CERES :: Browsing by Author "Matthews, Ron"

Browsing by Author "Matthews, Ron"

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Open Access
Beijing's strategic encirclement of Australia
(Australian Public Affairs Information Service, 2021-11-01) Matthews, Ron
No country has come close to China's long-term growth rate, which has averaged a remarkable 9.5% over the last 40 years. This sustained high level of economic activity has enabled a parallel expansion in defence spending. While NATO countries are struggling to hit 2% growth targets, China's defence budget increased by 7% in 2021.
Open Access
Chapter 25: Singapore’s defence-industrial ecosystem
(Taylor and Francis, 2019-11-20) Matthews, Ron
Open Access
China's search for indigenous industrial development : a case study of the aviation industry
(2009-07-22T15:25:40Z) Zhang Yan, N.; Matthews, Ron
The one common feature amongst all underdeveloped nations is their intent to develop. The question is how to achieve this goal in the most efficient and effective manner. China’s recent premier, Deng Xiaoping, captured this challenge in what has become a celebrated metaphor …“It does not matter whether the cat is black or white; as long as it catches the mouse, it is a good cat.” For China, the choice of development strategy has not been Communism or Capitalism, but rather a mixture of both with central direction and decentralized profit incentives combined. This unique model was launched at the time of the 1978 ‘Open-Door’ policy and heralded a period of unparalleled growth and development. Access to technology to support the creation of modern industries came through foreign investment, and China’s central planners were in a strong position to direct inward technology transfer to what were held to be the ‘back-bone’ industries essential for high technology industrialization. The purpose of this dissertation, then, is to analyse China’s development process, with particular reference to the development of the high technology aviation industry. Aviation (commercial aircraft production) is part of the broader industrial sector, aerospace. This represents one of the highest technology sectors, embracing knowledge-intensive activity, innovation, high skills and high value-added. Aviation is regarded as a strategic industry, and as such, China has viewed foreign technology not only from a development perspective, but also as a vehicle for achieving sovereignty and sustainability. In other words, China’s long-term aim has been to develop an ‘indigenous’ aviation industry. However, such aviation ambitions are shared by several other Asian nations, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia. This thus makes the task of gaining technology from the major aviation giants, such as Boeing and Airbus, very competitive. Moreover, the drive to build commercial aircraft has both an economic and a nationalistic dimension, and so ‘success’ carries not profit but political rewards, also. ii In evaluating the challenge Asia faces in developing an indigenous aviation industry, secondary and primary data were gathered, providing a sense of country strategy and performance. Japan is the technology leader, with countries playing the role of technology followers. China, however, is at the back of the pack, with limited local capacity and constrained indigenous capability. However, notwithstanding the country’s ‘chaotic’ industrial development history over the last 50 years, the present powerful combination of high economic growth, massive demand for commercial air travel - and thus airliners, unlimited central government resources, command planning and an absolute commitment to succeed, suggests that China is strongly positioned to replace Japan as the aviation technology leader in the years to come.
