Jules J.S. Gaspard & M.L.R. Smith
In the modern strategic landscape, particularly in Western military and political contexts, complex challenges are often approached as problems with concrete solutions. This perspective, a hallmark of the ‘problem-solving’ mindset, seeks to break down complex issues into solvable parts. This approach, however, has often led to suboptimal results in foreign policy, as demonstrated by interventionist failures in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, among others. When strategy is viewed through the problem-solving lens, complex geopolitical issues are frequently simplified and unique dynamics are often ignored.
A deeper, more effective foundational approach that has been dormant in Western strategic thinking is re-emerging: the idea of ‘problem framing’.[i] Rather than attempting to ‘solve’ challenges with predetermined solutions, problem framing encourages strategists to explore the broader context, recognising that some issues defy bounded solutions. Problem framing allows strategists to adapt their responses to changing environments and complex cultural contexts, fostering a mindset that emphasises exploration, understanding and flexibility. This paper articulates the need to shift from an exclusive, or primary, focus on problem-solving in strategy, to one where problem-framing is accentuated, arguing that the latter approach is better suited to address the complexities that are always ever-present in international affairs.
The Rise of Problem-Solving in Strategic Thought
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