“Effing” the military: a political misunderstanding of management

The use of commercial business management techniques is widespread in all government departments, including the Ministry of Defence. This article examines the use of popular management techniques in the Armed Forces and argues that their application is misplaced. It looks at what the “effs” – “efficiency” and “effectiveness” – mean in the business world and to the Armed Forces. It compares the definitions both in business and the Armed Forces and finds that there are few, if any, situations where the same measurements can be applied. Whilst many management techniques are suited for business, the function of the Armed Forces and its output cannot be measured in the same way, complicated by the different metrics of “efficiency” in peace and in war. This difference may not be clearly understood by some politicians, or indeed by some senior military personnel. Using examples from some of the most popular management techniques such as “Lean” and “Agile” it is possible to see that their use might actually diminish the capabilities of the Armed Forces when it comes to performing their principal role – the use of force to achieve political objectives.     

What is the global landpower network and what value might it provide?

US national security guidance, as well as the US Army’s operational experiences since 2001, emphasizes the importance of working closely with partner countries to achieve US strategic objectives. The US Army has introduced the global landpower network (GLN) concept as a means to integrate, sustain and advance the Army’s considerable ongoing efforts to meet US national security guidance. This study develops the GLN concept further, and addresses three questions. What benefits can the GLN provide the Army? What are the essential components of the GLN? What options exist for implementing the GLN concept? By developing the GLN concept, the Army has the opportunity to transition the GLN from an often ad hoc and reactive set of relationships to one that the Army more self-consciously prioritizes and leverages as a resource to meet US strategic objectives.     

运用“五种思维”提升部队指挥员应急处置能力

运用底线思维、辩证思维、创新思维、战略思维和历史思维五种思维有效提高部队指挥员应急处置的安全防控能力、决策能力、应变能力、控制能力和学习能力。     

作战指挥系统软件动态定义和动态重组设计

对作战指挥系统软件的功能模块进行分析,引入软件构件开发的思想,采用COM/DCOM构件技术,在现有软件系统中增加远程管理构件,通过客户端程序对远程服务器管理构件的访问,动态管理远程机器上运行的作战指挥系统软件功能模块,使得作战指挥系统软件的各个功能模块能够稳定运行,使分布式作战指挥系统软件具有动态定义、动态重组、动态管理等功能,大大提高了作战指挥系统软件的可靠性和可交互性,使作战指挥系统软件达到了互连、互通、互操作性的目的.     

加快兵团小城镇建设的社会管理途径分析

小城镇的社会管理不仅是城镇化发展的有机组成部分,而且对党的十六届六中全会上提出的“构建社会主义和谐社会”具有重要意义。而特殊体制下的兵团社会管理,与全国小城镇社会管理的基本要求既有相同之处,又有其独特之处。加强兵团小城镇建设的社会管理,推进和谐社区建设,不仅有利于兵团经济的发展,更有利于兵团更好地履行屯垦戍边的使命。文章通过对兵团小城镇现有模式的分析,针对当前兵团以人为本的社区建设情况,对兵团小城镇的社会管理的应对措施提出建议。     

导弹实弹射击信息管理系统的设计与实现

针对目前实弹射击训练结束后缺乏科学、全面、便捷的数据信息记录手段和成绩评价方法的问题,通过分析导弹实弹射击整体过程及成绩评价需求,建立数据记录评价指标体系,运用Client/Server数据库开发技术和模糊综合评判的方法,设计并实现了“导弹实弹射击信息管理系统”。该信息管理系统经实际使用后,验证了需求分析的合理性以及设计实现的科学性,为客观、全面地记录实弹射击训练情况,评价导弹实弹射击训练提供了一种有效的手段。