Open Access
Contribution of offset to defence industrialisation in Indonesia
(2016-08-10) Savitri, C M; Matthews, Ron
Offset is compensation given to a buyer country for an arms sale. Initially perceived as ‘necessary evil’ in an imperfect defence market, it now serves dual purposes: a marketing strategy for defence industry and a procurement policy for buyer country to generate add on benefits from arms import. Offsets proliferate, and so are stricter mandatory government policies. Still evaluation of offset has been difficult, mostly done in a country-based setting using anecdotal evidence that result in mixed findings. Following the issuance of mandatory offset policy in Indonesia through Law on Defence Industry in 2012, evaluation of past and current offset practice have become not only relevant but also critical to provide policy feedback. This dissertation provides an empirical examination on how offset has been understood and practised in Indonesia, and its contribution to defence industrialisation. The timeframe chosen is 1988-2014, when countertrade has been used to support the lifecycle of strategic industries: development (1988-1998), survival (1999-2009), and revitalisation (2010-2014). This study derives its validity and reliability from triangulation, comprising secondary data, survey, and case study. Three variables are analysed: technology development through ‘strategic industries’, defence offset, and defence industrialisation. Technology development focuses on how technology policy centred on a strategic industries paradigm and ladder of production to initiate industrialisation push. Defence offset discusses the conceptual and practical aspects of offset in Indonesia, including strategic objectives, regulation and institution frameworksin the defence procurement context, and offset life cycle and financing. Defence industrialisation discusses the impact of offset through employment, skill enhancement, transfer of technology, export promotion, domestic supply chain creation, and R&D. Field works were conducted in three firms representing different industrial sectors: PT DI (aerospace), PT Pal (shipbuilding), and PT Pindad (landsystem). Research findings indicate that, first, offset practice has mostly taken place on an ad hoc basis, with no clear reference to strategic objectives, as well as long-term management and financing- that mirror deficiencies in defence procurement. Second, as result of the deficiencies, offset results have been varied from one firm to another, across the different industrial sectors of aerospace, maritime, as well as ammunition and land system. While offset has a positive impact on skill enhancement and technology transfer, it seldom translates into new employment, supply chain creation, export, or R&D. This study generates the following recommendations. First, Indonesia needs to strengthen the management of offset through pre-offset planning and preparing practical guidelines for offset stakeholders in parallel with human resources to support the programme. This means identification of offset potential in procurement (convergence of long term technology policy and long term defence procurement plan), estimation of offset premium cost, allowing participation of industry in the early stage of the offset cycle, as well as devising methods of evaluating offset. Second, Indonesia needs to formulate strategic objectives for offset that relate closely to the dual purposes of defence modernisation and industry revitalisation. Third, Indonesia must strengthen the technology absorptive capability in industry in order to sustain the benefit of offset.
Open Access
Death spiral of European offset?
(Taylor and Francis, 2021-01-20) Matthews, Ron; Anicetti, Jonata
This paper is concerned with evaluating the impact of the Procurement Directive, 2009/81/EC, on defence offset in Europe. The aim of the Directive was to reduce the extent of Article 346 derogations based on offset. Indirect offset has disappeared, and while the evidence is patchy, direct offset appears to be declining. This gradual demise of offset is in line with the global trend, especially among advanced countries. Offset is increasingly becoming a developing country phenomenon.
Open Access
The decline of South Africa’s defence industry
(Taylor and Francis, 2021-08-08) Matthews, Ron; Koh, Collin
The growth of South Africa’s apartheid era defence industry was propelled by international isolation following the 1984 UN arms embargo and revealed military technology deficiencies during the border war. Weapons innovation became an imperative, fostering development of frontier technologies and upgrades of legacy platforms that drove expansion in arms exports. However, this golden era was not to last. The 1994 election of the country’s first democratic government switched resources from military to human security. The resultant defence-industrial stagnation continues to this day, exacerbated by corruption, unethical sales, and government mismanagement. The industry’s survival into the 2020s cannot be assured.
Open Access
Defence and development: a case study of the Philippines
(2016-10-05) Avila-Goldman, A P; Matthews, Ron
In the security spectrum, there is a blurring line between defence and development. In both traditional and non-traditional security situations, such as counterinsurgency and natural disasters, the armed forces has been called to respond in ways other than their mandate of physical protection in order to attend to human development needs. How and when this transition of roles happens has been studied and debated. As the main security institution of a country, militaries around the world have performed duties outside of their defence functions. Their tasks have expanded from maintaining peace and order to including nation-building, economic development, the provision of disaster relief, and engaging in efforts to conserve natural resources. Looking at these extra functions, the Philippines armed forces are no different in performing non-traditional roles. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is one of the key institutions, which has been at the forefront of the campaign in tackling these domestic challenges. To a certain extent, the mixture of economic activities with combat operations has characterised the military’s different campaigns such as counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. Involvement in economic functions has been justified on the grounds that it is critical to ‘winning the hearts and minds’ of those living on the front lines, supporting the military’s role in nation-building. The aim of this study is to employ pre-determined metrics to evaluate the contribution of the Philippine defence sector to national development, and, in turn, comprehensive security. Whilst the conventional view is that defence is a burden on development, the question this study poses is whether, by contrast, in the Philippine context, there is a positive relationship between defence and development; that is, that defence expenditure contributes to development outputs such as employment, skill-generation and even infrastructural investment. The study framework is anchored to the following policies: AFP Modernisation Act of 1995, and its subsequent revision, AFP Modernisation Act of 2010, the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP), and the National Security Plan 2011-2016. The framework highlights the important security goals of defence industrialisation, internal security, and non-traditional security. These data were further substantiated and consolidated via archival sources, such as government and company reports, as well as secondary data (e.g. books, journals, etc.). The mission thrusts of the AFP demonstrate the organisation’s multiple objectives to carry out a mandate to protect the state and the people. The Philippines has a very modest defence industry with few companies manufacturing small arms and ammunitions. Its goal is to be self-reliant, however, issues within the Procurement Law prevents this. Meanwhile, the conduct of counter-insurgency efforts through the IPSP allows the AFP unified commands and field units to support government units and agencies in their peace and development programmes. Furthermore, the geographic deployment of military personnel and equipment across the archipelago allows the armed forces to respond in times of disasters. Overall, the armed forces has contributes positively to the national development of the Philippines. To this end, and based on the research finding, a number of important policy recommendations are advanced to raise the effectiveness of the Philippines’ security policies.
