Policy destruction and creation. A systems engineering approach to organizational innovation

Abstract

Throughout history, the armed forces have responded with innovations to perceived strategic challenges posed by the evolving dynamics of conflict. Research has served as the means to address these challenges, yielding innovation as a tangible outcome. The confusion between objectives and outcomes is common but should be avoided. For instance, rather than prioritizing the pursuit of profit, prosperous corporations with enduring lifespans consistently engage in strategic problem-solving. Similarly, organizations striving for innovation should prioritize identifying and solving strategic problems. Such problems may vague and exist only in the minds of leaders yet be concrete enough to cause discomfort. Confronting them is challenging, as the strategic body of knowledge lacks the necessary tools to diagnose problem symptoms and prescribe remedial action. Hence, the term “destruction” acknowledges that current approaches fall short when addressing strategic problems. In turn “creation” suggests adopting mathematical modeling and Systems Engineering methods to gain insights into the symptoms, to formulate and validate solutions, and to develop execution plans. A NATO case study illustrates this approach, whose primary drawback lies in the educational requirements prior to achieving widespread adoption.