Enabling Security, Stability, Transition, and Reconstruction Operations through Knowledge Management

摘要

The efforts by the United States and Coalition partners in Iraq and Afghanistan clearly demonstrate that organizational collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential elements of post-conflict Security, Stability, Transition, and Reconstruction Operations (SSTRO). Specifically, knowledge created and shared within and among responsible organizations enables timely and effective problem solving, decision making, and action critical to successful SSTRO in complex and uncertain environments. Organizational culture, however, poses a major barrier to effective knowledge management (KM) employment within U.S. federal agencies. This paper explores knowledge management as a SSTRO enabler and examines the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) using the Intelligent Complex Adaptive System (ICAS) Model to demonstrate strategic KM application. Additionally, the paper explores organizational culture as a barrier to KM implementation and identifies strategic leader focus areas for overcoming cultural barriers. Finally, the paper provides recommendations for realizing the strategic utility of KM as part of SSTRO to achieve national security objectives.