The Size of Operational Staffs: Less May Be More
Abstract
Is there a better way to organize staffs in operational headquarters based on their roles? Following 9/11, the sizes of divisions and corps serving as operational headquarters have doubled and tripled, respectively. The shift to a brigade-centric Army under modularity should have alleviated the burden on division and corps staffs but has instead blurred the lines of responsibility. Many senior military leaders have questioned the efficacy of such large staffs, suggesting that the resulting bureaucracy hinders decision-making and subordinate initiative. In the wake of budget cuts and impending downsizing of Department of Defense and Army personnel, the issue of restructuring for future conflicts is important. Ramping up forces and required staff to meet the challenge of new threats and then downsizing represents an American way of warfare. The modernist perspective of organization theory seeks to enhance performance by reorganizing structure and process. Contingency theory and related studies address the relationship between size and efficiency/effectiveness. Organizational design shows the advantages and disadvantages of structures (functional, project, and matrix) related to process. A study of the French and Prussian staff systems underscores the relationship between form and function. The two organizations had decidedly different staff structures, but they were both functional in nature. The additional roles of operational headquarters staffs in the U.S. Army have resulted in a matrix structure based on function. A study of the American Civil War and World War I reveals that the cyclic nature of increasing and decreasing staffs is not new. This study concludes that operational staffs have become too big and that authorized strengths should be somewhere between 9/11 and current levels. Staff reductions should be accompanied by a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities among brigade, division, and corps staffs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA557658
Entities
People
- John S. Woo
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College