Open Access
Development culture in small energy-rich Islamic countries; A case study of Brunei Darussalam
(2010-10-12) Aziz, M; Matthews, Ron
The starting point for this study is the sense that the Brunei economy, whilst not stagnating, has been performing less well than other economies in the region and beyond. Of course, there is a need to compare like with like, and in this regard Brunei should be compared with other states possessing the same characteristics, ie, small, oil-dependent, Islamic, monarchies; and such a comparison suggests that Brunei is no Dubai. Accordingly, the study hypothesizes that Brunei is suffering from a resource ‘curse’; that the possession of oil and gas resources and ‘easy’ money have repressed the people’s work ethic and blunted the drive towards innovational and creative endeavour. The study focus is on Brunei, but a comparative evaluation is undertaken of three small, energy-rich, Islamic Gulf states: Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. By using proxies of economic performance, the research attempts to uncover the existence, or otherwise, of a development culture. Findings indicate that all four of the oil- dependent states suffer, to a greater or lesser extent, from a resource curse. However, the Gulf States have proved more successful than Brunei in diversifying their economies and overcoming the cultural slothfulness associated with a dependence on energy resources. This study identifies the benefits from the Gulf States’ experience of fusing capitalism with Islam, and, thus a principal finding of the study is that Brunei should emulate some of the major features of this development model. Explicitly, Brunei should pursue the growth opportunities of capitalism, but without sacrificing its own unique cultural identity.
Open Access
Effectiveness of technology transfer in the search for sustainable development: The case of Qatar
(2010-10-13) Al-Saadi, R.; Matthews, Ron
The Emir of Qatar firmly believes that security without development is not sustainable in the long run. Endorsed by Qatar’s top leadership, this conviction has spread contagiously to all corners of the public and private spheres, leading, in turn, numerous initiatives and massive investments directed at the development of the country. Sustainable development investments in Qatar are promising, but the process very slow amidst dynamic globalization. Technology capability is a key factor accelerating the growth of economic, social and environmental development. Hence, the aim of this dissertation is to assess the effectiveness of technology transfer in Qatar's search for sustainable development. The scope of the dissertation is confined to an analysis of certain government agencies involved in technology transfer; the government, the industry and R&D centres. The study developed a framework of measures to assess Qatari technology transfer and sustainable development, categorized into nine themes, including sustainable development, governance and internal environment, external technology resources, internal technology resource measures, absorptive capacity, value chain, value network, research and development and competitiveness. Through exploratory, descriptive and predictive research using qualitative and quantitative field surveys, along with secondary research, the study developed a framework of measures, and used it to assess the effectiveness of sustainability and technology transfer in Qatar. The study concluded that the technology transfer environment and practices in Qatar are ineffective in advancing the search for sustainable development. The study recommends the need to establish policies and priorities to facilitate sustainable development, focusing especially on technology, science and innovation. Future research should focus on in-depth case studies of specific industrial clusters as well as deepening the understanding of thematic measures of sustainability.
