Planning: Complex Endeavors

Abstract : There are two major drivers of the need for disruptive innovation, sometimes referred to as transformation, in the Information Age. The first and arguably the most compelling driver is the changing environment in which an entity operates. For militaries, this is the changing nature of their adversaries, their strategies and tactics, as well as the "non-traditional" nature of the missions they are expected to undertake. For businesses, it is the changing nature of their competitive spaces. There are, of course, profound differences between these arenas of competition and conflict. Thus, an approach that is successful in one may not be appropriate for the other. However, there are significant similarities related to the nature of the "solution" or how to cope with the new environments in which these entities find themselves. For example, Information Age environments (whether military government, or business) are all characterized by increasing complexity and uncertainty as well as by the need for more rapid responses. As a result, individual entities and group of entities with common goals need to be more agile to be successful in the Information Age.