Refining Contract Management: Essays on Relational Contracting, Transaction Costs, and Text Analysis
Date of Award
9-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Department of Operational Sciences
First Advisor
Frank W. Ciarrallo, PhD
Abstract
This dissertation refines defense contracting by addressing aspects of managing contractual relationships. While the setting and data relate to defense contracts, the lessons can be expanded to nonprofit contracting beyond defense and even to contract management in general. First it presents a game theoretic model of a relational contract between a for-profit supplier and a non-profit buyer and explores how the model could be used to promote stability, manage costs, enhance cooperation, and encourage long-term capacity. The dissertation then explores governance alignment using transaction cost economics (TCE) and Department of the Air Force contracting data. One analysis uses data from the Federal Procurement Database System (FPDS) to demonstrate the effectiveness of distilling transaction cost characteristics from a comprehensive, readily available data source to assess appropriate contract governance. A second TCE study uses text analysis techniques including word embedding and the GloVe algorithm to build custom data dictionaries to evaluate contract requirements documents for transaction cost characteristics. These analyses can be used to guide decision-makers in selecting optimal contract governance approaches.
AFIT Designator
AFIT-ENS-DS-23-S-016
Recommended Citation
Landucci, Timothy E., "Refining Contract Management: Essays on Relational Contracting, Transaction Costs, and Text Analysis" (2023). Theses and Dissertations. 7666.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/7666
Included in
Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Government Contracts Commons
Comments
A 12-month embargo was observed for posting this dissertation on AFIT Scholar.
Approved for public release. PA case number on file.