Abstract
This thesis analyses the decision making process within the German Armed Forces. The questions to be answered is “How are decisions within the Forces taken out from a doctrinal and a practical perspective?” and “What are the consequences thereof for the forces?” The thesis answers the questions by analysing the forces decision making doctrine on one hand and the decision making process executed during the planning process of the Joint Fire Support Project on the other hand. As theoretical backbone for the analysis the four major known decision making theories, economic man, administrative man, political process and anarchical process are used. The analysis showed that the doctrinal approach may be characterised as covering elements of the administrative and the political decision making theory, meanwhile the decision making process during the JFS project covers administrative, political and anarchical elements. Further analysis showed that the use the different models facilitates the process since the shown models have their strong points in dependence of different prerequisites. Subsequently the use of aspects of all three models improves both the quality of the taken decision and the work flow within the organisation, which is both intended from a doctrinal perspective.