Date of Award

9-1991

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Robert F. McCauley, Major, USAF

Abstract

Defense reorganization initiatives coupled with demands for significant cost reductions exerted tremendous operating pressures on the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). DLA senior management focused on process management as an approach to simultaneously assure appropriate levels of customer service and cost. The first step in this approach was to fully understand current management processes. As such, the thesis objective was to document the medical supplies order cycle process by tracing the path of information through the logistics pipeline. Detailed flowcharts and narrative descriptions were employed to demonstrate the activities of those organizations responsible for processing Air Force orders for medical supplies. Pipeline objectives and measurements were identified and their implications assessed. The process analysis was facilitated by an extensive literature review of operating policies and in-depth personal interviews with technicians, supervisors, and managers working at all stages of the medical logistics pipeline. Research conclusions included: (1) the absence of a process owner; (2) a weak communications network attributable to poor computer systems integration; (3) key pipeline measurements and management reports focused on functional responsibilities rather than system-wide customer service.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GLM-LSM-91S-47

DTIC Accession Number

ADA246787

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

Presented to the Faculty of the School of Systems and Logistics of the Air Force Institute of Technology, Air University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science

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