyota Production System (TPS) is considered the best example of lean manufacturing by many. TPS utilizes the ingenuity of Toyota employees to generate Continuous Process Improvement (CPI). Achieving CPI can aid the ALCs in reducing operating capital while providing increased levels of service. The Air Force as a whole has made several attempts to get lean. …
An Empirical Investigation Of Usaf Logistics Readiness Officer Mission Sets, Matthew D. Roberts
An Empirical Investigation Of Usaf Logistics Readiness Officer Mission Sets, Matthew D. Roberts
Theses and Dissertations
USAF Logistics Readiness Officers (LRO) operate in an evolving environment which necessitates growing multi-faceted LROs capable of succeeding across all mission sets. Because of this evolving nature, the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed in these mission sets may have changed. This study sought to validate the mission sets an LRO operates in, identify critical KSAs needed within each, discover overlap, and to determine if the KSAs are being adequately taught. The problem was addressed through qualitative content analysis of interviews and focus groups comprised of logistics practitioners in the Air Force. Analysis led to validating Deployment, Distribution, Materiel Management, …
Investigation Into Risk And Uncertainty: Identifying Coefficient Of Variation Benchmarks For Air Force Acat I Programs, Shaun T. Carney
Investigation Into Risk And Uncertainty: Identifying Coefficient Of Variation Benchmarks For Air Force Acat I Programs, Shaun T. Carney
Theses and Dissertations
Previous DoD cost growth studies found typical cost growth in defense acquisitions is around forty-six to sixty percent of the original estimate. The research in this study addresses the identification of risk and uncertainty benchmarks by providing decision makers with coefficient of variation ranges for cost estimates. The study recommends coefficient of variation (CV) ranges for Air Force Acquisition programs, determines if different CV ranges should be used based on platform type, and determines if CV decreases over the course of the program's acquisition lifecycle. The analysis found that the Air Force should enhance the CV review process to ensure …
A Comparison Of Earned Value Management And Earned Schedule As Schedule Predictors On Dod Acat I Programs, Kevin T. Crumrine
A Comparison Of Earned Value Management And Earned Schedule As Schedule Predictors On Dod Acat I Programs, Kevin T. Crumrine
Theses and Dissertations
Earned Schedule, since it was introduced by Walt Lipke in 2003, has been studied extensively in a variety of different fields and on programs of all sizes. However, Earned Schedule's viability as an extension of Earned Value Management (EVM) in Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAP) has yet to be effectively answered. The first aspect of this research explores the breadth of Earned Schedule's adoption by the System Program Offices (SPO) of the United States Air Force. The second phase of this research explores whether Earned Schedule is a more accurate and timely schedule predictor than the EVM technique currently employed …
An Empirical Study Of Re-Sampling Techniques As A Method For Improving Error Estimates In Split-Plot Designs, Benjamin M. Lee
An Empirical Study Of Re-Sampling Techniques As A Method For Improving Error Estimates In Split-Plot Designs, Benjamin M. Lee
Theses and Dissertations
For any acquisition program, whether Department of Defense (DOD) or industry related, the primary driving factor behind the success of a program is whether or not the program remains within budget, stays on schedule and meets the defined performance requirements. If any of these three criteria are not met, the program manager may need to make challenging decisions. Typically, if the program is expected to not stay within budget or is expected to be delayed for one reason or another, the program manager will tend to limit areas of testing in order to meet these criteria. The result tends to …
Optimizing Aircraft Availability: Where To Spend Your Next O&M Dollar, Frederick G. Fry
Optimizing Aircraft Availability: Where To Spend Your Next O&M Dollar, Frederick G. Fry
Theses and Dissertations
In the current fiscally constrained environment, the Air Force must allocate resources where they are most needed and will be most effectively used. For aircraft, this means spending money on weapon systems in a manner that optimizes aircraft availability rates, thereby maximizing the warfighting capability of the Air Force. With that in mind, this thesis endeavors to improve the analytical capability of the Air Force by demonstrating a definitive link between operations and maintenance (O&M) spending and aircraft availability rates. In order to do that, explanatory regression models are developed that show the relationship between O&M spending and AA rates, …
Defining The Technology Transition Manager Within The Acquisition Framework Of The Department Of Defense, Ernest Csoma
Defining The Technology Transition Manager Within The Acquisition Framework Of The Department Of Defense, Ernest Csoma
