CIA - Towards a knowledge organization

Background information

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an intelligence agency of the United States government. Its primary function is obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and persons, and reporting such information to the branches of the government. Its secondary function is propaganda or public relations, overt and covert information dissemination, both true and false, and influencing others to decide in favor of the U.S. government. The third function of the CIA is as the hidden hand of the federal government, by engaging in covert operations. This is done at the direction of the President, and with oversight by Congress.

Question/challenge

Late in 2005, the US Central Intelligence Agency began to explore new and innovative ways to adapt to a new world. No longer could the agency continue its top down, hierarchical approach to management and information gathering, intelligence gleaning, etc. Change was suggested to break the agency out of gridlock. The change was patterned after changes already underway in many parts of the US Defence Department.

Frans Bax from CIA University and Elliott Masie in a conversation about shifting paradigms.

Remarks

It is amazing that such an organization feels the urge for such a big and important shift. Not the technical means are impressive but the shift in the communication and learning model.

Great quote: Nobody knows as much as everybody.