Master of Business Administration (MBA) Professional Reports

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Master of Business Administration (MBA) Professional Reports

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Degree-Earning Works

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Department of Defense Management (DDM)

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 935

COMPARATIVE RESEARCH OF LABOR COSTS IN NAVAIR SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESS ENGINEERING SERVICE CONTRACTS
(Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School, 2018-06) Gamboa, Honorato B. III; Rendon, Rene G.; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP); Brien, Spencer T.
Procurement is the main method that the government uses to obtain goods and services. In 2017, the federal government awarded $508 billion in contracts for the purchase of goods and services. The largest share of government contracts is from the Department of Defense, which constituted 63 percent ($320 billion). The government contracts can be awarded to both small and large businesses through full and open competition. However, the government is obligated to offer 23 percent of the contracts to small businesses. This study sought to compare and analyze labor rates in small and large businesses, the effect of labor hours and place of performance on labor costs, and whether contracts to small businesses drive up costs to the government. The focus of the study was on small and large businesses classified as North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541330 (Engineering Services). The study found that labor costs in similar NAICS code 541330 contracts awarded to small and large businesses differ. In technical jobs, small businesses’ average labor rates are lower than large businesses’ average labor rates, both at Headquarters/Program Executive Office (HQ/PEO) and Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWC AD). Place of performance affects the labor cost. This study found that, overall, small businesses have lower labor rates compared to large businesses.
A critical analysis of the coordination, command and control of contractors in Iraq
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2006-12) Butkus, Joseph J.; Howes, Matthew F.; Yoder, E. Cory; Tudor, Ronald; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
The purpose of this project is to examine the issues concerning the command and control of civilian contractors in a combat environment. Outsourcing of non-military specific job functions to civilian contractors and the increased reliance on Private Security Companies to protect those contractors has produced unexpected complications when examined in the context of an extended war-time scenario. The objectives of this project are to identify the weaknesses of current command and control doctrine as it applies to civilian contractors, identify significant issues regarding tracking and movement control of contractors and to identify issues faced by tactical commanders created by civilian contractors operating in their battlespace. The product of this project will be a potential course of action that the Department of Defense can pursue to correct deficiencies in the command and control of contractors and mitigate the risks created by contractors operating independently on the battlefield.
Prediction markets: a review with an experimentally based recommendation for Navy force-shaping application
(Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2009-12) Chinn, Michael A.; Huffman, Leslie A.; Arkes, Jeremy A.; Gates, William R.; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Business Administration
Prediction markets generally are small-scale electronic markets that tie payoffs to measurable future events. They are similar to stock markets, where the "stocks" are outcomes or events rather than shares in a company. The growing popularity of prediction markets reflects the notion that markets are an excellent means of efficient information aggregation among a disparate group of people. Trading prices in the prediction markets provide decision makers with a timely, accurate, and continuously updated picture on the likelihood of future events. This enables decision makers to better evaluate risk. Based on historical successes in prediction market utilization, it is both logical and important to assess the usefulness of prediction markets in contributing to critical elements of Navy total force shaping. Navy Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education (N1) regularly forecasts re-enlistment rates, over/under endstrength, and many other force-shaping factors as an input into their resource allocation decision-making process. In an effort to improve upon the force-shaping decision-making process, N1 has shown interest in using prediction markets to complement or replace alternative methods for forecasting various Navy force-shaping elements. The aim of this thesis is to act as a foundation for ongoing prediction market research within the Department of Defense (DoD).
An evaluation of transforming the obligation period for the DOD operations and maintenance account
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2005-12) Dimirack, Stanley S.; Lott, Timothy V.; Jones, Lawrence R.; McCaffery, Jerry L.; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
Combating negative public perceptions about wasteful, end-of-year spending is not a battle the Department of Defense (DOD) should have to fight. DODb2ss best intentions are to be good custodians of taxpayersb2s dollars, but old archaic policies hamper its ability to efficiently obligate current year funding. This project report will provide necessary background, analyze previous OandM obligation rates, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of extending the obligation period for one-year appropriations from one to two years and make recommendations based on the conclusions drawn from our data analysis. The conclusions drawn from our report will reveal the overwhelming benefits DOD would achieve from changing current policy and how the Legislative and Executive branches resist change.
Standard port-visit cost forecasting model for U.S. Navy husbanding contracts
(Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2009-12) Marquez, Michael Alvin A.; Mercado, John I.; Rayos, Richard M.; Franck, Raymond; Wagner, Brett; Brinkley, Douglas; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Business Administration
