Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) Project Final Reports

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Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) Project Final Reports

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Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)

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Enhanced Tools to Improve Situational Awareness
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2007-09) Current, Michael; Gilbert, David; Golden, Bruce; Lennartz, John; Crawford, Alice; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Commonly shared situational awareness is essential to the success of almost any team endeavor. Many information networks and processes in the military environment are specifically designed to collect, filter, package, and provide information. The mismanagement of time critical knowledge can result in delays in response and confusion when information regarding changes in the operational environment is not rapidly delivered to the right audience. This analysis provides recommendations for consideration of readily available information awareness tools to enhance this process. Our survey of information systems in present use reveals some non-desirous attributes and illuminates new concerns created as the result of the second order consequences of employing more complex and powerful systems. Some of these areas of concern include: • Increased exclusiveness of information to a narrow user community • Greater difficulty to alert a large group of forces to new and developing vital information in a rapidly changing dynamic situation. • Difficulty to alert and inform a large segment of the forces to a changing environment in a slowly developing situation. • Intermittently connected users lack a simple utility to become quickly updated with the latest information status. • Inability to provide information across architecture domains or security enclaves. • Inability to export and extend the information network to newly arriving participants. An analysis of the major fielded situational awareness systems including the Common Operational Picture (COP), Global Command and Control System-Maritime (GCCS-M), Collaboration at Sea (CAS) was conducted. Included also were Microsoft Chat and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) as candidate solutions. Each system or tool was first screened to identity those possessing the desired characteristic s of a potential solution. Then the qualifying systems were screened using a matrix of weighted factors. The assigned weighting factors were determined based on discussion with Subject Matter Experts provided by the client. RSS emerged as an affordable candidate satisfying most of the attributes of the desired solution. RSS provides a “Severe Weather Alert” service to a netted environment of information systems lacking this common cross domain capability. We conclude and recommend that RSS be further trialed and evaluated under exercise or controlled conditions to assess its potential usefulness as a “bell ringer” to enhance the group focus on significant and important situational developments.
Analysis of Competencies for Civilian Leadership Positions of Commander, Naval Installations Command (CNIC) Headquarters
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2009-03-10) Fahey, Ben; Ingle, Brett; Lee, Heather; Penaradna, Gani; Risley, Jim; Stein, Sean; Stuhldreher, Tim; Wood, Frank R. "Chip"; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP); Business Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Commander, Naval Installations Command (CNIC) is in the process of developing a comprehensive strategy to attract, develop, and sustain a motivated and diverse civilian workforce to meet current and future operational requirements. CNIC has hired a contractor, Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), to review the workforce development of the entire organization. This capstone project focuses on the Headquarters Deputy N-Code positions in order to identify which of these positions would require additional continuity planning and to identify the critical skills and training needed for these positions. The data gathered revealed several significant observations with respect to the Deputy positions: All Deputy positions require additional continuity planning with the exception of the N4B and N8B positions, which already have well defined requirements. Education: Bachelors Degree required, Masters would be beneficial. Professional Training: Formal Budget Training (PPBE) required. Experience: Most felt that Regional or Installation level CNIC experience was required prior to taking the Deputy position. During our review and discussions with the N8 personnel, we were provided a copy of their “Professional Development Guide” which is a thoroughly detailed training plan for all levels. Our team concludes that this training plan, combined with the competencies we have identified, could be modified to serve as a framework for the workforce development efforts of the Deputy level positions at CNIC Headquarters.
Analysis of the Public Works Service Request Process For Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2011-12-12) Siegner, Sarah; Lazo, Terilynn; Graver, Cecilia; Gordon, Wendy; SGFT Consulting; Wood, Frank R. "Chip"; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The goal of this project is to analyze the service request portion of the Public Works Business Line (PWBL) processes for Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest. All four PWBL Product Lines are included in the analysis. These Product Lines are Facility Management and Sustainment (FM&S), Facility Service Contract Management and Facility Services (FMFS), Base Support Vehicles and Equipment (BSVE), and Utilities and Energy Management (UEM). The perceived problem is that there are instances of confusion and inaccuracies regarding funding responsibilities and service levels resulting from prior years of organizational changes and functional transfers. The research examines the process used to contact NAVFAC to request service, the process NAVFAC uses to validate that the requested service is funded and authorized, and applicable documents, agreements, and information used by the participants. By conducting interviews with fifty process participants, sufficient information is gathered to map the current service request process. Process maps are provided for each product line. The maps show the decision points involved in the interaction between the customer and NAVFAC field staff in the request process. The interview results confirm that the perceived problems do exist in some areas and product lines. Interviewed personnel credit NAVFAC for improvements already accomplished in many areas. Remaining problems common to multiple product lines and cited most often include limited resources, limited access to NAVFAC information, unclear service level and funding source information, and insufficient sharing of long range planning information between customers and NAVFAC. In addition, the use of authorized customer representatives and regular customer meetings work well when used and could be leveraged in other areas. After conducting root cause analysis, recommendations are provided that address the consequences of the problems and align with NAVFAC strategic goals. These include communication improvements to increase accessibility of information, documentation improvements to reduce confusion, and training suggestions to improve understanding and consistency. The recommendations are charted with benefits and difficulty of implementation to assist NAVFAC in deciding which to consider implementing first (i.e., those with the most benefit for the least initial investment). A tool is included to allow the client to adjust the value weighting of the benefits and implementation difficulty based on their own preferences. Using equal weighting the recommendations to consider first are: a) the communication recommendations including an accessible web site, holding a customer symposium, and publications, b) the documentation recommendation of posting the process maps, and c) the training recommendations to hold internal briefings for NAVFAC personnel and acquisition briefings for customers. Implementation of even some of the recommendations provided in this study will achieve many benefits in operational effectiveness for both NAVFAC and its supported Commands.
