Case Study of the Combined Arms Combat Developments Activity Cost Consideration in Decisionmaking Regarding Combat Development Studies

<p>This thesis addresses the problem of whether cost-benefit analysis would assist the manager in decisionmaking regarding combat developments studies within the Combined Arms Combat Developments Activity (CACDA) and develops a basis for improved decisionmaking techniques. The case study determined that CACDA is a professional and competent organization capable of developing recommendations alternatives or solutions to many critical problems facing the Army; however this capability has been degraded because CACDA has been tasked to undertake more combat developments studies than it has the capability to conduct. As a result of this excessive work load significant delays in the planned completion of studies were experienced and the desired validation of other studies may not have been possible. This situation resulted because the present system and management tools do not provide sufficient criteria for identifying the more critical studies and reducing the scope or eliminating the others. The study concludes that: (1) CACDA managers need an analytical tool to assist them in decisionmaking and developing recommendations to higher headquarters regarding whether a study should be conducted as proposed (2) managers consider costs in decisionmaking although costs are not as significant as other considerations. (3) managers can assign a relative value to a study proposal (4) a form of cost-benefit analysis would provide a valuable analytical tool to assist the managers in developing recommendations pertaining to a study proposal.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>