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Air Force Journal of Logistics, Fall, 2007 by Kimberly A. Fiato

Introduction

As a result of the National Security Strategy (1) and the Quadrennial Defense Review, (2) the Air Force (3) posture statement outlines forces and major challenges that are driving current Air Force military strategy. The Air Force, and the military as a whole, operates in an ever-changing environment because of:

* Budget constraints

* Adversaries' ability to acquire technology

* Resources needed to build comparable weapon systems and communicate worldwide

* Rates of global economic growth and decline

* Changes in international law and policy

* Electromagnetic technology advances driving the exploitation of cyberspace for warfare (4)

Meeting demands and challenges of such an environment requires strategy making and strategy execution to be an ongoing, continuous process. (5)

External environmental factors, coupled with the impact of September 11, 2001 have "imposed a powerful sense of urgency to transforming the Department of Defense" into a more agile, responsive organization. (6) The strategic move to transform the military into a lighter, leaner force requires aligned efforts within each Service. The Air Force recognized continuous process improvement (CPI) to be a key component of transformation efforts that were directed by the Department of Defense, and therefore, launched a comprehensive program to integrate CPI concepts into everyday operations. This Air Force program is Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century (AFSO21). (7)

Since the Air Force and the private sector face similar environmental challenges and share comparable strategic objectives, a comparative analysis of AFS021 with private sector CPI concepts may expand the usefulness and application of current approaches. With that in mind, the purpose of this article is to explore such similarities. The article begins with an external environment analysis which provides a foundation from which to identify external forces driving Air Force transformation and continuous improvement (CI) efforts. (8) Next, a content review of Air Force doctrine and CPI case studies provides a frame of reference for a comparative analysis. Finally, the article concludes by summarizing the CPI similarities and differences among various private sector industries.

Background

Using a PEST (political, economic, social, technological) analysis helps to outline strategically relevant components of an organization's external environment. (9)

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Accordingly, a PEST analysis is utilized for this case study to highlight influential factors in military and Air Force strategy; those factors are identified in succeeding paragraphs.

Political and Regulatory Influences

Political and regulatory influences impact Air Force operations in various ways. (10) Current fiscal year budget constraints and reduction in force initiatives imposed by Congress have mandated manpower reductions. As a result, the Air Force must find ways to improve process efficiency. Political influences impact operations as well. Domestic politics and international relations influence which countries military forces can enter to conduct operations and which countries the US provides allied support.

Economic Factors and Influences

There are several economic factors and influences driving Air Force strategy. The two largest are loss of buying power and international economic conditions. (11) The Air Force is experiencing loss of buying power because of the high costs of supporting and sustaining Global War on Terrorism operations, the rising cost of fuel, utilities, personnel and medical care, and the upgrade and replacement of aging weapon systems. Unexpected expenses associated with the implementation of base realignment and closure program initiatives have also contributed to a loss of buying power. Both rising costs and unexpected expenses have lessened capital funds, making conservation a priority. Other economic factors drive strategy as well. For example, international economic conditions often dictate whether the military may be used to preserve or advance global economic growth. (12)

War on Terrorism Influences

The impact of the September 11 attacks moved the global war on terrorism to the forefront and, consequently, drove a variety of changes in Air Force policy, procedures, and doctrine. (13) Terrorists engage in irregular warfare, which makes the enemy harder to identify; therefore, the Air Force has shifted to a capability-based approach for counter-threat measures. A capability-based approach is concerned with how an enemy might attack rather than who might attack. Such a tactic has led to the need for an increased ability to simultaneously conduct both short- and long-term operations of various types, such as security, stability, counterinsurgency, and reconstruction worldwide. Also, a capability-based approach has led to the need for increased participation in Joint and coalition operations with other Services and nations. Personnel are now required to adapt and perform nontraditional functions, such as convoy escorts and protection duties. This ultimately changes the training requirements for ground force teams and host nation escorts.