Husbanding services are crucial elements of a port visit. In support of mission objectives, combatant commanding officers and sealift masters rely on contractors to act on the U.S. Navy's behalf in coordinating the delivery of supplies or performance of services. Through the years, the cost of port services around the world has increased in various magnitudes. However, the U.S. Navy's ability to track and analyze port-visit costs changes remains rudimentary. Current systems lack the functionality needed by the stakeholders to effectively and efficiently forecast port-visit costs. The researchers developed a Web-based modularized application that stores and displays invoices, generates reports, and more importantly, forecasts future port-visit costs using the standard port-visit cost forecasting model for husbanding contracts. The forecasting function of the application provides two predictive methods, namely confidence interval estimator and exponential smoothing. The analysis clearly shows that low requirement variability improves the reliability of the interval, while high frequency of port-visits increases the accuracy of the exponential smoothing results. The capabilities of the application provide stakeholders with a valuable tool to analyze port-visit requirements and costs trends.
Defense globalization: impacts on the United States Defense Acquisition System
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2007-12) Bales, Jason W.; Feranec, Nicholas G.; Jones, Lawrence R.; Dillard, John; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Naval Postgraduate School
The objective of this MBA project is to examine the extent to which the Department of Defense has positioned itself to maximize the use of the global defense market. This report explores the recent history of commercialization and globalization initiatives and legislation; details several examples of foreign technology that have significantly improved the U.S. military's warfighting capability; and analyzes the significant benefits and challenges facing the DoD in moving towards a truly global defense industry. The report concludes with a summary of the findings and further establishes a path for the cultural change that is necessary for the DoD to operate in a global defense industry.
An analysis of item identification for additive manufacturing (3-D printing) within the Naval supply chain
(Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2014-12) Morgan, Jason A.; Prentiss, Jacob M.; Brinkley, Douglas E.; Tick, Simona; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
Additive manufacturing (AM) technology, known as three-dimensional (3-D) printing, was developed in the 1980s and has matured such that it is being implemented into modern business processes as a way to reduce prototype design and production lead times. Similar to companies in civilian industry, the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations Rapid Innovation Development Cell has been looking for ways to introduce this technology into the Navy’s supply chain. The Navy is operating in a continuously shrinking, budget-constrained environment and always seeks ways to save money and improve business practices. Implementing AM into the Navy’s supply chain has the potential to reduce costs and improve acquisition processes. As the Navy continues to invest in AM, current inventories of material must be reviewed for applicability and compatibility to determine what is 3-D printable. This project’s goal is to provide decision support criteria by identifying influential factors that determine the applicability of 3-D printing alternatives. The approach taken involves an analysis of the technology, its use in civilian industries, and a discussion of influential factors determining whether 3-D printing is a alternative to traditional supply chains. Moreover, it identifies potential uses and provides examples for printing 3-D material for the Navy.
An analysis of the return on investment of Navy Enterprise Resource Planning as implemented Navy-wide FY04-FY15
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2011-06) Kovack, Robert G.; Lindley, Philip R.; Brook, Douglas; Brinkley, Douglas; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
Since 2003, the United States Navy has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Program. ERP evolved from four pilot programs into a single solution. Furthermore, the Navy has invested approximately 2 billion dollars for ERP implementation and developed several programs to streamline the financial reporting practices. This thesis project analyzes the evolution and development of ERP, identifies the Navy's projections for ERP, and calculates the cost and benefits of executing ERP between FY04 and FY15. We compare the return on investment (ROI) on Navy ERP to the ROI from ERP implementation in the private sector. Our objective is to understand the ROI for the Navy ERP compared to the ROI for the private sector.
Discrete-event simulation modeling of the repairable inventory process to enhance the ARGCS business case analysis
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2006-12) Bello, Alfred P.; Carpenter, Robert B.; Rios, Frankie; Doerr, Kenneth H.; Franck, Raymond E.; Kang, Keebom; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
The objective of this project was to identify and more accurately predict the maintenance and supply chain costs and savings related to the Agile Rapid Global Combat Support (ARGCS) system. The project focused on a portion of the ARGCS business case analysis (BCA) model developed by CDR David Crosby. CDR Crosby's BCA model listed various potential savings associated with ARGCS technologies that were difficult to quantify during his initial BCA research. The focus of this research was to determine the likely benefits and cost savings that ARGCS may have on maintenance and supply functions. Using pre-existing maintenance and supply data, a model was developed to more accurately determine any maintenance and supply related cost benefits. The only F/A-18 Weapons Replaceable Assemblies (WRA) that were analyzed during this research were those that will be tested during the summer 2007 Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) at NAS Lemoore. Results of the simulation indicate there is an expected increase in operational availability and several cost savings associated with the implementation of ARGCS technologies.
Analysis of Performance Based Service Contracting and its applicability toTurkey's defense acquisition activities
(Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2010-12) Yilmaz, Gunaydin; Rendon, Rene G.; Maddox, Janie; Department of Defense Management (DDM); Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
The purpose of this MBA professional report is to explore and analyze Performance Based Service Contracting (PBSC) and provide a clear description of PBSC to Turkish Department of Defense policy-makers. This Report includes a literature review and background information about PBSC, current PBSC implementation in the U.S., current Turkish acquisition rules and regulations, the legal barriers to implementation of PBSC and recommendations (based on the findings) to the Turkey Ministry of Defense for the implementation of PBSC in Turkey.