Strategy for a Complex Age: To Frame or Solve?

Abstract

This article challenges the view that strategists should primarily frame problems rather than solve them. Drawing on historical military cases and complexity science, it demonstrates why strategists must operate at both political and operational interfaces—not merely as thinkers but as active participants in problem identification, diagnosis, and resolution. The paper highlights the practical imperative for military strategists to pursue meaningful solutions in today's complex security environment while also contributing to an emerging literature on problem-based approaches to strategy. Show more