Principles of Strategic Communication for a New Global Commons
Abstract
This report begins and ends with the ideas of Sun Tzu about winning without fighting and of Clausewitz about managing the powerful moral forces and interactions that permeate conflict. It asserts that an omniconnected, omnipresent Global Communication Commons has developed during the past 20 years because of the global spread of the Internet, interactive global media, and personal communication technology. This new Commons goes beyond the accepted land, sea, air, space, information, and cyber domains; it exists within a ubiquitous "climate" of communication. Within the context of U.S. national security, this climate offers a four-layer construct that correlates to the four levels of war. Corresponding to the highest level of national strategy, "strategic communication" is defined as the highest layer within the communication climate through which U.S. Senior leaders can promulgate national themes and messages and use the principles of strategic communication to keep the peace and win at war. The most effective approach to understanding the principles of strategic communication is the dialogic model of communication based on mutuality. Thirteen core principles of strategic communication, founded on the concept of legitimacy, are synthesized from the tenets of dialogic communication, the principles of war, and the strategy development process. If these principles are considered the underpinnings of national strategy, they may help achieve U.S. national objectives at the lowest risk and with the highest benefit. Applying the principles of strategic communication to help realize these ends and objectives, however, requires the USG to inculcate these principles into their strategies and plans (ends), adequately resource the needed capabilities (ways), and use their methods (means) that can best achieve the goals. The DoD and USG should study how to use the principles of strategic communication to thoroughly and effectively integrate all instruments of national power.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 06, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA482600
Entities
People
- Robert L. Perry
Organizations
- Naval War College