SOCIO-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PEACE SUPPORT OPERATIONS Mapule Modise & Louise Leenen

© CSIR Aim This paper calls for the application of STS theory in the design of a PSO system. This call is based on evaluation and assessment of technologies and methodologies currently used in PSO.

© CSIR Problem areas

© CSIR Scope of presentation PSO environment Challenges Current methodologies and limitations Need for STS Defining STS theory STS in PSO STS thinking in practice Sense making project

© CSIR Peace Operations and Operational tasks PEACE CONFLICT / WAR POST CONFL Preventive Diplomacy Peace making Peace keeping Peace enforcement Post-conflict peace-building Preventative deployment Observation, monitoring and supervision Enforcement of sanctions Forced separation of the parties Setting up and maintaining protected areas Humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid Interpositioning Guarantee or denial of freedom of movement Demobilisation operations Military aid/support to civil authorities Non-combatant evacuation operations

© CSIR Legal agencies NGOs & Aid Agencies Media World opinion Hostile populace Business interests Neutral populace Inter- national agencies (UN etc.) Neutral forces Intelligence services Domestic opinion Coalition partners Police forces Diplomatic agencies Convent ional Regular Forces Irregular Auxiliaries Special Forces Organised crime Insurgents Terrorists Militias Hostile Intelligence Services Role players

© CSIR Challenges There is a need for military forces to conduct a broader and more complex spectrum of operations Changing nature of warfare – from symmetric to emergent asymmetric threats involving cultural factions and transnational actors. Military operations increasingly compromised by conflicting political, diplomatic and legal issues.

© CSIR Challenges Decisions must be made in real time with simultaneous tactical, operational and strategic implications. The presence of different role players with different agendas

© CSIR Current approaches and limitations Techno-centric and analytical approaches that often design the technical component first and then fit people to it. This often lead to mediocre performance at high social costs. The solutions are often “plug-ins” to maintain the status quo with regard to organisational structures, culture, norms and communication patterns.

© CSIR STS theory Definition of STS STS is based on the premiss that organisations or a work unit is a combination of social and technical parts and that it is open to its environment At the heart of STS design is the joint optimisation of the technical and social subsystems which constitute the work system.

© CSIR Components of STS Social subsystem - aims to design a work structure that is responsive to the psychological needs of the employees and is experienced through the organisations culture, norms, roles and communication patterns Technical subsystem - comprises the structures, tools and knowledge necessary to perform the work which transforms raw materials into products or services

© CSIR STS to PSO system design? All military systems are socio-technical systems because military operations are a human endeavour with the technical component that is deeply embedded. Cherns nine principles of STS relevant to PSO environment

© CSIR Sense making Project

© CSIR Conceptual framework of sense making

© CSIR Conclusion In this paper we have given a brief overview of Socio-technical Systems and its relation to Peace Support Operations. We summarised a research project that identified the main problems the SANDF experiences during PSOs and conclude that the application of STS principles is the way forward to provide effective solutions. We have also given a conceptual framework guiding the proposed sense making project. Ultimately, we conclude, peacekeeping forces can be equipped with the most sophisticated technologies, but if there is no cognition of human interaction with technologies and social influences, they are doomed to failure.

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