Defence Output Measures: An Economics Perspective

Abstract

This Contract Report examines the measurement of defence output from an economics perspective. Economic theory offers some policy guidelines for determining the optimal defence output for any society. As an optimising problem, the economics rule is to aim at the socially desirable or optimal defence output which is achieved by equating additional or marginal costs with additional or marginal benefits. While the economics approach is difficult to "operationalise" into a set of clear unambiguous policy guidelines, it does provide a framework for designing valuations for defence outputs and activities. Experience of measuring defence outputs is reported for the UK, Australia, New Zealand, a group of European nations and the USA.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA555592

Entities

People

  • Keith Hartley

Organizations

  • University of York

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Business Administration
  • Commerce
  • Department Of Defense
  • Economics
  • Employment
  • Humanitarian Assistance
  • Investments
  • Military Equipment
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • Money
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Security
  • Security Personnel
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Economics

Readers

  • Economics
  • European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
  • Systems Analysis and Design