Open Access
The end game of China’s arms export strategy
(ANU Press, 2017-09-27) Matthews, Ron; Ping, Xiaojuan
Open Access
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Offsets as a Mechanism for Promoting Malaysian Defence Industrial and Technological Development
(Cranfield University, 2008-04-17T10:25:11Z) Balakrishnan, K; Matthews, Ron
Offsets have taken centre stage in defence trade. To date, more than 78 countries around the world practice offsets and outstanding offsets obligations run into billions of US dollars However, why have offsets gained such a momentum? Increasingly, both sellers and buyers in the arms trade view offsets as an efficient and effective economic compensation tool to justify arms deals. Buyers, consider offsets as a catalyst for industrial and technological development, employment, creation of value-added activities and skills development. Sellers, on the other hand, perceive offsets as providing product differentiation and competitive advantage in an already tough defence market. The question, though is whether, do offsets really work as claimed? The purpose of this dissertation is to empirically verify the above proposition by evaluating the effectiveness of defence offsets in developing a defence industrial and technological base, using Malaysia’s defence industry as a case study. This study employs a Multi-Method or Triangulation Methodological approach (comprising survey, archival sources and participatory observation) to gather data. Fieldwork research employing questionnaires and interviews were undertaken as part of a survey of Malaysian defence companies, international defence contractors and relevant offsets-related government and non-governmental agencies. These data were further substantiated and consolidated via archival sources, such as government and company reports and also participatory observation. Research analysis indicates that offsets have provided mixed results, in the case of Malaysia. The successes have been mainly focused on technology capability-building and human resource development, limited to through-life-support of the defence equipment and the ancillary systems purchased. Morover, offsets have been successfully used to diversify into civil sectors, mainly aerospace and electronics sectors, leading to increased exports, jobs, backward linkages and technology enhancement in these sectors. However, offsets have had minimal effect on creating joint-production, collaborative activities and R&D programmes, requisites for the process of Malaysianisation. Further, offsets have also been less than effective in increasing employment, and dual-use technology programmes that could provide longterm impact on Malaysia’s economic growth. Overall, Malaysia’s offsets policy has been pragmatic and flexible. The government has played a vital role in ensuring that the offsets policy operates in tandem with Malaysia’s national aspirations. Yet, offsets have had a limited impact on developing and sustaining Malaysia’s defence industrial and technology base. The offsets policy aim and objectives have not been clearly reflected in the offsets process and implementation. As defence offsets will continue to be of an essence in Malaysia’s defence procurement activity, initiatives should be taken to review the offsets policy and implementation processes. The review should augment the effectiveness of offsets in developing measurable and value-added programmes that build a sustainable and competitive Malaysian defence industry. To this end, and based on the research findings of this study, a number of important policy recommendations are advanced to raise the effectiveness of Malaysia’s offsets policy.
Open Access
Evaluating the financial robustness of special purpose vehicles involved in the delivery of defence private finance initiatives
(2014-11-12) Ansari, I A; Matthews, Ron
Public sectors in the developed and emerging economies have been witnessing a period of intense change over the past three decades as a result of the development of free-market economy across the globe. In the UK, the public sector in 1970s (that comprised of nationalised industries) was severely criticised for being wasteful, and subject to political intervention, thereby making them inefficient systems for delivering public services. To put matters right, successive governments from the late 1970s embarked on public sector reforms. These reforms centred on increasing the role of private sector in delivering public services. Privatisation, the implementation of accruals-based accounting and application of compulsory competitive tendering in the public sector were some of these reforms. Public-private partnerships, including private finance initiatives (PFIs), introduced in the 1990s, were a continuation of these reforms. In the defence sector, various reforms carried out prior to 1990s failed to completely remove cost and time overruns in defence projects. PFIs were introduced to further rectify the failures of previous reforms in the defence sector because they were purported to provide better value for money. Defence PFIs are long-term agreements whereby the Ministry of Defence, MoD, contracts to purchase quality services on a long-term basis from the private sector (through the special purpose vehicle, SPV) in which the private sector provides all the finance required in constructing the asset that is used to provide the services. Value for money of PFIs is about economy, efficiency and effectiveness. The question, though is whether, Defence PFIs provide value for money as claimed by the MoD? The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of three categories: 1) accommodation, 2) equipment and 3) training of Defence PFIs by assessing the financial robustness (over a six-year period) of the SPVs engaged in their delivery. This research employs a multi-method methodological approach to gather data. Qualitative research methods were employed in exploring and understanding customer-supplier relationships and included, PPPs, PFIs in general (and Defence PFIs in particular), the public sector reforms that brought about private sector integration, 4 defence reforms, and Defence PFI policies. Quantitative research was used to collect and evaluate financial data on SPVs (used in Defence PFIs). Research analysis provided mixed results regarding the financial robustness of SPVs employed in the delivery of Defence PFIs. The profit margins of SPVs involved in the delivery of Defence PFIs relating to the category of accommodation were the highest. This is followed by SPVs in the category of Defence equipment and then by SPVs in the category of Defence training. Interestingly, the majority of SPVs involved in the delivery of Defence PFIs relating to accommodation have sound financial health. On the other hand, most SPVs relating to the other two categories have serious financial problems and therefore show cause for concern. Based on research findings of this study, a number of important policy recommendations are advanced to raise the effectiveness of PFIs in the defence sector and the wider public sector.
