Can the Current Ministry of Defence Performance Management Regime Cope With Cognitive Effects?

Abstract

The MoD suffers a schizophrenic existence as both a military headquarters and a department of state. On one hand it is responsible through the civil service for achieving internal efficiency, and on the other it must deliver effects through the Armed Forces in conjunction with the other instruments of national power. The Defence Balanced Scorecard and cognitive effect represent the extremes of these two distinct cultures. This paper argues that these two concepts are incompatible, as one relies on operational decision making under uncertainty to deliver effect while the other is currently designed to deliver efficiency, accountability and long-term organisational strategy. This represents a schism between the so-called business and battle spaces. The article introduces methodologies that overcome this challenge through a better understanding of effects and cross-governmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]