Strategic Analysis in Support of International Policy Making
Case Studies in Achieving Analytical Relevance
Edited by Thomas Juneau
Publication date:
10 February 2017Length of book:
298 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442257610
The book aims to improve our understanding of what it means to create high-quality analytical products by focusing on the concept of relevance for policy-makers. Despite variations in context, strategic analysts in different sectors (in both intelligence and non-intelligence government organizations, private consultancies, think tanks, and academia) face similar problems in identifying the needs of their clients and setting up organizations with the mandates, structures, and personnel necessary to address those needs. The objective is therefore to identify these common challenges, compare solutions, and share lessons learned. To do so, broader thematic reflections on strategic analysis are combined with innovative case studies of how organizations have worked to successfully produce relevant analysis. The first section explores challenges to achieving relevance at the level of the analyst, while the remainder of the book analyses cases at the level of organizations.
This is a refreshing look at a critical issue. Instead of another book about the intelligence process, it focuses squarely on the relationship between intelligence and policy. And instead of another book on intelligence failure, the contributors explore what makes strategic analysis work. Scholars and practitioners will learn much from their answers.