Beyond the Precipice - AMID Waves of Change: Strategic Scouts Explore the Future

Abstract

Americans stand at the precipice of unprecedented change and challenge. The Internet with all of its enabling technologies is literally transforming reality-driving changes in all aspects of modern society: business, governance, militaries, interpersonal rituals, time, distance, privacy, and expectations. While the Information Age is certainly about the invasiveness and speed of mind-boggling information technologies; it is also about much more. It now seems clear that the Information Age is commanding pervasive and uncontrollable changes that will continue to test America's leaders, institutions, and national ideology. This study uncovers the key seeds of societal change, reveals future points of contention, and translates these changes into recommendations for civilian and military leaders. There are other deliverables throughout-tangible and intangible-that will help civilian and military leaders think anew about waves of change in the world. Predictions are not the goal of this endless research project, nor is it about defending answers about the future, although it does a little of both. Its primary contribution lies in the applied methodology and holistic approach. By applying new science theory to the original futures work of the United States Special Operations Command's Future Concepts Working Group, this research breaks new ground.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA383301

Entities

People

  • Al Bedgood
  • Jerry Miller
  • Scott W. Moore

Organizations

  • United States Special Operations Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Biomedical
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Employment
  • Geography
  • Globalization
  • Information Exchange
  • Information Systems
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Military Science
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Sociopolitics
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Economics
  • Educational Psychology
  • Systems Analysis and Design