Organizational resilience : how SUITS' local authorities were prepared to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic

This SUITS policy brief aims to highlight how the transformational process of the nine local authorities involved in SUITS into learning organizations made these cities far better prepared to cope with the challenges due to the pandemic than they would otherwise have been. Due to the higher levels of organizational resilience and the awareness of individuals' importance during such external crises, the nine local authorities were not just trying to react to the unforeseen challenges, but were able to act with a clear pathway and to use their experiences to facilitate their learning from recent years. Of course, the pandemic could not have been foreseen, but as SUITS local authorities are becoming learning organizations, they are enhancing their organizational capacity. In so doing, they have been learning a required resilience to reduce the "complexity and confusion - of what to do best" in the beginning of the crisis and to cope with the challenges. This advantage was of enormous relevance for the local authorities

LEADERSHIP TO ENABLE 21ST-CENTURY TEAMS TO SOLVE ILL-STRUCTURED PROBLEMS

Although contemporary literature overwhelmingly shows that high-performing teams are greater than the sum of their parts, the current Marine Corps manpower model systematically creates ad-hoc teams. Ad-hoc teams are temporary teams, which are formed to accomplish a specific task, in contrast to enduring, cohesive teams, which possess teamwork skills, share mental models, and have refined team processes to successfully accomplish a range of tasks. Due to the changing character of war, ad-hoc teams are tasked to operate in an increasingly complex environment. While manpower model initiatives have begun under Talent Management, the effect and timeline of these initiatives are yet to be seen. This thesis addresses current team challenges by synthesizing cross-discipline scholarly research findings into four recommendations for tactical-level Marine teams. The thesis presents a two-part, decision-forcing case study and teaching note that provides a mechanism to train teams in practical methods to improve team performance. Tactical Marine units cannot afford to wait for structural changes to address team dynamics. The tactical leader should use contemporary scholarly research findings to augment their current team practices to create an environment for high-performing teams to solve the ill-structured problems they will face.Outstanding ThesisMajor, United States Marine CorpsApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Impacts of the Robotics Age on Naval Force Design,Effectiveness, and Acquisition

The twenty-first century will see the emergence of maritime powers that have the capacity and capability to challenge the U.S. Navy for control of the seas. Unfortunately, the Navy’s ability to react to emerging maritime powers’ rapid growth and technological advancement is constrained by its own planning, ac- quisition, and political processes. Introducing our own technology advances is hindered as well.

Re-imagining a future for South African agriculture

Agricultural policy in the past was characterized by elementary objectives such as stabilisation, protectionism, deregulation and producer interests. Future policy direction faces the complexity associated with post-modernism. In this regard, global markets are considered increasingly saturated, unfair, inequitable, volatile, concentrated and dominated by supply chains and retailers. Agricultural firms are moving beyond a producer orientation towards firms that focus on creating value from size, non-farm business, service orientation, more open management style, greater human capital, accelerated self-renewal, innovation, marginalizing commodities, retaining and unlocking further value from traditional business. Furthermore, contemporary issues like land reform and empowerment remain key challenges but suffer from deficiencies in bureaucracy, beneficiary selection, forms of ownership, and generally incentives to engage markets. Empowerment efforts however favour asset acquisition instead of human capital formation and entrepreneurship. Addressing these challenges requires a reconceptualisation of the role of the state and markets. The argument strongly advanced is for greater integration between state and market whereby markets are incentivised to perform and execute economic programmes.Agricultural and Food Policy,

THE DISABLED SOLDIER: A CASE FOR DISABLED AMERICANS IN THE U.S. ARMED SERVICES

Despite the rising demands and functions of non-kinetic warfare, the military bars most disabled Americans from entry. Artificial intelligence, complex decision-making, and fifth-generation-warfare elements stress a multidimensional force and cognitive skills over dominant kinetic traits. This thesis investigates the feasibility requirements, national security implications, and benefits to the Department of Defense of expanding active military service to disabled Americans. After reviewing U.S. and international integration of disabled persons, the defined needs and skills for emerging warfare, academic studies of disabled talents, and military policy, this thesis reveals the feasibility of inclusion. Recommendations include mainstreaming persons with disabilities within the existing military model, making changes to defense policy, establishing a pilot program or corps, and undertaking future research.Civilian, Department of Homeland SecurityApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The role of EU Acquis experts in industrial relations

Expertise suffers booms and troughs like any other market good. The supply and demand for specialists, and the nature of the specialisms required, change in accordance with the exigencies of time and place. A particular breed of specialists is on the ascendant as a number of countries seek to confront, accept or adapt to the massive body of obligations of European Union (EU) law (referred to as the acquis communautaire) in the context of accession negotiations. In the dozen applicant states, a typically very small number of specialists in such matters is suddenly sought after as government consultants, media commentators, technical reporters and impact assessors. This article adopts a political sociology perspective in seeking to assess the influence of such technical experts on the politics of national industrial relations. It argues that such experts do somehow infect the opinions of interest groups, as well as their policy with respect to the EU in particular. Such is more likely to be the case when such interest groups suffer from a 'knowledge gap' and do not enjoy the services of professional EU specialists 'in-house'. Primary data are drawn mainly from autobiographical material; but the article attempts to propel a cross-national debate on the relevance of the experience and its analysis.peer-reviewe

BUILDING PARTNER CAPACITY FOR UNCONVENTIONAL DETERRENCE: A SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR ASYMMETRIC DEFENSE IN TAIWAN

Building partner capacity (BPC) is a vital strategic tool for the U.S. to compete with great power adversaries and deter aggression against partners and allies. But security partnerships and alliances are unique and complex adaptive systems; they display certain characteristics at the local level that lead to non-linear, system-wide emergent properties over time. Currently, the Joint Force and SOF enterprise lack a systems-based approach to develop and implement effective BPC strategies for great power competition (GPC). This thesis presents a systems approach to the trilateral relationship between Taiwan, China, and the U.S. in order to develop a common framework for BPC in the context of deterrence and GPC. Conventional "deterrence by punishment" strategies for Taiwan primarily focus on high-end arms sales, but an unconventional "deterrence by denial" strategy focused on civil resilience and threats of organized resistance could deter China by rendering its relative military superiority irrelevant, protracting a fait accompli indefinitely, and sabotaging its grand strategy. The Asymmetric Warfare Group's (AWG) advisory support in Taiwan as well as the Resistance Operating Concept (ROC) and NSHQ's Comprehensive Defence Handbook (CDH) provide ready-made frameworks to build Taiwan's capacity for resilience, resistance, and asymmetric defense. Additionally, strategic communication and deception through a continued policy of "strategic ambiguity" are essential elements.Major, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited