Innovation and Adaptation
'On Future Thinking and Innovation: How Military Concept Writing can Unwittingly Suppress Innovation' by Brigadier Chris Smith via Australian Army Journal
By Mick Fry May 13, 2019
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This article by Brigadier (BRIG) Chris Smith was recently published in the Autumn 2018 Australian Army Journal. In this article BRIG Smith examines military concept writing in terms of 'explorative' (an abstract form) and 'intentional' (a seminal form, describing or prescribing an intended way of waging wars). BRIG Smith's article commences by detailing the differences between intentional and explorative concepts. He contends that militaries ought to be cautious about intentional writing because it may suppress ideas and therefore suppress innovation whereas explorative consequences overcome this weakness and promote innovation. The article concludes by recommending a modernisation approach where an adversaries advantages are sought to be overcome through encouraging ideas and seeing where these innovations may lead, rather than a prescribing a blueprint for waging future wars.
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