Cultural dimensions of strategy and policy
By: Jiyul Kim
Contributors: Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute
Series: Letort papers -- [no. 29]; Letort papers -- [no. 29].
Publisher: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Carlisle, PA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 46
ISBN-13: 9781584873891
Description: There has been a growing recognition in the post-Cold War era that culture has increasingly become a factor in determining the course of today's complex and interconnected world. The U.S. experience in Afghanistan and Iraq extended this trend to national security and military operations. There is also a growing recognition by the national security community that culture is an important factor at the policy and strategy levels. Cultural proficiency at the policy and strategy levels means the ability to consider history, values, ideology, politics, religion, and other cultural dimensions and assess their potential effect on policy and strategy. The Analytical Cultural Framework for Strategy and Policy (ACFSP) is one systematic and analytical approach to the vital task of viewing the world through many lenses. The ACFSP identifies basic cultural dimensions that seem to be of fundamental importance in determining such behavior and thus are of importance in policy and strategy formulation and outcomes. These dimensions are (1) Identity, or the basis for defining identity and its linkage to interests; (2) Political Culture, or the structure of power and decisionmaking; and (3) Resilience, or the capacity or ability to resist, adapt or succumb to external forces. Identity is the most important, because it ultimately determines purpose, values and interests that form the foundation for policy and strategy to attain or preserve those interests.
Notes: "May 2009."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 27-32).

Also available via the Internet.
Table of contents: title: Why culture?; title: Cultural dimensions of leadership, operations and strategy; title: What is culture?; title: The Analytical Cultural Framework for Strategy and Policy (ACFSP); title: The ACFSP and the United States; title: Common themes across the ACFSP dimensions; title: Identity; title: Political culture; title: Resilience.