Thesis (M.A.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-72). Also available via the Internet.

This thesis explores the political and economic factors that were present when the TFX aircraft contract was awarded. The primary sources used in the study area The official transcript of the Senate investigation of the TFX and the financial reports of the two main competitors, Boeing and General Dynamics.The thesis traces the Air Force's and Navy's roles in picking a contractor and the reasons given by the Secretary of Defense for going against the service's advice. The paper explores these reasons and attempts to show their inadequacy. The thesis then shows that economic considerations played a large role in the decision and that Congress was powerless to stop the administration without ending the whole project. Some suggestions for changing Congressional control over large military contracts to more effectively monitor spending are made at the conclusion of the paper.

Thesis (LL. M.)--Judge Advocate General's School, United States Army, 1995. / "April 1995." Typescript. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in microfiche.

Thesis (M.S. in Program Management)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2002. / Thesis advisor(s): David F. Matthews, Donald C. Barker. Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-51). Also available online.

This paper examines the issue of whether dual sourcing in the Defense Department leads to cost savings for the government. Past analysis has shown that second sourcing results in significant savings. Pricing data for four separate previously competed missile programs is examined. Major findings of the paper include: *All missile programs examined exhibited losses from dual sourcing. *Production Rate impacts play a significant role in explaining the difference in pricing among contractors involved in dual sourcing. *The amount of projected savings is sensitive to the contractors responsiveness to increases in output. The major implications of these findings is that a thorough analysis of the costs and benefits of dual sourcing in a particular program should be considered before introducing a second source. / Master of Arts

This study investigates the use of the transaction cost paradigm, as a framework, for evaluating defense contracts and exploring problems related to defense contracting. The study shows that defense contracting is beleaguered with bounded rationality and uncertainty problems, and furthermore, that bounded rationality and uncertainty can lead to opportunistic behavior within defense contracting. The study shows, in particular that adverse selection, moral hazard, and hold-up problems exist within defense contracting. Based on the results of this study the transaction cost paradigm can be used as a framework for evaluating defense contracts and related problems. The results also indicate that hold-up problems and moral hazard problems may be minimized by using proper contracts or acquisition strategies. Based on the case study in Chapter III there does not appear to be a contractual solution to adverse selection problems. / Master of Arts

The purpose of this study was to use evaluation research methods to test the effectiveness of a model for planning programs in the defense industry.One of the major reasons for deficiencies in both training and education of Program Managers is the lack of a generic Program Management Planning Process which contains essential elements of program planning and which can be modified or tailored to accommodate the specifics of a given program.This study addressed the following evaluation research questions with regard to a selected Program Management Planning Process:1. How adequate is the functional Performance Measurement Baseline, as a result of following the Program Management Planning Process of this study?2. What is the quality of the resulting Performance Measurement Baseline?3. To what extent are the efforts in creating a performance measurement baseline as defined by the Program Management Planning Process of this study perceived as justified?4. Is the methodology employed in this evaluation research study generalizable to other studies of planning processes?5. Relative to integrated linear and integrated nonlinear models of planning processes, what does this study reveal?The results indicated:1. All of the activities of the Program Management Planning Process of this study were performed and their culminating products produced.2. The Performance Measurement Baseline for the program of this study was satisfactory, but subject to short-term obsolescence and may have been created without sufficient attention being paid to potentially significant cost, schedule or technical program drivers.3. The program planning team participants did believe the Program Management Planning Process of this study added sufficient value, over alternative methodologies, to merit its continued use.4. On the whole, the methodology employed in this research study proved to be generalizable for use on other programs.5. The findings of this study support the proposition that integrated nonlinear planning models are really macro-models and integrated linear models are really micro-models, as applicable to program planning. They are not separate models, but, in fact, the integrated linear model is a subset of the higher level integrated nonlinear model. / Department of Educational Leadership

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 21, 2007). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis investigates the accuracy of a model that the Department of the Navy uses to predict the financial health of major defense hardware contractors. The inputs to this model are six financial ratios derived from a firm’s income sheet and balance statement. The output of this model is a single Z-score that indicates the health of a firm. Depending on the score, a firm’s financial standing is classified as healthy, distressed, or uncertain. The model is tested using a database compiled for this thesis that includes financial information for a total of 72 defense and non-defense firms. The test database is unique relative to the underlying model database; it reflects a more recent timeframe and a greater number of firms, none of which were used to develop the model. Model accuracy was computed by measuring how often the model correctly classified a bankrupt firm as distressed and a nonbankrupt firm as healthy. Then, model accuracy was evaluated by comparing these test results (i.e., percent correctly classified) to results published by the model’s developers. This comparison produced mixed results. In light of this fact, the thesis concludes that the model should be improved and recommends a course of action. / Master of Arts

The overall purpose of this thesis is to question the value of the use of models regarding decision-making as it effectively operates within the environment of US armaments procurements. For example, conceptual framework models such as bureaucratic politics, organisational outputs, incrementalism, and others are far too simplistic in their application to this subject - they only tend to distort reality. The thesis argues that the process is far too complex with decisional centres shifting throughout the life of any one given system, thus necessitating a more realistic conceptual approach. Evidence of this is provided throughout the discussion of the organisational processes and the roles of those involved in the procurement process. Moreover, it becomes apparent that those in the highest positions of decision-making (for example, Presidents, Secretaries of Defense, etc.) are at times least likely to be involved in decisions, dependent on the stage of development of the weapon system. Further, other groups (for example, Congress, Joint Chiefs, etc.) commonly perceived as the decisional centres have little, if any involvement during the earlier stages in the life of a weapon system. The possibility of their involvement increases as the system enters what the author refers to as the hardware phase, when monies must be appropriated. In other words, the system becomes politicised and the expertise of those in higher positions becomes salient, because they are chosen for their political and managerial skills - not their expertise in detailed defence matters. Even the weight of their decisions during the hardware phase is questionable due to the fact that lower level "experts", referred to as DoD Components, with longer periods of tenure, are consistently directing upwards their appraisals of new systems requirements, threats, etc., thus setting the parameters for the higher positioned decision maker. Following the description of the organisational processes and the roles of those involved, the discussion turns to the case study of the F-16 to validate these points. The purpose is not to research a case study and then attempt to extrapolate from it axioms of weapons procurement. The exercise is intended to yield credence to the points referred to above.