A Framework to Assess Programs for Building Partnerships

by Moroney, Jennifer D.P.; Marquis, Jefferson P.; Thurston, Cathryn Quantic; Treverton, Gregory F.

• ISBN13: 9780833046871
• ISBN10: 083304687X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-05-16
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

Security cooperation activities conducted by Department of Defense (DoD) entities with other nations' defense organizations range from the very visible-training, equipping, and exercising together-to those that are less obvious, such as holding bilateral talks, workshops, and conferences and providing education. Yet it is often challenging to determine if these activities have contributed to U.S. objectives. This monograph, based on themes that emerged from a May 2008 assessment workshop held at Rand that included DoD security cooperation assessment experts, planners, and program managers, lays out a framework for security program assessment in terms of five general areas: setting direction, designing assessments, preparing for assessment, conducting assessments, and explaining assessments to others. Participants stressed the need for injecting a greater level of objectivity into the overall assessment process, thus moving away from the current, largely self-assessment approach to security cooperation programs. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. ix
Tables	p. xi
Summary	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xxi
Abbreviations	p. xxiii
Introduction	p. 1
Defining Key Terminology for Security Cooperation	p. 3
Why Assess?	p. 7
Who Should Conduct Assessments?	p. 7
Who Currently Conducts Assessments?	p. 8
Why Assess at the Program Level?	p. 9
Objectives and Approach	p. 10
Organization of the Monograph	p. 14
Key Themes of the Assessment Workshop	p. 17
Main Themes	p. 20
Setting Direction	p. 20
Designing Assessments	p. 21
Preparing for Assessment	p. 26
Conducting Assessments	p. 27
Explaining Assessment	p. 28
Summary	p. 29
Key Elements of the Assessment Program Framework	p. 31
Strategic Guidance	p. 31
Programs	p. 33
Stakeholders	p. 35
Authorities	p. 36
Indicators and the Levels of Assessment	p. 38
Assessment of Need for Program	p. 39
Assessment of Design and Theory	p. 40
Assessment of Process and Implementation	p. 41
Assessment of Outputs and Outcomes	p. 43
Assessment of Relative Cost-Effectiveness	p. 47
Assessment Functions	p. 47
Summary	p. 48
Implementing the Assessment Framework	p. 51
Stakeholder Assessment Roles	p. 52
Implementing Security Cooperation Assessments	p. 53
Matching Organizations to Assessment Roles	p. 53
Organizational Assignments and Stakeholder Role Selection Criteria	p. 55
Specific Program Assignments	p. 59
Assessment Questions and Data Requirements	p. 61
A Proposed Ousd/p Assessment Approach	p. 64
Summary	p. 67
Conclusions and Recommendations	p. 69
Recommendations for Ousd/Policy	p. 70
Setting Direction	p. 70
Designing Assessment Processes	p. 71
Preparing Stakeholders for Assessment	p. 72
Conducting Assessments	p. 73
Explaining Assessment Results	p. 74
Conclusion	p. 75
Appendixes
Program Descriptions	p. 77
Overview of Main Points from October 2008 Assessment Workshop	p. 85
Bibliography	p. 89
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