The Sisyphus Paradox: Framing the Acquisition.

Abstract

The System The defense acquisition process is firmly rooted In our system of government. Like the institutions of which it is part, it is based on shared power and checks and balances. Congress, the White House, the Pentagon, and the services have vested interests and strong influences which are exercised through the power and constraints imposed by oversight, direction, security needs, and fiscal wherewithal. The judicial system also plays a role, with courts hearing a range of challenges from small contract complaints to multi-million dollar claims against the government (such as the Navy A-12 aircraft program). As one observer noted, acquisition begins with the "simple truth that soldiers, policymakers, technicians, and politicians all have a right to some say over weapons acquisition. The paradox is that since each stakeholder exerts only partial control over selected parts of the process no one controls all of it. Decisions to initiate major new projects In research, development, and production may be driven by a variety of perceived threats, military necessity, technological opportunity, or defense contracts in congressional districts, but the ultimate decisions about weapon systems are political. President Ronald Reagan's resolution to embark on the Strategic Defense Initiative is a noteworthy case, but so is the Trident, which was shaped by the SALT negotiations, a national election, and Influential personalities as much as security concerns. According to one argument, such decisions incorporate the pluralist paradigm wherein political outcomes reflect the pulling and hauling of a multitude of interest groups. As with policy choices in virtually any other area of government, weapon systems and military force structure are fundamentally political outcomes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA354175

Entities

People

  • Francis W. A'hearn
  • Linda S. Brandt

Organizations

  • Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Budgets
  • Commerce
  • Contracts
  • Fission
  • Governments
  • Investments
  • Military Acquisition
  • Military Budgets
  • Military Procurement
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Project Management
  • Security
  • Space Systems
  • Weapon Systems
  • Weapons

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Educational Psychology
  • Strategic Security Studies