Cost Benefit Analysis of Options to Manage E-2C Hawkeye Aircraft Techincal Data
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2011-09-01) Alexander, Kristy; Bender, Mike; Boisvert, Rick; Gibson, Mike; Wood, Frank R. "Chip"; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Program Management Aircraft Office 231 (PMA231) is tasked with providing “cradle to grave” acquisition support to the U.S. Navy’s fleet of E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. A major portion of this support centers on providing and updating integrated logistics support (ILS) elements, which include technical data. Effective and efficient management of aircraft technical data ensures that the Navy’s aviation maintenance personnel have the most accurate, up to date technical manuals available. Availability of these manuals forms a critical link in providing safe, full mission capable (FMC) aircraft ready for immediate tasking as well as the safety of the maintenance personnel. Source data for both E-2C and C-2A technical manuals is generated by In-Service Support Center at Naval Air Station North Island (ISSC NI). This source data is then incorporated into the manuals and published for use. Incorporation of this validated source data forms the bulk the technical data management process. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC), Bethpage New York, currently manages E-2C technical publications; however, prior to 2007, many of these publications were maintained at ISSC NI. ISSC NI currently manages the C-2A technical publications. Given the vital nature of these technical publications, CAPT Gahagan, Program Manager PMA231, has tasked Pax River Consulting (PRC) to provide the program office with a cost benefit analysis based on two options: • Option 1: Retain E-2C technical publications management with Northrop Grumman Corporation. • Option 2: Transfer E-2C technical publication management to the E-2C/C-2A ISSC at NAS North Island, CA. PRC obtained data from both ISSC NI and NGC and evaluated the data on three key areas: quality, cost, and schedule. Based on these criteria, there was found to be no quality advantage between NGC and ISSC; however, there was a clear advantage in favor of ISSC NI in both the cost and schedule areas. Based on this data analysis, PRC recommends that PMA231 transfer the management of the E-2C technical manuals to ISSC North Island.
The Ramifications of Utilizing Test Pilot Graduates as Individual Augmentees
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2008-03-21) Battaglia, Nicole; Baron, Jonathon; Conlon, Christopher; McNeil, Don; Crawford, Alice; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This study was chartered with the purpose of evaluating the short- and long-term effects of using Test Pilots to fill Individual Augmentation (IA) billets in the support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). These aviation billets are essential to the test and acquisition workforce to ensure that viable new weapon systems are introduced to the Fleet in a timely manner, especially since test project workloads in Naval Aviation continue to rise. Our study primarily examined helicopter programs currently delayed or at risk of going over budget due to reduced manning, as well as an analysis of the return on investment for Test Pilots when they are assigned an IA. The following key observations were made during our research: 1) Each test squadron has determined their minimum, or red-line, level of manning by analyzing current and future workload requirements. 2) Test Pilots are expensive to train and the rate of return on investment is greatly diminished if their payback tour is interrupted by an IA. 3) The Navy can improve its “rip to fill” way of filling IA billets. As a result, we have provided the following recommendations on how Naval Aviation Systems Command (NAVAIR) can better manage the process in which IA billets are filled: 1) Seek formal exemption of project officer billets from IAs. 2) Increase the manning level for naval test squadrons. 3) Make IAs more predictable. 4) Assign naval test squadrons specific recurring IA billets. 5) Internally (voluntarily) exempt project officers from IAs.
