Emerging Strategies in Defense Acquisitions and Military Procurement

Contributors in international relations, technology transfer, economics, materials management, and defense procurement present the latest scholarly research and theory on defense acquisition. While emphasis is on the UK and Europe, the book also contains perspectives from the US and Australia. Several chapters examine tradeoffs between innovation and risks of defense sector acquisition. Other topics include collaborative defense procurement, rare earth elements and other raw materials in defense acquisition, and business ethics in acquisition. A conceptual framework is presented for defense acquisition management based on service dominant logic theory. The book is intended for researchers, academics, advanced students, and professionals in the defense industries.

The US Department of Defense describes the difficult assignment of military acquisition as the bureaucratic management and procurement process dealing with a nation’s investments in the technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve its national security strategy and support its armed forces. The goal is to acquire products that satisfy specified needs and provide measurable improvement to mission capability at a fair and reasonable price.
The speed of reforms within defense acquisition (DA) has greatly surpassed theoretical understanding over the past 40 years. This expansion and learning curve is of extreme importance because it weakens an essential knowledge base at a time when responsibilities and accountabilities are increasingly challenging and urgent. The scale of changes generated by DA reforms is such that previous knowledge development foundations do not have the capacity to intersect current requirements.
Closing the theory-practice divide will likely expedite the knowledge necessary to address existing and emerging challenges. This professional contribution outlines the type of theory required to match the new emerging role of defense acquisitions. Furthermore, the book discusses what its development would entail while making allowances for decreasing financial support.
The editors do not suggest that this book will solve the theory development in DA, poor or otherwise. Their objective is to facilitate candid discussions about current limitations. The focus is not on finding answers but on asking improved questions. The purpose of the chapters is to demonstrate both the complex issues with which DA is struggling and the need to engage problematic conditions in a different manner. The editors and contributors achieve this goal. Topics covered include collaborative defense procurement, competition, critical raw materials, institutional entrepreneurship, offsets, sectoral polyarchy, service dominant logic theory, and value for money. The book is enhanced by a detailed table of contents that includes chapter descriptions, key terms and definitions at the conclusion of select chapters, tables, easy-to-read graphics, appropriate font size, topic bolding, compilation of resources, information about author credentials, bullet formats, and extensive index and reference systems.
Emerging Strategies in Defense Acquisitions and Military Procurement is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. Library acquisition decision-makers responsible for the selection and purchase of materials or resources will consider this book a welcome addition to their political science collection. This text is an essential resource for government agencies, researchers, and administrators. The volume also provides research and scholarly chapters for those serving in local, state, and national governments. University Army ROTC program resource centers will find the reference book to be a valuable contribution. Military installations would also find this contribution useful. In addition, this book is the perfect match for industrial military contractors. Finally, it meets the needs of businesses that are considering military acquisition procurement opportunities.