Information Age Transformation: Getting to a 21st Century Military (revised)
Abstract
This book is the first in a new series of Command and Control Research Program (CCRP) books that will focus on the Information Age transformation of the Department of Defense. Accordingly, it deals with the issues associated with a very large governmental institution, a set of formidable impediments, both internal and external, and the nature of the changes being brought about by Information Age concepts and technologies. The book focuses its attention on the key dimension of change associated with Information Age technology -- the quality and distribution of information within the organization -- its richness, its reach, and the quality of the interactions. Military organizations have traditionally provided information to forces in three ways: (1) Commands (directives and guidance); (2) Intelligence (information about the adversary and the environment); and (3) Doctrine (how you are going to do it). Commands serve to define the specific task at hand. Intelligence provides information about the environment in which the task is to be carried out. Doctrine provides the rules of the game or standard operating procedures. Doctrine, unlike commands and intelligence, is not provided in real-time, but serves to shape the culture and mindsets of the individuals involved. Thus, information has, until recently, been inseparable from commanders, command structures, and command systems. The military is now on the road to becoming an Information Age organization. This book explores what this means in terms of the nature of the information that will be available to participants in a mission, how this information is disseminated, how it is used, and the implications for command and control, organization, and doctrine. This Information Age transformation is fraught with risks as well as opportunities. Both are a direct consequence of the changes in the nature of available information, its pattern of dissemination, and the resultant organizational adaptation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA457904
Entities
People
- David S. Alberts
Organizations
- United States Assistant Secretary of Defense