Increasing the Adaptability of DoD Forces and Organizations
Abstract
The post-Cold War world demands increased adaptability. Since the accelerating pace of technological change reduces DoD ability to forecast threat characteristics, DOD force planning methodology is undermined. One replacement methodology may be to increase adaptability in DoD forces and organizations so that they can better cope with surprises. To succeed in increasing adaptability, one must recognize what it looks like and when it is called for. To this end, this paper outlines a broad framework for understanding adaptability - one that can accommodate the many rich but often narrow conceptions of adaptability that currently exist. This paper then introduces two very different theories of adaptability (those of Michael Conrad and Ronald Heifetz) and examines their application to and implications for the military. These theories are applied to the case study of China, which failed to adapt four hundred years ago, yielding world hegemony to Europe despite its significant technological head start.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA391143
Entities
People
- David P. Gorman
Organizations
- United States Army War College