Strategic intelligence

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Strategic intelligence (STRATINT) pertains to the collection, processing, analysis, and dissemination of intelligence that is required for forming policy and military plans at the national and international level. Much of the information needed for strategic reflections comes from Open Source Intelligence. [1] Other sources include traditional HUMINT (especially in recent years), Signals intelligence including ELINT, MASINT which overlaps with SIGINT/ELINT to some degree, and 'National technical means of verification' (e.g. spysats). The father of intelligence analysis and of the strategic intelligence concept was Sherman Kent, in his seminal work Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy, first published in 1949. [2] For Kent, strategic intelligence is ”the knowledge upon which our nation's foreign relations, in war and peace, must rest". [3]

Strategic intelligence pertains to the following system of abilities that, according to Michael Maccoby, characterize some of the most successful leaders in business, government and military.: [4]

In "Transforming Health Care Leadership, A Systems Guide to Improve Patient Care, Decrease Costs, and Improve Population Health," Jossey Bass, 2013, Maccoby and his co-authors Clifford L. Norman, C. Jane Norman, and Richard Margolies apply strategic intelligence to health care leadership and add to strategic intelligence leadership philosophy and W. Edwards Deming's four elements of "profound Knowledge": understanding variation, systems thinking, understanding personality, and understanding knowledge creation. The concept is further developed and applied in Michael Maccoby, "Strategic Intelligence, Conceptual Tools for Leading Change," Oxford University Press, 2015.

Recent thought leadership on strategic intelligence focuses on the consequences of the modern information age, which has led to the availability of substantial volumes of information than previously encountered. Alfred Rolington, the former CEO of Jane's Information Group and Oxford Analytica, recommends that intelligence organizations approach the challenges of the modern information age by breaking from their traditional models to become more deeply and continuously inter-linked. [6] Specifically, Mr. Rolington advocates more fluid, networked operating methods that incorporates greater open-sourced information and data in analysis. [6]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military intelligence</span> Information about military opponents

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knowledge transfer</span> Sharing knowledge for problem solving

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherman Kent</span> American historian and pioneer of intelligence analysis

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Intelligence Analysis Management is the process of managing and organizing the analytical processing of raw intelligence information. The terms "analysis", "production", and "processing" denote the organization and evaluation of raw information used in a phase informally called "connecting the dots", thus creating an "intelligence mosaic". The information may result in multiple analytic products, each with different security classifications, time scales, and levels of detail. Intelligence analysis goes back to the beginning of history. Sherman Kent is often considered the father of modern intelligence analysis. His writings include a 1947 book, Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy.

The target-centric approach to intelligence is a method of intelligence analysis that Robert M. Clark introduced in his book "Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach" in 2003 to offer an alternative methodology to the traditional intelligence cycle. Its goal is to redefine the intelligence process in such a way that all of the parts of the intelligence cycle come together as a network. It is a collaborative process where collectors, analysts and customers are integral, and information does not always flow linearly.

VUCA is an acronym based on the leadership theories of Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus, to describe or to reflect on the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of general conditions and situations. The U.S. Army War College introduced the concept of VUCA in 1987, to describe a more complex multilateral world perceived as resulting from the end of the Cold War. More frequent use and discussion of the term began from 2002. It has subsequently spread to strategic leadership in organizations, from for-profit corporations to education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Maccoby</span> American psychoanalyst and anthropologist (1933–2022)

Michael Maccoby was an American psychoanalyst and anthropologist globally recognized as an expert on leadership for his research, writing and projects to improve organizations and work. He authored or co-authored fourteen books and consulted to companies, governments, the World Bank, unions, research and development centers and laboratories, universities and orphanages or taught in 36 countries. Maccoby's article, Narcissistic Leaders: the Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons written in January 2000, was awarded a McKinsey Award from the Harvard Business Review.

Technology scouting is an element of technology management in which

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to applied science:

Horizon scanning (HS) or horizon scan is a method from futures studies, sometimes regarded as a part of foresight. It is the early detection and assessment of emerging technologies or threats for mainly policy makers in a domain of choice. Such domains include agriculture, environmental studies, health care, biosecurity, and food safety.

References

  1. Herman, Michael. Intelligence Power in Peace and War ISBN   0-521-56636-3.
  2. Sherman Kent, Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1949).
  3. Kent, Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy, p. viii.
  4. Michael Maccoby,Successful Leaders Employ Strategic Intelligence, Research Technology Management, Volume 44. No. 3. May–June, 2001. pp . 58-60. The Productive Narcissist, Broadway Books, 2003, chapter 4. "Strategic Intelligence, Conceptual Tools for Leading Change", Oxford University Press, 2015.
  5. Michael Maccoby. The Leaders We Need, And What Makes Us Follow, Harvard Business School Press, 2007, chapter 5.
  6. 1 2 Alfred Rolington. "Strategic Intelligence for the 21st Century: The Mosaic Method," Oxford University Press, 2013.