Open Access
Evaluation of knowledge flow from developed to developing countries in small satellite collaborative projects: the case of Algeria
(Elsevier, 2020-01-17) Ayad, Ahmed; Matthews, Ron; Vitanov, Ivan V.
Technology transfer involves the flow of knowledge from technology developers or possessors to technology acquirers that benefit from the knowledge. This article proposes a model for the evaluation of knowledge flow in complex technology transfer projects from developed to developing countries. The proposed knowledge flow model is built by combining the concepts of knowledge viscosity and velocity with the concepts of architectural and component knowledge. The model rests on the idea that the transfer of knowledge to resource-limited organizations such as those in developing countries requires a balance between viscosity and velocity on one hand and between architectural and component knowledge on the other. The knowledge flow model has been tested on data sourced from three Earth-observation small satellite collaborative projects leveraged by Algeria to acquire small satellite technology from abroad and build local capability. The implementation of the model revealed that the collaborative projects enabled only the acquisition of a shallow form of architectural knowledge detached from the local environment. The findings are reflective of the limitations of the collaborative projects mechanism and the challenge faced by the technology acquirer to strike the appropriate component/architectural and viscosity/velocity balance.
Open Access
An evaluation of small satellite technology transfer and capability-building in Algeria
(Cranfield University, 2018) Ayad, A; Matthews, Ron
The potential for satellite technology to make an essential contribution to socio-economic development has been recognised by the international community since the onset of space adventure in the late 1950s. Due to its complexity and the resources required, satellite technology development has always been the reserve of major powers. However, a new trend emerged in the 1990s towards developing smaller and cheaper satellites. It is driven by the spectacular development in information and communication technologies, advances in technology miniaturisation, rising performance of off-the-shelf components, and space sector globalisation. This trend has lowered barriers to entry for small developing countries. They have used the new mechanism of small satellite collaborative projects in order to transfer Earth observation small satellite technology from developed countries. Like other developing countries, Algeria has leveraged this trend and engaged successively in three Earth observation small satellite collaborative projects with foreign companies in order to build small satellite capability. The purpose of this study is, thus, to evaluate whether Algeria has skilfully combined the technology acquired from abroad with local efforts to build effective and sustainable local small satellite capability. Technological capability-building through technology transfer usually refers to the ability to reconcile two categories of factors: i) exogenous factors, external to the country’s socio-economic environment, that condition the transfer of technology from abroad - these factors are traditionally gathered under the body of knowledge called ‘technology transfer’; and ii) endogenous factors, relating to the local effort to effectively acquire and indigenise the transferred technology – these factors are traditionally gathered under the body of knowledge called ‘technological capability-building’. Technological capability-building through technology transfer is also viewed as a learning process where knowledge is transferred from abroad and locally diffused. The evaluation approach adopted in this study examines the small satellite capability-building programme from a knowledge-oriented perspective. Algeria’s ii context is appraised by using the Innovation System analytical approach. The programme planning is evaluated by using the ‘strategic planning’ analytical approach. The programme implementation is evaluated by placing technological learning at the heart of the study. Two systemic models for the evaluation of knowledge flow from the transferor to the transferee, and then to its local environment, have been devised and tested. The knowledge-oriented perspective has been triangulated with perspectives stemming from the two traditional bodies of knowledge: technology transfer and technological capability-building. The evaluation has been comprehensive by taking into account factors across different levels of analysis: individual and team (micro level); organisation or firm (meso level); and national, sectoral and international (macro level). The evaluation has been performed through a mixed method research design. The research findings indicate that the process of building small satellite technological capability in Algeria has provided mixed results, and the most concerning are at the macro level. Algeria has failed to establish a strong foothold between the nascent satellite development activities and a local supply chain. Moreover, at the meso level, Algeria has not established an effective learning organisation that can lead, synergistically and coherently, satellite development activities. Finally, at the micro level, Algeria has failed to align technology transfer mechanisms with satellite development objectives. Based on these findings, the study highlights the need for clear strategies with prioritised objectives. It recommends elevating management capability-building as an absolute priority, and suggests the adoption of appropriate technology transfer mechanisms and a diversified projects portfolio.
