Defence Research and Development Canada Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada Canada Discussion Paper: Can PCT Be applied to Organization Information Processing? Philip S. E. Farrell, Ph.D. Defence Scientist ICSG Conference 2007, Manchester, UK Thursday 1 Nov, 2007

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Topics of Discussion Effects-based Approach to Operations Elemental Approach Global Approach Discussion questions Conclusion

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO EBAO War is so different! Focus on effects (states) not actions (behaviours)! EBAO exemplifies PCT (if not, CT). –Powers et al. (1960) versus Craik (1947)

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Key Decision Point EBAO Complexities (presented at TTCP JSA AG14 on Complex Adaptive Systems) Two key questions: –can a feedback mechanism be employed in reaction to unexpected world states and towards achieving the desired situation? –can world states be predicted given the complex operational environment? Planning (desired effects) Execution World States Assessment (current effects) Analysis Current Situation Desired Situation desired actions disturbances Really Complex!

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO e n1 e n2 e n3 e n4 e n5 e n6 e n7 C n : e R 11 e R 12 e R 13 e R 14 R 1 : e R n1 e R n2 e R n3 e R n4 e R n5 e R n6 R n : aR1aR1 aR2aR2 aR3aR3 aR4aR4 aR5aR5 aR6aR6 R a : Desired situation R s : Current situationC s : a1a1 a2a2 a3a3 a6a6 C a : a5a5 a4a4 W (  1,  2, …,  n ) e 11 e 12 e 13 e 14 e 15 C 1 : e 16 A  : S  : 11 22 33 66 55 44 e n8 DD one-to-one relationship between lowest level effects and actions is preferred Some relationships are as predicted Some relationships are new Some effects appear with and without reason For more info please contact: Dr. Philip S. E. Farrell (613)

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO The question? Can PCT be applied to organizations in a similar manner as it is applied to organisms (like an human).

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Elemental Approach Human Information Processing

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Elemental Approach e i = g i – p i e = g – p p i = Y ij e j p = Ye where Y = TS×W×I-I e i = g i – Y ij e j e = g – Ye e i + Y ij e j = g i e + Ye = g [I + Y]e = g e = [I + Y] -1 g e = g [I + Y]

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Elemental Approach HIP (in its short form)

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Elemental Approach Two agents interacting

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Elemental Approach More math – but oddly familiar e i = g i – p i E = G – P p i = Y ij e j P =  E where  is some ridiculously complex tensor e i = g i – Y ij e j E = G –  E e i + Y ij e j = g i E +  E = G [I +  ] E = G E = [I +  ] -1 G E = G [I +  ]

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Elemental Approach

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Key Decision Point Global Approach Planning (desired effects) Execution World States Assessment (current effects) Analysis Current Situation Desired Situation desired actions disturbances From Concept of Operations

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Global Approach From Concept of Operations (expanded and simplified)

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Discussion Questions? 1. Can we talk about organization in PCT terms? 2. Do organizations have high-level organizational goals? 3. Do organizations take actions that influence the world states? 4. Do organizations interpret or assess states that impact their high-level goals? 5. Is there a notion of an organizational perception? 6. Do organizations make decisions based on a comparison of their current status with their goals? 7. Does information in an organization flow in a feedback fashion? 8. Does information in an organization flow in a hierarchical fashion or as if multiple agents are interacting with each other?

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Conclusions TIP can be derived from HIP OIP and TIP have mathematically similar structures All the power of Control Theory can be applied to organizations as well as organisms.

Defence R&D Canada – CORA R & D pour la défense Canada – CARO Thank you for your kind attention Questions?