View/Open - Naval Postgraduate School

Development of Measures of Success for Corporate Level
Air Force Acquisition Initiatives
Abstract
Presenter: Lt Col Bryan Hudgens, USAF, Naval Postgraduate School
Capt Carey Petit, USAF, Warner-Robins
Col Rita Jordan, USAF, US Air Force Academy
Lt Col Leon Mable, USAF (ret.), AFIT
The goal of this research is to suggest a framework for developing measures of
success for corporate level Air Force acquisition initiatives. Because this research is
exploratory, it focuses on only one initiative: the 2002 initiative “Focus on results, not
process.” A qualitative method approach was used to suggest a four part framework.
Through the review of literature, common steps for creating metrics were established and
recurrent characteristics of good metrics were identified. Then interviews were conducted
with acquisition practitioners who have experience with the initiative. Finally, those three
parts were applied to the initiative as a case study and metrics suggested as a result.
This study gives Air Force leaders clear, implementable metrics that can be used as
measures of success for the initiative, and provides recommendations to improve this
initiative’s performance and that of future corporate Air Force acquisition initiatives. This
study also gives leaders insight into whether or not this initiative and others like it are an
appropriate and effective way to drive the changes they are meant to bring about. Finally,
from a broader perspective, the framework used in this study can be used to develop
metrics for other corporate level initiatives.
Introduction
Almost since its inception in 1947, the Air Force has sought to reform the way it
procures weapon systems. Many factors involved in the weapon system acquisition process
are external to the Air Force and out of its direct control (i.e., Congressional constraints, the
pace of technology development, constantly changing world situations). However, selfimposed
administrative hurdles are an internal factor that the Air Force can change in order
to help improve its procurement practices.
To target the elements of the acquisition process within its control, the Air Force
began implementing a series of acquisition reform initiatives in 1995. These initiatives,
referred to as “Lightning Bolts,” were created in direct response to Air Force leadership’s
growing concerns that it takes too long to put weapon systems in the hands of the
warfighters (Department of the Air Force, 2003). Collectively, their purpose was to serve as
the catalyst by which administrative changes are made in Air Force business practices
(Senate Armed Services Committee, 2002). However, little is known about how to gauge
the success of these initiatives. Many metrics have been suggested for gauging the
success of acquisition reform attempts within the Department of Defense (DoD), but most of
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