Measuring Performance and Effectiveness in Irregular Warfare: Preventing Dysfunctional Behavior

Abstract

Measurements of performance and measurements of effectiveness are invaluable to an operational commander. In irregular warfare, their misapplication or misunderstanding can often cause self-defeating actions. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, many units have been exposed to this antithetical phenomenon. Operational units are lured to conventional metrics while fighting irregular warfare, which often leads to dysfunctional behavior. This is primarily due to the lack of knowledge of measures of performance and effectiveness, service factors, and the military rewards system. This analysis will investigate the difficulties with the current system of measurements at the operational level of war and how that influences behavior both within an organization and down to its subordinates. Finally, common principles of measurements will be outlined from the study of both the public and private sector to assist in suggestions for measuring performance and effectiveness in irregular warfare.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 04, 2009
Accession Number
ADA504933

Entities

People

  • Robert B. Sotire

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Counter IED
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan
  • Air Force
  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • Lessons Learned
  • Measurement
  • Military Education
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • New York
  • Organizational Structure
  • Public Administration
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.