1. Given the critical nature of defense activities, security in this environment is a primary concern. How do the agencies discussed in the case address this issue? Can you think of anything else they could be doing? Provide some recommendations.

2. The U.S. Department of Defense is arguably one of the largest organizations in the world. Managing technology for such an organization is certainly a major endeavor. Does the shift toward open-source initiatives help in this regard? Does it hurt? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of adopting open-source applications in large organizations.

3. After reading the case, do you think the shift to open source software involved a major cultural change for the Department of Defense? Would you expect the same to be the case for large companies? Justify your answer.

The U.S. Defense Department is enlisting an open source approach to software development, which is an about-face for such a historically top-down organization.

The Department of Defense (DoD) says open-source software is equal to commercial software in almost all cases and by law should be considered by the agency when making technology purchase decisions.