AND CANADA'S AIR FORCE BY Dirk Paquette A Thesis Submitted to the faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirernents for the Degree of Master of Arts Department of Political Studies Universis. of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba National Library Bibliothèque nationale lJil .,"ad. du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Weüinglon Street 395. nie WeiTigton Otlawa ON K1A ONa OttawaON KtAON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusise licence dowing the exclusive pemettant à Ia National Lhrary of Canada to Bibliothèque nationaie du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriie or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous papa or electronic formats. la forme de rnicrofiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur foxmat électronique. The author retains ownemhip of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qyi protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni Ia thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. THE UMVERSiTY OF MiWI'ïOBA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES ***** COPYRIGHT PERMUSION ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND CANADA'S AIR FORCE DIRK PAQUE'iTE A ThesWPracticum sabmitted to the Facuity of Graduate Studies of The University of Manitoba in par2iai fuifdiment of the requirement of the degree of MASTER OF ARTS DIRK PAQUETTE Q 2001 Permission has been granted to the Library of the University of Manitoba to lend or sel1 copies of this thesis/practicum, to the National Libwry of Canada to microfdm this thesis and to lend or seil copies of the fdm, and to University Microfdms Inc. to pnbüsh an abstract of this thesidpracticnm. This reproduction or copy of this thesis has been made available by authority of the copyright owner solely for the pnrpose of private study and research, and may ody be reproduced and copied as permitted by copyright laws orwith express written authorization from the copyright orner. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ABBREVIATIONS 1. HOW ORGANIZATIONS CHANGE ROLES 2. THE BIRTH OF THE RCAF 3. TEE RC.4F IN WORLD WAR 11 4. THE RCAF IN THE COLD WAR 5. CANADA'S AIR FORCE IN THE POST-COLD WAR CONCLUSION Abstract This thesis identifies the rnost influentid factors in organizational change through an examination of the Canadian air force. The significant factors influencing the decision to change revolve around the market, as weII as other factors that are germane to the organization's extemal environment. However, as an organization matures, another important factor stemming fiom within gains increasing influence, that of the organization's internal culture. During the formative years of Canada's air force, it was chancterized by civilian roles as a result of the absence of an extemal military threat, the lack of funding, and the organization's prirnary goal of survival. This hction lasted until 1936 when a significant change in the extemal envirument led to a shift to miiitary functions. During World War II, the emphasis was on the adoption of suategic bombing role without debate. In many ways, it foreshadows the impact of the external environment of the post-war period. Specifically, the adoption of this mle resulted hm the combination of domestic external forces md the imprint of the Royal Air Force (RAF). in the post-war period, Canada's commitments to NATO and NORAD in respoose to the evolving Soviet threat was significantly fiitered through the RCAF's close relationsbip with the USAF. At the same the, the RCAF's culture had to deal with Paul Hellyer's reorganization. Demonstrating the staying power of its culture, the air force was reborn with the re-establishment of an independent command in 1975. This period is unique in that it marked the first time that the air force's culture had a greater influence than the environment. Simply put, the Canadian Air Force successfùlly maintained its functional preferences based upon its combat culture, as informed by its linkages to the USAF, Wocrying for the hture, however, is a cultural victory overshadowed by dwindling number of aircrafi that threatens the capacity to perform these des. SOM Air Comrnand ARG Air Reserve Group ASW Antisubmarine warfare ATG Air Transport Group BAI Battlefield air-interdiction BCATP British Commonwealth Air Training Plan CAF Canadian Air Force CAS Close air-support CAST Canadian air-sea transportable CGAO Civil Govemment Air Operations CO Commanding Oficer DND Department of National Defence DPP Defence Development Plan FN Electronic warfare FG Fighter Group ICBM Intercontinental ballistic missiles LRPA Long-range patrol aircrafi MAG Maritime Air