Changing Bureaucratic Behavior: Acquisition Reform in the United States Army

In 1994, Secretary of Defense William Perry directed the military services (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines) to begin the process of reinventing their acquisition systems and policies. One of the most important elements of the Perry Initiatives was the elimination of all military specifications and standards from use in military acquisition. At the request of the U.S. Army, this study examines three policy questions: Is milspec and standard reform being implemented successfully by Army acquisition bureaucrats?, What factors or determinants affect the willingness and ability of Army acquisition employees to implement milspec and standard reform?, Having assessed implemenation to date and understanding better what affects bureaucratic behavior, how can the Army best affect the underlying beliefs and perceptions of its personnel in order to influence behavior in support of milspec and standard reform?