Business of National Security

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

War profiteers? Bungling bureaucracy? Ever since George Washington wrote IOUs to sutlers and merchants in the American Revolutionary War, the private sector has supported American national security. How exactly do business and government work together to achieve national security goals? This multidisciplinary seminar examines that question and studies how the private sector organizes itself to respond to requirements and win business with the U.S. Government and its allies. This class is all about how the sausage is made – it takes a renaissance approach to understanding the national security ecosystem. Studying business, legal, and public policy cases through history, economics, law, and innovation lenses, this seminar equips students with the analytical, conceptual, and experiential tools necessary to contribute fully in either the private sector or government. Using both domestic and international cases, this course examines both successful and failed endeavors. From the use of private security contractors and intelligence analysts, to procuring next-generation weapons platforms, logistics systems, and cyber capabilities, students will gain a deeper understanding of the role the national security industrial base plays in the requirements, budgeting, and acquisition processes to keep America safe.