Conveying the Complex: Updating U.S. Joint Systems Analysis Doctrine with Complexity Theory

Abstract

Complexity theory is an interdisciplinary set of concepts and tools that has proved useful for many fields and there is potential benefit for the military as well. Six concepts from complex adaptive systems theory-fitness landscape, agent fitness, agent response profiles, building blocks, identity tags, and emergent phenomena-can improve social systems analysis in doctrinal operations processes. These in turn support four of the six commander activities-understand, visualize, describe, and assess-within U.S. Joint Force operations. The six concepts from complex adaptive system theory should be included with the existing general systems analytic methodology described in Joint Publication 2-01.3: Joint Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment, Chapter II, Section B, Part 12. This action is simply a start to updating Joint doctrine to account for complexity and this monograph recommends further research to identify and incorporate other tools from complexity theory for the U.S. Joint Force.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 10, 2013
Accession Number
ADA606042

Entities

People

  • Eddie J. Brown

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adaptive Systems
  • Complex Adaptive Systems
  • Complex Systems
  • Computer Networks
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Health Care
  • Information Systems
  • Military Operations
  • Military Science
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • Systems Analysis
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Systems Analysis and Design