Removal of Institutional Barriers Inhibiting Effective DoD Laboratory Management
Abstract
At the request of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (Research and Advanced Technology), a task group of senior research and development executives examined barriers to effective performance of in-house laboratories. This effort was in part motivated by: Perception of conflicting controls on laboratories, informally transmitted to ODUSDRE at the Gaithersburg Laboratory Directors meeting and by personal correspondence, and Congressional interest in recent years but particularly during the FY 79 HASC hearings. The task group verified that there are a variety of controls on laboratory operations, common to the three Services, which when taken collectively, seriously limit the effective use of laboratory resources. The individual controls, based on the legitimate exercise of authority, are motivated by the need to limit costs. It is the observation of this task group that the laboratories are being seriously affected by a collection of controls which limit their capability to exercise substantive and effective management in meeting mission requirements and exploiting technological opportunities. Modifying individual controls as a solution to this situation disguises the adverse effect that the individual controls collectively produce. Consequently, the task group believes that the problem should be approached from a fundamental point of view, aimed at accomplishing the objectives of the controls while simultaneously improving effective laboratory management.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 27, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA102544