Analysis of Transportation Alternatives for Ejection Seat Training
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2011-09) Gambel, Ray; Lundy, David; Murphy, William; Southmost Consulting; Wood, Frank R. "Chip"; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP); Business Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Student Military Aviators who complete primary flight training at Training Wing FOUR and select jets for their advanced training track will require Naval Aviation Survival Training Program (NASTP) Class 1 training until the T-6B replaces the T-34C as the primary flight training aircraft. This Class 1 training instructs students in ejection seat equipment and procedures for emergency egress of their new aircraft. Of the eight available Aviation Survival Training Centers (ASTC) Training Wing FOUR sends its students exclusively to NAS Pensacola. Training Wing FOUR utilizes a TC-12B training aircraft for the logistical transport of students to and from Class 1 training approximately twice weekly, called the DJET. CDR Christian Schomaker, Training Wing FOUR Operations Officer, commissioned this study to provide an analysis of alternatives to the current method of transporting students. RECOMMENDED OPTIONS A. Provide all flight students Class 1 training at ASTC Pensacola, Florida while in Pensacola as part of the Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API) curriculum prior to permanent change of station to Corpus Christ, Texas. B. Adjust the DJET flight schedule to a Sunday departure rather than a Friday departure, resulting in a $209.00 savings per student of per diem cost which amounts to approximately $21,000.00 per fiscal year. C. Readdress current local restrictions and classification of student naval aviators as aircrew to enable multi-engine student flight training on DJET flights. D. Consider utilizing other ASTC facilities; specifically, aligning the Class 1 ejection seat training with the required Centrifuge-based Flight Environment Training (CFET) at ASTC Lemoore.
EMBA Project Report Presented to CAPT Brian McIlvane Director, N3, COMSUBLANT
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2010-09) Dias, Christopher; Heineman, Ryan; Moran, Michael; Sowell, Larquis; Steele, Jeffrey; Wood, Frank R. "Chip"; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Executive Master of Business Administration
At the request of the Commander, Submarine Forces Atlantic (CSL) Director of Operations (N3), Hero Solutions Group undertook a study of the manning of the 1120 LTs detailed to CSL, to determine how they could be most effectively utilized. For a variety of reason, CSL is experiencing a shortfall in manning of Submarine Watch Officers (SWOs), making it difficult to support a round-the-clock watch rotation while maintaining safety and effectiveness of the SWO. Specifically, we determined the optimum manning rotation to meet the requirement that the watch floor be fully manned, while performing the necessary functions of the eight _day-staff_ 1120 LT billets. To determine this optimum rotation, we interviewed several personnel throughout the staff, including the LTs, their supervisors and the department directors (N-heads). We simulated various possible rotations to determine their effects on SWO manning and day-staff coverage. We also researched safety guidelines regarding fatigue and shift work safety from various sources to determine an acceptable work load. These are our recommendations: _ All 1120 LTs should report to N3 and remain on the SWO watch bill for an eight month period. _ All 1120 LTs not billets as a SWO will transfer to the next available day-staff billet once their initial eight month SWO rotation is complete. _ LTs billets as a SWO will be assigned to the N34 day-staff billet in the last several months of their tours. _ All 1120 LTs who are in a staff billet will stand weekday, day SWO proficiency watches twice per month. _ All 1120 LTs are required to attend mandatory SWO classroom training once per week. _ The unfunded N321A billet will no longer be manned by 1120 LTs. By implementing these recommendations, the CSL staff will be able to man the watch bill at a level such that all 1120 LT have a manageable workload that does not contribute to excess fatigue or diminish job effectiveness. Also, all LTs will gain valuable experience as a watchstander.
Submarine Watch Officer Manning
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2010-09-09) Dias, Christopher; Moran, Michael; Sowell, Larquis; Steele, Jeffrey; Wood, Frank; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP); Executive Master of Business Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: At the request of the Commander, Submarine Forces Atlantic (CSL) Director of Operations (N3), Hero Solutions Group undertook a study of the manning of the 1120 LTs detailed to CSL, to determine how they could be most effectively utilized. For a variety of reason, CSL is experiencing a shortfall in manning of Submarine Watch Officers (SWOs), making it difficult to support a round-the-clock watch rotation while maintaining safety and effectiveness of the SWO. Specifically, we determined the optimum manning rotation to meet the requirement that the watch floor be fully manned, while performing the necessary functions of the eight “day-staff” 1120 LT billets. To determine this optimum rotation, we interviewed several personnel throughout the staff, including the LTs, their supervisors and the department directors (N-heads). We simulated various possible rotations to determine their effects on SWO manning and day-staff coverage. We also researched safety guidelines regarding fatigue and shift work safety from various sources to determine an acceptable work load. These are our recommendations: _ All 1120 LTs should report to N3 and remain on the SWO watch bill for an eight month period. _ All 1120 LTs not billets as a SWO will transfer to the next available day-staff billet once their initial eight month SWO rotation is complete. _ LTs billets as a SWO will be assigned to the N34 day-staff billet in the last several months of their tours. _ All 1120 LTs who are in a staff billet will stand weekday, day SWO proficiency watches twice per month. _ All 1120 LTs are required to attend mandatory SWO classroom training once per week. _ The unfunded N321A billet will no longer be manned by 1120 LTs. By implementing these recommendations, the CSL staff will be able to man the watch bill at a level such that all 1120 LT have a manageable workload that does not contribute to excess fatigue or diminish job effectiveness. Also, all LTs will gain valuable experience as a watchstander.
