Bounded Rationality and Complex Process Coupling

Résumé du livre

Information warfare is predicated on a belief that new information processing technology, that has been embedded in intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance systems, command and control systems, and precision munitions, has vastly increased U.S. military capabilities. Systems employing information technology are believed to allow the attainment of information superiority and consequently enable dominant maneuver across the "battlespace". Information warfare places heavy responsibility on the intelligence which is collected and processed through these systems. However, information warfare doctrine reveals an idiosyncratic interpretation of intelligence which favors indicators from reconnaissance and surveillance systems and discounts the value of intelligence analysis. The bias favoring surveillance and reconnaissance products reflects unrealistic expectation regarding the perfectibility of this type of intelligence. Furthermore; using the concepts of bounded rationality and complex process coupling from organization theory, the paper argues that decision makers require a balanced input of surveillance and reconnaissance products and intelligence analysis if they are to develop a real understanding of complex strategic interactions. Intelligence analysis will also help reduce the possibility that systems accidents will occur when surveillance and reconnaissance sensors are tightly coupled with weapons systems. The paper offers a balanced approach to the relationship between intelligence analysis and information warfare to properly account for the effects of bounded rationality and complex process coupling.