File(s) not publicly available
Ascertaining a hierarchy of dimensions from time-poor experts : linking tactical vignettes to strategic scenarios
journal contribution
posted on 2017-12-06, 00:00 authored by B Pincombe, Sarah BlundenSarah Blunden, A Pincombe, P DexterMany organisations define or express their strategic direction through strategic scenarios, which typically lack the detail for operational or tactical decisions. However such decisions need to be consistent with the organisation's overall strategic direction. We present a method for defining a dimensional hierarchy of important variables at the strategic, operational and tactical levels and illustrate this method with a case study. Achieving a set of dimensions as comprehensive as possible requires the saturation of ideas from all relevant expert groups. Unfortunately, access to experts may be limited and sporadic. We facilitate expert participation through an online, iterative, Delphi-like structured group technique allowing asynchronous access from many separate locations. Inter-round thematic analysis removes duplicate argumentation, standardises language conventions and builds a hierarchy of important variables: strategic dimensions; operational components; and tactical elements. Iteration allows experts to assess and alter these themes. Anonymity and thematic de-duplication allow merit-based discussion by masking the status and numbers of advocates. In our case study, sixty-nine experts developed a hierarchical dimensionalisation of future Australian Army deployment contexts over three rounds with a total median time commitment of less than 3 h per expert.
Funding
Category 3 - Industry and Other Research Income
History
Volume
80Issue
4Start Page
584End Page
598Number of Pages
15ISSN
0040-1625Location
United StatesPublisher
ElsevierPublisher DOI
Full Text URL
Language
en-ausPeer Reviewed
- Yes
Open Access
- No
External Author Affiliations
Appleton Institute for Behavioural Sciences; Land Operations Division; Not affiliated to a Research Institute;Era Eligible
- Yes