Theses and Dissertations
One of the main challenges in new product development is maintaining communication and coordination among the various development and product teams supporting the project. This research proposes the establishment of a technology transition manager who acts on the behalf of the program manager as a “deal broker” to facilitate the transition of technology from one organization to another for further development and integration. Specifically, the researcher sought to answer five research questions addressing the required experience, expertise, organizational alignment, job skills, individual characteristics, roles, and responsibilities of technology transition managers. The researcher also examined differing expectations of transition managers among …
Development Of A Concept Maturity Assessment Framework, Robinson C.L. Hughes
Development Of A Concept Maturity Assessment Framework, Robinson C.L. Hughes
Theses and Dissertations
Concept selection is an important investment decision point in product development. The Department of Defense too often selects concepts based on insufficient data, resulting in projects that are over-budget, over-schedule, and not what the customer wants. Decision makers must select for further development only the concepts that are effective and suitable to meet the needs of the users and require mature concepts to make an informed decision. This research proposes a stage-gated framework as a tool to assess and increase the maturity of concepts by creating an information criteria baseline at each decision gate. The framework represents a developmental scale …
A 4-Step Process Evaluation Model To Assess The Success Of Performance Based Logistics Contracts, Ferit Buyukgural
A 4-Step Process Evaluation Model To Assess The Success Of Performance Based Logistics Contracts, Ferit Buyukgural
Theses and Dissertations
Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) is DoD' s preferred product support approach in order to satisfy vitally-important war fighter needs. The elasticity of these needs makes it impossible to build a one-fits-all template PBL contract with the contractors. Thus, both economic metrics such as Cost per Unit Usage and non-economic metrics such as Availability, Reliability, Logistics Foot Print and Logistics Response Time can be defined and tailored according to each individual program. However, evaluation of the success of a PBL contract gets harder proportional to the increased number of different types of metrics. This research suggests an integrated model approach for combining …
Implementation Of Performance-Based Acquisition In Non-Western Countries, Fatih Cebeci
Implementation Of Performance-Based Acquisition In Non-Western Countries, Fatih Cebeci
Theses and Dissertations
"Performance-based acquisition (PBA)" means an acquisition structured around the results to be achieved as opposed to the manner by which the work is to be performed. Performance-based acquisition is a results-oriented acquisition strategy used to achieve innovative solutions in agency programs. Most military systems have been used for decades, so future planning of defense procurement is critically important. Performance-based acquisition is a strategic method to manage business by promoting flexibility and innovation and creating win/win solutions through effective communication, organizational goal alignment, and clear accountability among the buyer, seller(s), and subcontractors. In this century, many governments are transitioning their acquisition …
Education And Training As Part Of An Expeditionary Combat Support System Implementation Strategy, Thomas M. Sprague
Education And Training As Part Of An Expeditionary Combat Support System Implementation Strategy, Thomas M. Sprague
Theses and Dissertations
One current venture of the United States Air Force (USAF) is the implementation of the largest ever single-instance of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This project, dubbed Enterprise Combat Support System (ECSS), has the potential to integrate the USAF worldwide supply chain and make transparent the currently cloudy connections between parts, people and processes. Unfortunately, ERP implementations are rife with potential problems and there is no guarantee of successfully implementing ECSS unless the USAF properly manages these problems. One problem area the USAF must manage is ERP education and training. According to the literature, this area is consistently underestimated. …
Quantification Of Mandatory Sustainment Requirements, Joe M. Blackman
Quantification Of Mandatory Sustainment Requirements, Joe M. Blackman
Theses and Dissertations
