Barriers to Managing Risk in Large Scale Weapons System Development Programs

Thomas K. Glennan, Jr., Susan J. Bodilly, Frank Camm, Kenneth R. Mayer, Timothy Webb

ResearchPublished 1993

The development stages of a major weapon system acquisition are inherently concerned with the management of risk. This study seeks to understand how the primary actors--the system program office (SPO), supervising command, Air Force Headquarters, Department of Defense (DoD), the contractors, and Congress--interact to shape and manage risk in major weapon system development efforts. The report, which integrates the results of seven case studies, finds that the problems the Air Force and DoD have with managing risk lie in implementation, not policy. Realistic cost, schedule, and performance goals, coupled with quality personnel, are the keys to good risk management. Senior officials in the Air Force and the DoD should understand the intense advocacy environment that shapes the recommendations of their subordinates.

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  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Available
  • Year: 1993
  • Print Format: Paperback
  • Paperback Pages: 45
  • Paperback Price: $7.50
  • Paperback ISBN/EAN: 978-0-8330-1396-5
  • Document Number: MR-248-AF

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RAND Style Manual
Glennan, Thomas K., Jr., Susan J. Bodilly, Frank Camm, Kenneth R. Mayer, and Timothy Webb, Barriers to Managing Risk in Large Scale Weapons System Development Programs, RAND Corporation, MR-248-AF, 1993. As of October 15, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR248.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Glennan, Thomas K., Jr., Susan J. Bodilly, Frank Camm, Kenneth R. Mayer, and Timothy Webb, Barriers to Managing Risk in Large Scale Weapons System Development Programs. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1993. https://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR248.html. Also available in print form.
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