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Intelligence analysis in the knowledge age : an analysis of the challenges facing the practice of intelligence analysis

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:
The intelligence community throughout the world is still reeling after several intelligence
failures. Proposals to improve Intelligence Analysis have had little impact as analysts, their
managers and their organisations continue to cling to outdated threat perceptions,
methodologies and organisational structures and cultures. This thesis looks through the lens of
Knowledge Management at the various challenges that the Intelligence Analysis practice is
faced with in the Knowledge Age. Firstly, theories and concepts from Intelligence Analysis
are challenged when compared with those in Knowledge Management and the possibility of
applying new vocabularies in intelligence is discussed. The second challenge intelligence
analysts face is to understand and adapt to the changed world with its connected, non-linear
and rapidly enfolding events and patterns which broadens their scope to a multi-faceted,
complex and multi-disciplinary threat picture. The third challenge is to re-look the existing
analytical methodologies, tools and techniques, realising that these are most probably
inadequate in a complex environment. The fourth challenge Intelligence Analysis faces is to
reach out to other disciplines and assess how new analytical techniques, both intuitive and
structured, as well as cognitive models, collaborative and organisational structure concepts
from within the Knowledge Management discipline can improve Intelligence Analysis’ grasp
of the Knowledge Age. In conclusion, it is argued that intelligence analysts might be ready to
reinvent themselves to address Knowledge Age issues, but that intelligence organisations are
not able to support a new intelligence paradigm while still clinging to threat perceptions and
structures befitting the Cold War. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:
Die internasionale intelligensie gemeenskap steier steeds na verskeie intelligensie terugslae
die afgelope dekade. Voorstelle om intelligensie analise te verbeter het weinig impak terwyl
analiste, hulle bestuurders en organisasies voortgaan om vas te hou aan uitgediende
bedreigingsperspesies, analitiese metodes en organisatoriese strukture en kulture. Deur die
lens van Kennis Bestuur, poog hierdie verhandeling om die verskeie uitdagings wat die
Intelligensie Analise praktyk in die Kennis Era in die gesig staar, te identifiseer. Eerstens
word bestaande teorieë en konsepte in Intelligensie Analise met dié in Kennis Bestuur
vergelyk en die moontlikheid van ‘n nuwe woordeskat vir intelligensie word bespreek. Die
tweede uitdaging vir intelligensie analiste is om by die nuwe wêreld en versnellende
verandering aan te pas. Hulle word nou gekonfronteer met ‘n bedreigingsprent wat
veelvlakkig, kompleks en multi-dissiplinêr is. Die derde uitdaging is om die bestaande
analitiese metodologiëe, hulpmiddels en tegnieke te herwaardeer in die lig van hierdie nuwe
wêreld. Die vierde uitdaging is om na ander dissiplines, insluitend dié van Kennis Bestuur, uit
te reik sodat Intelligensie Analise verbeter kan word deur die toepassing van hierdie
dissiplines se analitiese metodes (beide intuitief en gestruktureerd), hul kognitiewe en
samewerkings modelle, sowel as organisasie struktuur konsepte. Laastens word
geargumenteer dat Intelligensie Analiste dalk gereed is om hulself te vernuwe, maar dat hul
intelligensie organisasies nie ‘n nuwe intelligensie paradigma kan ondersteun terwyl hulle
voortgaan om bedreigingspersepsies, strukture en bestuurbeginsels toe te pas wat eerder by
die Koue Oorlog tuis hoort nie.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/3087
Date03 1900
CreatorsDuvenage, Magdalena Adriana
ContributorsKinghorn, J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. Information Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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