Science and Technology in Development Environments - Findings and Observations for the Missile Defense Agency from Commercial Industry and Defense Programs

Abstract : The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) tasked IDA to study and assess management methods and organizational structures that have proved successful in the development of technologies with an emphasis on the roles of longer-term science and technology (S&T) work and radical innovation in support of ongoing systems development To do so this report reviews and analyzes the experiences of several (1) public organizations that undertook large-scale systems developments and (2) large private companies that have been consistently technically innovative This provides the groundwork for consideration of specific management and organizational options for MDA.