Comprehensive Technical Report of the Inquiry into the Application of Living Systems Theory to 41 U. S. Army Battalions: Executive Summary. Volume 1

Abstract

Abstract : This is volume one, executive summary, of a three volume set of reports. It describes approximately three years of research with U.S. Army Battalions, using an approach based on Miller's Living Systems Theory. The text describes general systems science, living systems theory, and the research that was done. Among the specific findings are the following. For training time, good battalions differed from less good ones not in the total amount of time spent, but in how it was spent. Three information processing variables related to battalion effectiveness; lag, distortion, and cost. In general, more effective battalions experience less delay in information processing than less effective battalions. The research also focused on roles of key members of the battalion in information processing, finding that these key members distribute their time differently in the more effective battalions than in the less effective battalions.