Army Transformation in the Age of Globalization - Implementing Directed Change with Strategic Management Design (SMD): An Analysis Based on the Army Staff in the German Ministry of Defense
Abstract
German Army Transformation will face a critical period after the structural "New Army" reform in 2010. Political and military directives charter the Army to adopt and create capabilities for mission success in the contemporary and future security-politico and operational environment. This requires continuum in Army transformational processes for perpetual, internally driven change. The purpose of the paper is to present an improved decision process that can provide the German Army staff two mandatory transformational capabilities, to "shape and anticipate proactively" and to "learn and adapt" effectively. Moreover, an improved decision process can rally mutual commitment among politicians, military leaders, and the nation's citizens for German Army long-term excellence. Based on proven commercial processes and German, and U.S. strategic military guidance, this paper analyses the macro- and micro organizational peculiarities and opportunities of the German Army. Best practices and key principles from profit-oriented civilian management tools merge with tenets of complexity theory and the systems thinking school of thought. Today's reality assesses the German security-political environment that determines German Armed Forces Transformation and comparatively evaluates the effects that globalization poses on the corporate enterprise of the German Army. Research indicates that aspects of modern and postmodern change theory, concepts of a learning organization, and elements of Integrated Emerging Strategic Design (IESD), can produce an effective and efficient Army mission-oriented readiness model for German Army Transformation - the Strategic Management Design (SMD). More than a mere internal management device, the Strategic Management Design (SMD) model embraces the "idealpolitik" of Germany's political, ministerial, economical, and social culture and the signific
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA485552
Entities
People
- Christof Schaefer
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College