TY - JOUR
T1 - The long and winding road
T2 - The US army managerial approach to command and the adoption of mission command (Auftragstaktik)
AU - Shamir, Eitan
PY - 2010/10
Y1 - 2010/10
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Managerial Approach
KW - Mission Command (Auftragstaktik)
KW - US Army
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77958575132&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01402390.2010.498244
DO - 10.1080/01402390.2010.498244
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AN - SCOPUS:77958575132
SN - 0140-2390
VL - 33
SP - 645
EP - 672
JO - Journal of Strategic Studies
JF - Journal of Strategic Studies
IS - 5
ER -