The Long and Winding Road: The US Army Managerial Approach to Command and the Adoption of Mission Command (Auftragstaktik)

The purpose of the current paper is to examine the adoption and adaptation process of mission command (Auftragstaktik) in the US Army. This concept, developed by the Prussians, denotes a decentralized command approach wherein superiors dictate their intent and allow subordinates to formulate their operational plans independently and change it according to the emerging situation. The paper examines the US command approach prior to the adoption of mission command. It argues that it was heavily influenced by corporate management practices which inherently contradict mission command approach. It continues and investigates how the US Army endeavored to emulate the approach in its doctrine and in major operations.

While it has officially incorporated mission command into its doctrine, it has been less successful in utilizing it in operational situations. This state of affairs has to do with the cultural legacy of the managerial approach to command that still persist. Despite the partial success, the US Army has recently reaffirmed its commitment to this approach.     

Insights from a Database of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Militants

This article uses a novel database of 1,625 posthumously published biographies of members of two Islamist militant organizations (Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM)), all of whom were killed in the course of carrying out militant attacks. In general, each biography provides data on the militant’s birthplace, education, recruitment, and training. The number of observations in this database is a full order of magnitude larger than those of previous databases assembled from militant biographies. While the sample of militants in this database is the product of multiple selection effects, analysis of the database undermines many common myths about Pakistani militants and casts doubt on current policy approaches to mitigating Islamist militancy in Pakistan.     

Reconsidering American strategy in South Asia: destroying terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan's tribal areas

Over seven years after the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States, Afghanistan is again at the forefront of the headlines, faced with a brutal insurgency and a resurgent Taliban. Many scholars and policymakers attribute the instability in Afghanistan to a terrorist sanctuary in the neighboring Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Pakistan has attempted to eliminate this sanctuary through negotiation and armed force. This paper argues that Pakistani strategy has failed to achieve its desired results because of local tribal norms, the weak nature of previous agreements, military units ill-equipped for a counterinsurgency and counterterrorism role, as well as ideological fissures in the Pakistani establishment. Afterward, the paper argues that the United States and Coalition forces should pursue their strategy remaining cognizant of local tribal norms, step up training efforts for Pakistani forces, promote development of the tribal areas, and cultivate options for eliminating the FATA sanctuary through covert means.     

基于DM2的体系结构可执行模型构建方法

基于元模型的体系结构设计思想和基于可执行模型的评估方法是体系结构领域研究的两个热点,但当前的研究没有将两者结合起来。文章基于DoDAF2.0提出的元模型数据(Meta-Model Data,DM2),将元模型的思想和基于可执行模型的评估方法相结合,分析了基于DM2的逻辑数据与可执行模型各构建要素的对应关系,构建了基于DM2的逻辑数据模型直接转可执行模型的过程框架,重点研究了如何直接从体系结构底层数据转可执行模型的方法,从而为进行基于元模型的体系结构可执行评估提供模型基础,也为进一步实现体系结构自动化验证评估提供技术支持。实例验证了文章提出的方法。     

群体专家按轮讨论与自由讨论的观点动力学演化比较

针对群体专家在集体讨论中的按轮讨论和自由讨论的观点动力学演化过程,采用计算机仿真实验的方法对两种模型结果进行了分析和比较。统计结果表明在相同的初始条件下,自由讨论模型采用权威专家优先,然后按观点累积变化最大者优先的发言顺序规则生成的平均观点簇数更少,并且发现15轮以后的讨论发言对各项指标改进的影响作用不大。由于自由讨论是依次串行发言,发言时间效率较低,因此实际讨论方式选择时,当人数较少,时间充裕时,宜采用自由讨论的方式,反之则宜采用按轮讨论的方式。     

面向服务的海战场指挥信息系统体系结构框架

一体化联合作战和基于信息系统的体系作战对海战场指挥信息系统提出了更高的要求.从面向服务的海战场指挥信息系统构建需求出发,在军事信息服务定义的基础上,利用SOA和P2P设计了海战场指挥信息系统体系结构的物理框架和功能框架,给出了各框架的组成和结构,并与已有框架作了对比分析,结果表明所提的框架更加全面、可靠和灵活,为开展面向服务的指挥信息系统研究打下了坚实的基础.     

新一代指挥信息系统中的语义网应用能力分析

随着现代战争形式的演变,提升指挥信息系统能力的关键在于信息处理.语义网是一种先进的信息表示方法,能够有效地提升机器的信息理解和处理能力.简要介绍了语义网技术的组成和本质能力,并结合美军的研究实例,分析了其在新一代指挥信息系统中的应用能力,指出了发展机遇和挑战,并对未来研究提出了建议.     

基于费效分析的地空导弹火力配系优化

为科学评价地空导弹火力配系方案,针对不同的地空导弹火力组成体系,采用费效分析方法,结合地空导弹操作使用,首先给出了地空导弹火力配系费效分析步骤,然后分别对火力配系的费用和效能进行了讨论,并建立了火力配系费效准则和综合费效比模型,最后通过区域反导实例验证了该方法的可行性.     

关于计量经济学案例教学的探讨

计量经济学包含理论教学、实验教学、案例教学三个教学环节,案例教学作为联系理论教学与实验教学的桥梁与纽带,在计量经济学教学中起着重要的作用。但目前计量经济学案例教学仍存在对案例教学法认识不够、案例资源匮乏、案例选择使用不当等问题。针对这些问题,本文提出了正确处理理论教学与案例教学关系、编撰经典案例集、准确选择使用案例等一些具体的改革措施与建议,以提高计量经济学教学效果。     

案例教学法在消费心理学课程中的运用与研究

《消费心理学》是一门应用性较强的学科,为提高教学效果,在课程中运用案例教学法是十分必要的。本文介绍了怎样在《消费心理学》课程中运用案例教学的策略,并分析了该课程实施案例教学的效果以及应注意的问题。