Iran’s Ballistic Missile Launch Criteria: Change or Continuity?

February 2021 No Comments

Author | Editor: Bragg, B. (NSI, Inc.) Question of Focus [Q2] Based on recent events (Accords, Soleimani, COVID), how has ballistic missile launch criteria changed? Other impacts on military readiness and response? Report Preview The experts interviewed for this study do not see Iran’s recent operational use of its ballistic missiles as signaling a fundamental change in […]

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Internal Instability in Iran: Drivers and Regime Response

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Author | Editor: Bragg, B. (NSI, Inc.) Question of Focus [Q1] What are the primary drivers of internal instability for Iran currently, and how are they responding? Report Preview There was consensus among the subject matter experts (SMEs) who responded to this question that the primary driver of internal instability in Iran is the dismal state of […]

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IRGC-QF Malfeasant Activity Outside of the CENTCOM AOR

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Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc.) Question of Focus [Q3] Given recent events, what are the trends in Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) malfeasant activity outside of the CENTCOM AOR? Report Preview Experts interviewed state that they could find no evidence of recent changes in IRGC-QF activity outside of the CENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR). […]

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Disinformation and Political Warfare: Historical and Technological Insights (A Conversation with Thomas Rid)

February 2021 No Comments

Speaker: Rid, T. (Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies) Date: 11 February 2021 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session, presented by Dr. Thomas Rid (Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies) as a part of its SMA IIJO Speaker Series. Dr. Rid began by stating that that there is currently a lack […]

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Analyzing Election Disinformation Efforts by Foreign Actors

February 2021 No Comments

Speaker: Helmus, T. (RAND); Marcellino, W. (RAND); Posard, M. (RAND) Date: 9 February 2021 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session, presented by Dr. Todd Helmus (RAND), Dr. William Marcellino (RAND), and Dr. Marek Posard (RAND) as a part of its SMA EUCOM Speaker Series. Dr. Posard began the speaker session by stating that he […]

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How [Culture] Change Happens: A Roadmap of What Works

February 2021 No Comments

Authors | Editors: Courtney, A. (Frontier Design); Williams, J. (Frontier Design) SMA Report Preview This report was submitted by Frontier Design in support of SMA’s Integrating Information in Joint Operations (IIJO) effort. Abstract Change is hard; it humbles us all. Yet, it is possible to succeed. This article explores the why, what, who and how […]

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“Standing Under” Stories: Narrative Research Methods for Anticipatory Intelligence

January 2021 No Comments

Speaker: Cobb, S. (George Mason University) Date: 2 February 2021 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session, presented by Dr. Sara Cobb (George Mason University) as a part of its SMA IIJO Speaker Series.  Dr. Cobb began her presentation by acknowledging that her own work builds on and heavily references prior communication, conflict, and psychological research, […]

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Transactional Communication Model

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Authors | Editors: Bragg, B. (NSI, Inc.); Cooley, A. (Oklahoma State University); Cooley, S. (Oklahoma State University); Kitsch, S. (Monmouth College); Hinck, R. (Monmouth College) Quick Look Preview Introduction This report presents a model for understanding the core communication process, and elaborates on mechanisms to strengthen it. We begin with an overview of the core communication […]

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Understanding Mass Self-Communication

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Authors | Editors: Cooley, A. (Oklahoma State University); Cooley, S. (Oklahoma State University); Kitsch, S. (Monmouth College); Hinck, R. (Monmouth College) Quick Look Preview This brief discusses a new form of communication within networked societies—Castells’ so-called mass self-communication. The brief highlights how barriers between old and new media are disappearing as increasing technological access creates new […]

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Vulnerabilities to Cognitive Biases in the OODA Loop Process

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Authors | Editors: Rieger, T. (NSI, Inc.); Jafri, A. (NSI, Inc.) Invited Perspective Preview A recent Quick Look prepared as part of a Joint Staff and Air Force (A3)-sponsored effort to examine the effectiveness of Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) examines how cognitive biases can affect the communication process (Polansky & Rieger, 2020). During review […]

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