Group MPA Maritime patrol aircraft N AT0 North-Atlantic Treaty Organization NFA New fighter aircraft NFTC NATO flying training in Cauada NORAD North American Aerospace Defence NSA New shipborne aircnft NWS North warning system RAF Royal Air Force RC AF Royal Canadian Air Force RCN Royal Canadian Navy RCNAS Royal Canadian Naval Air Service RNAS Royal Naval Air Sentice SACEUR Supreme Allied Commander in Europe SAR Search and rescue USAF United States AU Force m Utility transport tactical helicopter 1 (CA) DiV 1 Canadian Division IO TAG 10' Tactical Aïr Group 14 TRG 14 Training Group How Organizations Change Roles Both iBM and the Canadian Air Force (CAF) can be defmed as organizations, yet they have fundamentaIly different goals and roles. IBM deals with basic corporate questions, such as markets, costs, profits, and customer service. The CAF as a rnilitary organization confronts different challenges. In western developed countries the military has the prirnary goal of ensuring the existence of the sovereign state, and a secondary goal of promoting state interests abroad. Moreover, discussions about cost in a military setting are not as cIear as corporate spending. It is therefore difficuIt to quantify how much military capabiiity is enough to ensure victory, continued peace, or security. By contrast, tooIs such as bdance sheets provide a clearer assessment of corporate performance. Notwithstanding the differences between civilian and rnilitary organizations, both have similar traits. Moreover, these differences have Led to the negIect of organizational theory in the study of the military. in an attempt to pursue this underdeveloped field of analysis, organizationai theory is applied to examine why Canada's air force changed roles over its seventy-five year history. The airn of this fm chapter is to explain varîous elements of organizational theory.' in particular, this chapter examines how organizations adopt particular desand what impacts the way these roles change. The two most important elements to consider in explainhg how organizations change roles are the extemal environment and culture. 1 When using the word 'theory' what is impiied is Daft's definition as a "description that cxpiairis utr: nianner in wSiL-B ceriain concepis or variabies are inierreiattxi" R. Üafi an4 To demonstrate this, the chapter is divided into three sections. The htprovides a general theoretical discussion about organizations, dong with some of their attniutes at the macro and micro level. The temorganization, institution, bureaucracy. and traditional roles, as well as the goal setting processes are conceptudized. The second section discusses organizational culture and its impact on ml=. The third discusses change in general, and, in particular, the resistance to change that inevitably occurs. ORGANIZATIONS There are a variety of terms used interchangeably in the organizational literature. These include organizations, institutions, and bureaucracies. Despite these terms having common attributes, they imply different things. Max Weber dethes organizations as "complex, goal-seeking social units that must achieve at least two tasks for s~rvival."~ These tasks are that of 'adaptability' to the extemal environment and 'reciprocity' in the interna1 relations of management with the employees3 Similar to Weber, Blau and Scott defme formal organizations as "established for the expiicit purpose of achieving certain goal^."^ Dafi also agrees with the two pceceding defuiitions, but adds that organizations have a deliberately structured activity system and an identifiable bou~dary.~The deliberately suuctured system implies subdivisions Uito separate departments and activities, within an overall hierarchy. An identifiable ùoundary means there is a clear Steers, Organizations, and R. Steers, Onzanizations: A MicdMacro Approach (Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1986), 23. 2 E. Burack, Organization Analysis: Theory and Appiications (Hinsdale: The Dryden Press, 1975), 189. 3 l'id.?26. 4 J. Shafiitz, and S. Ott, Classics of Orpankational Theory (Chicago, Illinois: The Eorsey Fress, iYJr), i :Y, j~aftand Steers, Organizations, 6. line between people who are in an organization and those who are n~t.~Bolman and Deal also share the common theme that "organizations are rational institutions whose primary purpose is to accomplish estabiished objectives."7 However, they add that rationality. for the modern stnictural organization, is best achieved through systems of rules and formal authority based on und organizationa1 control and coordination! Using those definitions, organizations consist ofthree elements. First, organizations have to do with a group; they