The Costs and Benefits of Responsive Support Operations.

The second of a series of studies covering the results of LP-III, the third experiment conducted in the Rand Logistics Systems Laboratory. LP-III attempts to determine how the management potential in recent technological advances (e.g., transceivers for high-speed data transmission, electronic computers for data processing and management control, and airlift for base-depot movement of supplies) can be used to improve Air Force spare-parts support operations. This memorandum examines one aspect of developing an improved support system, namely, how responsive the system should be in translating changing support needs into workloads in the backup areas of support. Since operating and control costs tend to increase as system response increases, there is a tradeoff between the benefits and costs of achieving various degrees of support responsiveness. Several ways are suggested for improving Air Force support operations.