Using Values-Based Cultural Data to Shape Information Operations Strategies

摘要

The role of technology in information operations (10) is understandably the focus of much research. It is equally important to recognize the importance of people, who design, use, and defend information systems, when strategizing the elements of 10, and who may be the targets of "softer" information operations. People can be understood from many different perspectives. Several well-recognized paradigms include national culture characteristics, personality traits, and cultural history. However, one of the most critical, yet least understood perspective, is that of values. Values are deep emotional constructs that underpin beliefs and motivations. Values are measurable and can be classified into personality archetypes, an approach extrapolated from the early work of Maslow, Schwartz and others. An intriguing research question to explore is how values, beliefs, and cultures affect the design, strategy, and implementation of information operations. There are current state applications of this contextual understanding that could be usefully applied to 10 strategies. Additionally, the data suggests that these aspects change over time, which also raises the potential for exploring strategies that nudge natural evolution of change in directions that are more conducive to peaceful interactions. In these questions, success includes not only the ability to create a strategy that meets the identified operational goals but also the success in the tactics developed to achieve those needs operationally. This paper describes the state of the research, describes an analytical structure to apply the research to information operations strategy, and argues for a research agenda for pushing the concept further.