Open Access
Evaluation of ‘learning’ as a main thrust in transferor‐transferee relationships: small satellite technology transfer collaborative projects between developed and developing countries ‐ the case of Algeria
(Intellect, 2021-06-01) Ayad, Ahmed; Darby, Roger; Matthews, Ron
This article focuses on the transferor‐transferee relationship in the context of technology transfer collaborative projects between developed and developing countries. The case of the Algerian satellite industry, which utilized three small satellite collaborative projects with foreign companies over twenty years in order to acquire technology from abroad, has been used as an empirical study. The study evaluates transferor‐transferee relationships when small satellite collaborative projects are used as a technology transfer mechanism. It assesses whether technology transfer effectiveness or ‘learning’ is mutually understood by the two key transferor and transferee actors. It identifies a potential schism when transferor motives are often economic (business-oriented) whilst transferee motives are non-economic, aiming to learn and develop local capabilities for national developmental objectives. The study reveals that this initial non-alignment of objectives led to the adoption of a transfer mechanism where learning is not the main thrust. The principal finding extrapolated from this research is that this inadequacy is rooted in the fact that Algerians had not clearly dissociated the objective of ‘satellite technological learning’ from that of ‘satellite applications’. Recommendations for future research include the need to clearly prioritize the objective of ‘technological learning’ to avoid confusion as to the transfer mechanisms to adopt.
Open Access
Gender dynamics: the role of female engagement in setting the conditions for countering violent extremism
(2019-08) Stone, Rosemary; Dodd, Lorraine; Matthews, Ron
The purpose of this thesis is to assess the impact of Female Engagement (FE) policies in setting the conditions for Countering Violent Extremism and to establish to what extent the defence and security sector is contributing through operationalising FE in the fight against extremist organisations. It uses the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) Pre-Deployment Training for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) as the main case study. Adopting a 3Cs framework the research analyses FE through the themes of culture, collaboration and communication to answer two core questions that will assist policy makers and international security forces in the implementation of FE in a non-conventional conflict scenario. ‘Do female engagement policies work in setting the conditions for CVE?’ and ‘Can the defence and security sector better facilitate the operationalisation of these policies?’ The research design applied a qualitative methodological approach in which a scoping review created the 3Cs framework that was confirmed by a literature review and tested against primary data acquired from field research to analyse the operationalisation of FE by soldiers from the UPDF during Pre-Deployment Training for Somalia. The study proposes that FE policies can help set the conditions for CVE identifying three key factors which increase the potential for success.; women’s empowerment; female activism; and feminist research In the defence and security sector a policy-operational gap exists that can be mitigated by a better understanding of the three key factors above alongside improved training, clear definitions and Measurement of Effect.
