Long-Range Development Planning in the Air Force.

Abstract

This report analyzes current planning procedures in both the Air Staff and Air Force Systems Command and suggests ways of applying these procedures more effectively to technology development so as to enable the Air Force to develop the capabilities that it will need. Based on data from (1) the literature on management theory, industrial planning, and modeling techniques, and (2) interviews with government and corporate executives and planning staff, current Air Force planning practices are examined critically in relation to an analogue developed from our theoretical study and supplemented by observations of industrial practice. Recommended improvements include establishing a systematic strategic planning effort by creating a small corporate planning staff within the Chief of Staff's personal staff, to be charged with exploring goals and alternatives suitable for the uncertainties of the future, with particular concern for resource constraints. Also, long-range corporate preferences with respect to resource allocation should be integrated routinely into RDT and E program planning at all levels.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1976
Accession Number
ADA037376

Entities

People

  • E. S. Ojdana Jr.
  • G. K. Smith
  • R. Y. Pei
  • S. W. Purnell
  • W. E. Simons

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Delphi Method
  • Department Of Defense
  • Executives
  • Governments
  • Investments
  • Management Personnel
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Organization Theory
  • Personnel Management
  • Photonic Metamaterials
  • Remotely Piloted Vehicles
  • Security
  • United States

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Economics
  • Systems Analysis and Design