When should you terminate your own program? Bad Business: The JASORS Debacle

Acquisition Research Working paper serie

Controlling Risk in Defense Acquisition Programs: The Evolving Decision Review Framework

In the last three years, there has been a great deal of turbulence in U.S. defense acquisition policy. This has contributed to confusion within the acquisition workforce in terminology, major policy thrusts, and unclear implications of the changes. The new acquisition framework has added complexity, with more phases and delineations of activity, and both the number and level of decision reviews have been increased. Decision reviews are used as top management level project control gates, and are also a feature of centralized control within a bureaucracy. Although the current stated policy is to foster an environment supporting flexibility and innovation, the result is a continuous cycle of decision reviews. Program Managers may now have fewer resources to manage their programs as they spend much of their time, and budgets, managing the bureaucracy. Moreover, the implicit aspects of the still new model have not been fully realized, and may result in policy that actually lengthens programs -- counter to goals of rapid transformation. The framework, and its associated requirements for senior level reviews, are opposed to the rapid and evolutionary policy espoused, and are counter to appropriate management strategies for a transformational era

The big ask: upgrade graduate education for acquisition professionals

The article of record as published may be found at https://www.army.mil/article/231254/the_big_ask_upgrade_graduate_education_for_acquisition_professional

Improving the Selection Process for Identifying Gifted Ethnic Minority Children

Poor and ethnic minority students are underrepresented in programs for the talented and gifted. As the number of public school students from ethnically diverse and low income backgrounds steadily increases, schools need to revise assessment tools that cannot effectively evaluate the academic potential of these populations. The authors examine the definition of giftedness, outline the limitations of current testing methods, and explore the role played by teachers\u27 perceptions of ethnic minority children. The authors explore as well the range of social pressures on gifted African American students which may lead them to adopt behaviors that camouflage their giftedness. Dillard and Brazil present a case study in which training improved a Caucasian teacher\u27s responsiveness to the gifted traits in one African American student. Practical suggestions to improve access to gifted education programs include new criteria of giftedness, the use of multiple selection criteria, strategies for training teachers to recognize gifted minorities, and strategies for improving parents\u27 observations of behavioral characteristics of gifted minority children

The Logistics Support Resource Strategy Map: A Design and Assessment Tool

Proceedings Paper (for Acquisition Research Program)Design of a resource strategy for logistics support requires decision-makers to choose to use contracted, blended, or organic support, or a combination thereof, for acquisition products. Non-cost issues have received much less attention than cost in resource strategy design''even though policy requires the incorporation of many non-cost issues. This lack of attention is partially due to the large number of issues that can impact strategy design, the diversity of issue features and impacts, and the diversity of characteristics of programs, their environments, and potential strategies. Although many issues that should be included in logistic planning have been identified, little guidance is provided for how program management teams can incorporate them into logistics support resource strategy design. Tools that facilitate describing logistics requirements and the impacts of resource strategies on program success can potentially improve resource strategy design, assessment, and documentation for review. The structure and use of the Logistics Support Resource Strategy Map for helping program management teams consider a broad range of logistics support resource strategy design issues are described. An example application illustrates the Map''s use. Implications for practice and potential future developments tool are discussed.Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research ProgramApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Evidence On The Effectiveness Of On-Line Homework

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of on-line homework in principles of accounting classes.  We surveyed students to determine their degree of satisfaction with on-line homework and their perceptions about its effectiveness in enhancing their learning.   We also gathered data to determine the extent of online homework completed and its effect on class performance.  The results indicate that on-line homework increases student performance and that students believe that using on-line homework is an effective method of study

Politics and Red Tape

Panel Chair: Scott Cheney Papers Presented: The Outcome of the Forgotten by Alexandra Quinn Domingue The Echo Chamber by John Frick Abstract: Political polarization seems to be rising in America and indeed across the world, and there does not seem to be a clear explanation of the reason behind it. Some attribute it to international events such as 9/11, while others blame the millennial generation; yet what if it is something else entirely? What if our ever increasing dependence on social media for news can have adverse effects on the political climate? The “echo chamber” in this case refers to the idea that social media users will often delete or unfollow other users who have different opinions; this leads to those users then only getting responses agreeing with their political views, with no one left to challenge them. This effect might then lead those same users to vote differently, or become more radical in their views, as they will be increasingly susceptible to groupthink. Not only were these ideas discussed in the paper, taking into account modern political context, but two polls were conducted, with a combined 1,845 respondents. Through the collection of this data, the “echo chamber” idea can be put into context. Keywords: Politics, Polling, Elections, Social Media, Media Why do Americans consider Mexican Immigrants a Problem? By Christian Alonso Hernandez Immigration: Criminal or Constructive by Caroline Dillar