Problem Solving, Ambiguity and Innovation

[Chris Yunker]

Background:   Boyd's work points out the uniquely human ability to conduct synthesis (recombining objects and functions into new combinations to solve new problems) as opposed to simply conducting analysis (deconstructing complex ideas/objects into an organized set of elements)

A normal question for American culture is "how can we facilitate innovation to solve problems?"   The Marine Corps fashions itself a culture of innovation, which facilitates problem solving through 2 principle constructs:

1) distribution problem solving to humans throughout the organization (decentralization)
2) encourage use of 'satisfactory/expedient solutions', vice optimized solutions solutions through harmony vice synchronization maintain a bias for action, vice a focus on analysis.

Discussion:  
1) Do you buy this construct?
2) Do you have an alternate construct on how problem solving occurs in military operations?
2) Do you believe the Marine Corps culture values innovation, or is that part of our public image?  

[Corredor]

This is quite a question!

While those who know more about this question compose their responses, I will limit providing some background information about John Boyd.

Here is  a short biography of John Boyd.

Here is a television interview with Robert Coram, the author of a book-length biography of John Boyd.

Here is the transcript of a lecture about the life and influence of John Boyd.  The speaker is Grant Hammond, who also wrote a book about Boyd.

[Corredor]

Chris Yunker wrote

The Marine Corps fashions itself a culture of innovation, which facilitates problem solving through 2 principle constructs:

1) distribution problem solving to humans throughout the organization (decentralization)
2) encourage use of 'satisfactory/expedient solutions', vice optimized solutions solutions through harmony vice synchronization maintain a bias for action, vice a focus on analysis.

Discussion:  
1) Do you buy this construct?
2) Do you have an alternate construct on how problem solving occurs in military operations?
2) Do you believe the Marine Corps culture values innovation, or is that part of our public image?

The good news is that the Marine Corps celebrates innovation.  Thus, champions of the status quo cannot make the "this is the way that it has always been done" argument.

The bad news is that many champions of the status quo have learned the art of appearing to innovate while preserving their bailiwicks from meaningful change.

Another piece of bad news is that the celebration of innovation makes the Marine Corps as a whole vulnerable to those who are selling expensive hardware.    

[Twilliams01301]

Have you read JK Galbraith's Affluent Society?  Chapter 2...."The Conventional Wisdom".

Galbraith states that what exists, and is familiar, has an advantage because it has proven acceptable to a majority.  He wrote that people approve of what they understand, and that they will passionately defend what they have learned and are familiar with.  In short, familiarity is acceptable and acceptability leads to stability.  

Galbraith adds that any deviation (or originality) might be seen as faithlessness, or backsliding.  Organizations, he argues, achieve stability by formal adherence to an officially proclaimed doctrine, and stigmatize as incorrect any deviation.  With conventional wisdom, rank is a reward for the articulation of what is acceptable (for defending the conventional wisdom) and all education and professional development programs focus on perpetuating this doctrine to capture what is known, proven and practical.

It's a brilliant chapter and explanation of what military organizations face.