Dynamic Decision Making in Command and Control

Decision making is a central aspect of command and control, yet it has received very little systematic study. One reason for this neglect may be the lack of a conceptual framework with which to guide research. This chapter presents an initial attempt to develop such a framework, one that has been inspired by a frequently cited quotation from the elder Moltke, a well-known 19th-century military commander (Hughes, 1993). Simpkin (1985) provides what I believe is the best interpretation of Moltke’s viewpoint:

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