Management Control in the Army Service Forces

Forces in March, 1942, imposed a management problem of tremendous proportions. The ASF was made responsible for servicing and supplying the largest Army in the history of the country. Its responsibilities included the procurement, storage, distribution, and maintenance of all types of supplies and equipment (except aircraft), construction, the purchase and lease of real estate, maintenance of real property, transportation, communications, procurement of personnel, and medical, legal, financial, postal, and recreational service for the Army. Its work covered practically every type of human activity. What organizational structure should be used for performing these varied tasks? What were the tasks to be performed in quantitative terms by time periods? How could coordination of the many programs be obtained? How could progress in the major activities be measured to insure that the requirements of the combat troops would be met? What systems and procedures should be employed to carry on such a varied and tremendous undertaking? What controls should be established? What techniques could be used to uncover delays and deficiencies? What techniques could be used for improving the efficiency of operations? These were some of the phases of the management problem facing the ASF. To assist in solving this management problem, Lieutenant General Brehon Somervell, commanding general of the ASF, upon the formation of the ASF, created a unit in his office, reporting directly to him, which he titled the control division. This

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