Factors Affecting a Decision to Combine Civil Engineering Squadrons and ServicesSquadrons at Base Level

摘要

This study investigated nine factors believed to impact the decision to combineServices and Civil Engineering Squadrons at base level. Also studied were preferences for two proposed models for combining the squadrons. The first goal of the study was to obtain a ranking of factors in order of importance. A second goal was to determine if one of the models was preferred by respondents. The population surveyed was 50 senior members of the engineering and services community. Deputy Chiefs of Staff at major commands and key staff members were surveyed. Thirty-five surveys were returned (response rate = 70%). War fighting capabilities and customer service levels a combined squadron could provide were rated as the two most important factors in deciding whether to combine. Falling funding and manpower levels were rated the two least important factors. Two proposed models for merging the squadrons were evaluated using the nine factors. The model which restructured the squadrons along functional lines was preferred over the model which kept original structures intact but changed the chain of command. Policy capturing techniques were used to analyze preferences.