PPBS to PPBE: A Process or Principles?

Abstract

The nature and size of the current Defense Budget illustrates the importance of two broad questions: How much is enough? and How much risk are we willing to take? The key issue this paper addressed is how does the Defense Department go about answering such questions. This paper first examined this department's most important resource management system, the Planning, Programming and Budgeting System (PPBS) developed by Secretary McNamara, and then how it evolved into the current Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process. This paper then analyzed the relevancy of this process in today's complex, global strategic environment. Key insights from proponents and detractors who analyzed these systems and processes were explored. Research indicated that the original principles embedded in the PPBS provided a credible means of arriving at the necessary decisions to shape the Defense program and a sustainable basis for defending them. Based on this research, three recommendations were proposed that involved evaluating the current process on a regular timeline, providing accurate guidance to users, and centrally educating participants in the PPBE process.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 25, 2008
Accession Number
ADA479670

Entities

People

  • Steven R. Grimes

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Business Administration
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Commerce
  • Cost Analysis
  • Department Of Defense
  • Education
  • Financial Management
  • Governments
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Budgets
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Resource Management
  • Training
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Theoretical Analysis.