Flattening the Military Force Structure
Abstract
As western civilization evolved from a pre-industrial to an industrial society, social and technological changes transformed the structure and modus operandi of political, economic, and military institutions. With the dawning of the 2lst century and the Information Revolution, western society and her militaries once again face tremendous changes. This SAMS monograph examines how technological advances provide opportunities to flatten the current army force structure. Viewing change through the lens of organizational theory, the monograph traces the historical development of the two fields of study - organizational behavior/development and management/leadership - that evolved into this new academic discipline. Through this lens, the study examines the Newtonian nature of the current Industrial Era society and outlines how organizational theorists envision Quantum and Chaos theories impact 21st century organizational design and operations. Having established the Newtonian nature of the Industrial Era society, the monograph illustrates how current military structures and operations reflect this same Newtonian influence. The remainder of the study focuses on how to integrate the findings of organizational theory into flattening the army force structure. To facilitate this integration process, the monograph introduces then- Colonel Creighton W. Abrams' Elements of Mobility. Abrams' War College study identified five Elements of Mobility - equipment, organization, communications, command structure, and logistical organization - that provide relevant competencies for translating the findings of organizational theory into a flattened army organization exploiting current and future technology. Through this translation process, the monograph identifies several considerations critical to any army reorganization effort.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381936
Entities
People
- James D. Nickolas
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College