Organizational Culture: Use of Training to Help Change DOD Inventory Management Culture
NSIAD-94-193
Published: Aug 30, 1994. Publicly Released: Aug 30, 1994.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the inventory management and total quality management (TQM) training that the Department of Defense (DOD) provides to its civilian and military personnel, focusing on: (1) DOD plans to use training to change its inventory management culture; (2) the extent to which training courses encourage or reflect cultural change; and (3) the amount of training inventory management personnel receive to effect cultural change.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretaries of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, as well as the Director, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), to develop training plans and provide guidance to ensure that DOD schools and inventory management activities provide training that can help bring about the desired cultural change. Against the general backdrop of economy and efficiency and its importance as a DOD inventory management cultural value, such plans and guidance should emphasize modern logistics concepts and TQM concepts and tools as key training vehicles. |
Closed – Implemented
The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (OUSD) (Acquisition and Technology) budgeted $100,000 for the Naval Postgraduate School to develop training plans and guidance for the services and DLA and their logistics schools and activities. Additionally, DOD issued a Logistics Strategic Plan that articulated a vision of its desired inventory management culture. DOD's plan calls for meeting its vision by making investments in training, technology, and process reengineering, and employing the most successful commercial practices.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretaries of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, as well as the Director, DLA, to establish mandatory entry-level and continuing education training requirements for all DOD inventory management personnel, along with requirements and procedures that ensure each employee's progress in completing required training is accurately recorded and tracked. |
Closed – Implemented
The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technology) budgeted $100,000 for NPS to develop guidance and training plans for the services and DLA and their inventory management schools and activities, including mandatory training requirements and recordation. DOD's actions meet the intent of the recommendation.
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Topics
Defense procurementEducation program evaluationEmployee trainingInventory control systemsLogisticsMilitary cost controlMilitary inventoriesMilitary personnelTotal quality managementTraining utilization