Open Access
The impact of critical success factors on government IT projects : a case study of the Defence Information Infrastructure Programme
(2014-11-06) Maddison, A; Matthews, Ron
Government IT mega-projects often end in costly failure, despite attempts to identify those Critical Success Factors (CSFs) that lead to project success. This raises questions about whether these CSFs are understood, applied and, if so, whether they are having an impact on the management and subsequent performance of government IT mega-projects. The literature review compared CSFs from the generic and IT project management literature to find that they are broadly similar. CSF frameworks were then assessed to find a measure of the impact of CSFs and a measure of ‘performance’ was also defined. CSFs were then identified from fifteen reports on IT and information infrastructure projects and verified against the CSFs identified in the literature to produce a synthesised list of twelve CSFs. The understanding, application and impact of these CSFs were examined through a case study of the MoD’s Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) Programme, a government IT mega-project to provide a more integrated and coherent Defence infrastructure. It was evident that the CSFs were recognised and they appeared to have been understood within the DII Programme. However, the extent to which they have been applied is variable with differing effect. Therefore, the impact that CSFs have had on the management of the DII Programme is debatable. There were areas where the project could have been managed better and, therefore, could be performing better, suggesting that the overall success of the project is potentially at risk. The overarching conclusion of this study is that, in terms of the management of the DII Programme, the impact of the identified CSFs is variable and, where they are not applied, there is an adverse effect on its performance, suggesting a causal relationship. More generally, not applying generic CSFs to project management is likely to lead to failure, but is unlikely to assure success. Unique projects operating in highly specific and complex contexts require more contingent solutions. As a result of these conclusions, further case studies are suggested, along with further study into government and MoD IT project management and the management of trust in contractual relationships.
Open Access
Made in China: an emerging brand in the global arms market
(Taylor and Francis, 2017-04-10) Li, Ling; Matthews, Ron
Possession of a brand is a sine qua non for economic success, not least because it connotes trust in delivering the value promised. Although Western arms exporters offer branded systems whose sales are influenced by price, there is a plethora of other economic variables, such as offset requirements and life-cycle support. Entrants to the international arms market will struggle without such arms “packages.” China’s entry, however, goes beyond the traditional economic paradigm. A four-stage historical model offers the backdrop for identifying the drivers that have forged its market entry into 55 countries worldwide. The strategy initially focused on sales of rudimentary military equipment for political purposes, but recently it has begun to commercialize exports, repositioning them from a low- to a high-tech sales trajectory. A Sino “brand” is thus emerging, reflecting both competitiveness and diplomatic considerations, especially non-interference in client state domestic affairs.
Open Access
Mutual Interference Between Jets and Intakes in STOVL Aircraft
(2009-10-28T17:36:52Z) Saddington, Alistair J.; Knowles, Kevin; Matthews, Ron
During wind tunnel testing of jet-lift, short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft it is usual to simulate the jet efflux but not the intake flows. The intakes, which are commonly faired over or are unpowered, are generally tested in separate wind tunnel experiments. The forces acting on the wind tunnel model are determined by the linear addition of the forces obtained from the two separate tests. There is some doubt as to whether this is a valid approach. A systematic experimental investigation was, therefore, conducted to determine the magnitude of any jet/intake interference effects on a generic jet-lift STOVL aircraft in transitional flight, out of ground effect. Comparisons made between separate and simultaneous jet and intake testing concluded that a mutual jet/intake interference effect does exist. The existence of this interference means that the aerodynamic wing lift loss in transitional flight deduced from isolated jet and intake testing is less than the lift loss obtained from simultaneous jet and intake testing. The experimental research was supplemented by some simplified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies of elements of the flow-field about the aircraft using the k-e turbulence model. The numerical modelling enabled aspects of the flow-field around the aircraft to be visualised which could not easily be done using the experimental apparatus. It is a requirement of the Eng]) programme that part of this thesis must address a management topic linked to the research. In this case the management aspects of wind tunnel project work were examined. A scenario was developed which established a requirement for a large-scale, low-speed wind tunnel with a Reynolds number capability of 20 million. A study was performed on the decision-making process and investment appraisal methods used in the procurement of such a wind tunnel.
Open Access
Offset in a post-Brexit world
(Taylor & Francis, 2022-01-06) Matthews, Ron; Anicetti, Jonata
Prior to the launch of the European Procurement Directive, the UK’s erstwhile offset model was hailed a success. However, the directive compelled the UK to abandon its approach as the intention of the European Commission was to suppress and eventually remove offset from Europe’s defence-industrial landscape. Ron Matthews and Jonata Anicetti explain that Brexit has uncoupled UK defence procurement from the directive, creating the opportunity to reintroduce an industrial participation (IP) policy. Indeed, the Ministry of Defence has already taken the first tentative steps, as revealed in its March 2021 Defence and Security Industrial Strategy. This raises the question as to whether a ‘version 2.0’ IP policy will build on the original model’s success, and similarly reflect cooperation rather than coercion.