Commander Steven W Knott

`knowledge Must Become Capability`: Institutional Intellectualism As an Agent for Military Transformation: Enhanced with Text Analytics by Pagekicker Commander Steven W Knott

Publisher Marketing: While the value of individual intellectualism to the profession of arms has been much debated among academics and military professionals in recent years, the dialogue to date has failed to address the salient issue: the concept of institutional intellectualism and its catalytic role as an agent for transformation. Institutional intellectualism is system-sponsored critical thinking that focuses synergistic intellectual capital to effect transformational change and continual renewal within an organization. Consequently, successful military transformation, as well as a Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), results from concerted and applied intellectual energy that works within the system to overcome traditional conservative elements opposing change. This project will examine institutional intellectualism as an agent for military transformation through the lens of two historical case studies: the Prussian military reforms following defeat at Jena- Auerstadt in 1806 and the creation of the German Panzerwaffe during the inter-war period. In conclusion, several instructive themes will be highlighted from these case studies that remain relevant and applicable to current - and future - efforts by the United States Department of Defense to embrace change and achieve successful transformation. As Clausewitz emphatically reminds us in On War, "knowledge must become capability." To do otherwise is to invite professional stagnation and atrophy. Enhanced with automatic summarization, keyword identification, and word cloud by PageKicker Robot Fast Heinz.