A STUDY OF R AND D EFFECTIVENESS OF A SMALL USAF ORGANIZATION EMPLOYING TIME, COST, AND PERFORMANCE FACTORS OF CONTRACTED EFFORT,
Abstract
The observation has been made by several sources that Government research and development is characterized by a unique set of uncertainties, which differentiate it from the market system operating in the business world. This study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the R+D procurement phase in the technical field of airborne targetry. Three crucial areas were examined: performance, development time, and development cost. A representative sample of 25 R+D contracts in the technical area of airborne targets and components, completed in the last six years, was used in the case studies. Analysis and evaluation of the predictability of cost, time, and performance of the end items lead to the conclusion that development cost and time predictions exhibited a decided bias toward overoptimism. This tendency to underestimate development time and cost of targetry equipment was shown to be in agreement with previous studies on larger, more complex, weapon systems. Major factors contributing to development cost increases included technical difficulty, competitive optimism, additional scope, and change in overhead rates. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0454536
Entities
People
- William W. Metz
Organizations
- Air Armament Center