Budget Analysis of Military Sealift Fleet Support Command (MSFSC) Civilian Mariner (CIVMAR) Hotel Contracts
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2001-05-25) Fopma, David; Gonzalez, Melissa; Totten, Elizabeth; Crawford, Alice; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP); Executive Master of Business Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The goal of this project was to conduct research on the current method MSFSC uses to budget for its CIVMAR Support Unit (CSU) hotel contracts, how they are receipted throughout the course of the fiscal year, and finally how they are closed out at the end of the contract period. The client suspected that there were flaws in the current process and was interested in hearing any recommendations to improve the procedures in place to help alleviate the problem of over obligating the CIVMAR Pipeline Budget. Through in-person and telephone interviews, the current process for developing the Hotel Contract portion of the budget as well as the contract award, monitoring, and receipting portion were discovered. Additionally, historical hotel usage rates and historical financial data were analyzed to help determine if there were corrective actions that could be taken. In the end, it was discovered that there was a thorough process in place for awarding, monitoring, and receipting the CIVMAR Hotel Contracts and that this process was currently working as it was designed. The true cause of the problem that the client was witnessing was due to the fact that the budget for the CIVMAR Pipeline, and therefore the CIVMAR Hotel Contracts that fall into this budget, was solely based on historical performance rather than future requirements. Using this method to establish the budget does not take into account changes in the out years and creates a budget that is not in line with the goals of MSFSC. The researchers recommend that MSFSC develop a budget for Expense Type 25812 Hotel Contracts that is reflective of the future goals of MSFSC by taking into account future manning levels and what impact those levels have on the size of the CIVMAR Support Units and the hotel contract requirement that goes along with the CSUs.
Supply Chain Management at the National Naval Medical Center Pharmacy
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2010-09-02) Holden, Greg; Marty, Steve; Thigpen, Jared; Turcotte, Dennis; Van Tol, Dean; Wood, Frank R. "Chip"; Business & Public Policy (GSBPP); Executive Master of Business Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Supply Chain Management at the National Naval Medical Center Pharmacy The National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda, Maryland is the U.S. Navy’s flagship of medical centers and is the Navy’s third-largest medical center.1 NNMC provides medical services to approximately 46,000 patients annually,2 and its pharmacy has an annual budget of $46M for drugs dispensed to NNMC patients.3 This consulting project, completed with the support of the NNMC Pharmacy Department Head and facilitated through the Naval Postgraduate School Executive MBA Program, applied operations management and supply chain management principles to the processes used by the NNMC pharmacy to find potential efficiency improvements. Specifically, the consultant team evaluated drug purchasing data from the Defense Medical Logistics Supply System (DMLSS) and dispensing data from the Composite Healthcare System (CHCS) for specific high-cost and high-volume drugs to identify optimal inventory levels and order points. The NNMC Pharmacy Staff selected the following six drugs for analysis: _ Arimedex (anastrozole) – a breast cancer prevention drug. _ Intelence (extravirine) – an HIV treatment drug. _ Procrit (epoetin alfa) – an anemia treatment drug. _ Seroquel (quetiapine) – depressive disorder (bipolar & schizophrenia) treatment drug. _ Topamax (topiramate) – an anti-seizure/epilepsy medication. _ Vfend (voriconazole) – fungus and yeast infection treatment drug. 1 NNMC Public Affairs Document “National Naval Medical Center at a Glance,” www.bethesda.med.navy.mil 2 Ibid. 3 Personal Interview with LT Bradley Gotto, 29 July 2010 After analyzing historical ordering and dispensing data for these drugs and touring the NNMC drug storage facilities, the consultant team’s primary recommendation is that NNMC pharmacy should adjust re-order points, re-order quantities, and safety stock for the subject drugs to reduce high levels of inventory and unnecessary safety stock. Since the NNMC pharmacy can obtain drugs at low cost with minimal (1 day) lead time, NNMC can reduce the average inventory of these drugs and shift the burden of inventory management to the drug suppliers. This has potential to simplify the restocking process at the NNMC pharmacy and reduce the manpower required to fill new orders. Other secondary recommendations to improve the NNMC Pharmacy operations include: _ Perform a full inventory of drugs held at the NNMC Pharmacy to develop a full accounting of all drugs on hand. _ Expand analysis to determine required safety stock for other drugs. _ Promote adoption of a consolidated system to replace DMLSS and CHCS to coordinate ordering and dispensing operations.