Science, Strategy and War The Strategic Theory of ... - Boekje Pienter

of system with its surroundings, thereby leading to a focus inward (i.e., within itself), whichin turn generates confusion and disorder, which impedes vigorous or directed activity, hence,by definition, magnifies friction or entropy 19 .In effect, Boyd argues that restricting interaction, and loss of sub-system cohesion will leadto the organizational equivalent of the second law of thermodynamics. This key insight ofthis exercise is reinforced by Boyd in a sequence of statements 20 :Any command and control system that forces adherents to look inward, leads todissolution/disintegration (i.e., system becomes unglued).Without the implicit bonds or connections, associated with similar images or impressions,there can be neither harmony nor individual initiative within a collective entity, therefore, noway that such an organic whole can stay together and cope with a many-sided uncertain andeverchanging environment.Without implicit bonds or connections, we magnify friction, produce paralysis and getsystem collapse.Having shown what can happen to an enemy organization when it cannot recognizepatterns, when it cannot interact with the environment, when units become isolated fromtheir environment and unglued from each other, when they lack shared images, Boyd returnsto the meaning of all this for one’s own organization. The first insight is thatthe key idea is to emphasize implicit over explicit in order to gain a favorable mismatch infriction and time (i.e., ours lower than any adversary) for superiority in shaping and adaptingto circumstances 21 .Secondly, Boyd asserts that one should suppress the tendency to build-up explicit internalarrangements that hinder interaction with the external world. Instead, Boyd argues forarranging a setting and the circumstances so that leaders and subordinates alike are given theopportunity to continuously interact with the external environment, and with each other, inorder to more quickly make many-sided implicit cross referencing projections, empathies,correlations, and rejections as well as create the similar images or impressions, hence asimilar implicit orientation, needed to form and organic whole 22 .In effect, Boyd argues that all sub-systems of an organization should be opensystems, that is, systems with sufficient ability and authority to observe and interact withtheir respective environment, while at the same time having lateral and vertical linkages withother sub-systems and higher directing entities. Such an arrangement is predicated upon thepresence of a similar implicit orientation. The benefits of a similar implicit orientation forcommander and subordinates alike, however, are obvious for Boyd for it will allow them to:Diminish their friction and reduce time, thereby permit them to:Exploit variety/rapidity while maintaining harmony/initiative, thereby permit them to:Get inside adversary’s OODA loops, thereby:19 Ibid.20 Ibid, p.21.21 Ibid, p.22.22 Ibid, p.23.239