To emphasize the importance of sustainment, the DoD Joint Requirements Oversight Council addressed sustained Materiel readiness and established a mandatory Key Performance Parameter (KPP) for Materiel Availability; it also established supporting Key System Attributes (KSAs) for Materiel Reliability and Ownership Cost (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Manual (CJCSM) 3170.01C, 2007). Current guidance requires two numbers: a threshold value and an objective value (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Manual (CJCSM) 3170.01C, 2007). No distinction is made between the approaches in establishing these values for major system acquisitions, versus smaller, modification-focused efforts for existing systems. The Joint Staff …
Software Acquisition Improvement In The Aeronautical Systems Center, William A. Pogorzelski
Software Acquisition Improvement In The Aeronautical Systems Center, William A. Pogorzelski
Theses and Dissertations
In the past 20 years, over 150 recommendations have been made to improve software systems development by organizations such as the Defense Science Board, National Research Council and the U.S. General Accountability Office. It has been discovered that many of these recommendation have remained unimplemented. This research had the purpose of confirming the application of these previous recommendations to improve software acquisition in the Aeronautical Systems Center. This was accomplished through interviews with 20 software practitioners in the acquisition community and the review of relevant literature. Through the analysis of the interviews and literature, this research was able to confirm …
Aircraft Maintenance Organizational Structure Changes An Antecedent Model, Jeffrey M. Durand
Aircraft Maintenance Organizational Structure Changes An Antecedent Model, Jeffrey M. Durand
Theses and Dissertations
Air Force leadership has ordered the development of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system called the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS). Many current jobs and positions will be streamlined, restructured or removed, while some will certainly be created to handle the new requirements associated with ECSS. The structure of the Air Force is certain to change with the implementation of ECSS. The Air Force has used many maintenance organizational structures since its inception in 1947. The focus of this research is to analyze past organizational structures to define key factors that affect organizational change. A case study style methodology was …
It Is Time The United States Air Force Changes The Way It Feeds Its Airmen. Six University's Perspectives On Outsourcing, Troy J. Miller
It Is Time The United States Air Force Changes The Way It Feeds Its Airmen. Six University's Perspectives On Outsourcing, Troy J. Miller
Theses and Dissertations
Air Force dining facility operations are stressed as a result of PBD 720 driven military force reductions, loss of personnel due to deployments, and the reduced availability of appropriated funds for mess attendant contracts, equipment replacement and facility maintenance and repair. “New, innovative methods of operating, funding and manning are needed in order to ensure our dining facilities are able to execute their mission of feeding and serving America’s Airmen” (Halverson, 2006). This research examines outsourcing’s potential as an innovative method to combat the problems facing dining facilities. The feeding models of six universities, which included self-operated, co-sourced, and fully …
Feasibility Of Jp-8 To Jet A Fuel Conversion At U. S. Military Facilities, Lance A. Vann
Feasibility Of Jp-8 To Jet A Fuel Conversion At U. S. Military Facilities, Lance A. Vann
Theses and Dissertations
In FY06, The Department of Defense (DoD) military grade jet fuel expenditures eclipsed $6.6 billion dollars. In a search for more cost effective options, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Comptroller recently expressed interest in the quantity of commercial Jet A fuel that the United States Transportation Command uses in lieu of military grade JP-8. In accordance with AFSO 21 and LEAN concepts, this research examines the technical feasibility and opportunity for cost avoidance of a conversion from JP-8 to Jet A at six Northwestern United States military installations. The technical feasibility analysis examines the chemical likeness of JP-8 …
Assessing The Impact Of The Work Environment On Training Trasfer: An Investgation Of The Air Force Acquisition Management Course, Anita C. Springs
Assessing The Impact Of The Work Environment On Training Trasfer: An Investgation Of The Air Force Acquisition Management Course, Anita C. Springs
Theses and Dissertations
This study aims to contribute to the body of knowledge as it pertains to our understanding of the relationship between work environment characteristics that influence training transfer. Specifically, this research will examine if training transfer is influenced by: top management support, supervisor support, peer support, organization learning culture, opportunity to perform, task difficulty, task constraints and acquisition category levels. The research is based on a 134 question survey completed by Air Force Acquisition Managers participating in the Air Force Fundamentals of Acquisition Management (AFFAM) course, and is designed to determine if knowledge, skills and attitudes learned in the instruction setting …