What can Business Learn From the Military About Being Network centric?
by
Charlie Bess
I was looking at some of the material available around Network Centric Warfare, and found much of the material developed was equally applicable to business. It reminded me of looking at The Art of War and how it was rediscovered by business in the 1990s.
This booklet that seems to have many of the foundational tenets is a good place to start. In the preface of Understanding Information Age Warfare there is a quote that could kick off any strategic planning session in business:
Fortunately, we are not alone. Organizations in every competitive space and individuals in every area of human endeavor are grappling with the relentless demands of our age. In the private sector, Darwinian principles are ruthlessly at work. Organizational genetics are producing mutations that are being mercilessly tested in the marketplace. Evolution is about the adaptation of the species through competitive selection. Individual organisms are not expected to adapt; rather those organisms that survive pass on their proven or adapted genetic material to the next generation.
As organizations think about the use of mobile devices and the redefinition of the edge of the enterprise and the use of the information generated, the tenets described in these articles are applicable:
- Tenet 1: A robustly networked force improves information sharing
- Tenet 2: Information sharing and collaboration enhance the quality of information and shared situational awareness.
- Tenet 3: Shared situational awareness enables self-synchronization
- Tenet 4: These, in turn, dramatically increase mission effectiveness
All of these focus on the concepts of collaboration and shared context. There are some organizational behavior changes that will be required; since much of the benefit of these efforts is based on the concept of Information is Power (not the hording of information, but the sharing of it). We’re not talking about web 2.0 collaboration anymore.
There are also some themes described that need to be thought through as part of the transformation:
- The shift in focus from the platform to the network
- The shift from viewing actors as independent to viewing them as part of a continuously adapting ecosystem
- The importance of making strategic choices to adapt or even survive in such changing ecosystems.
If there was one thing I’d add is: removing people from processes that don’t require their involvement, but I’ve mentioned that one before
