Prisoners of Their Premises
How Unexamined Assumptions Lead to War and Other Policy Debacles
Chicago ; London : The University of Chicago Press, 2022.
Format: Book
Description: xi, 155 pages ; 23 cm
"Why do leaders sometimes get it so wrong when making major policy decisions despite all the resources in terms of expertise and experience they can call on? We debate debacles such as the American involvement in Vietnam, seeking to understand why leaderspursued disastrous policies. In Prisoners of their Premises George Edwards argues that the failure of leaders to examine their premises, the assumptions they make about the world and situation they are dealing with, cause them to ignore real problems orpursue policies that, in costly ways, deal with problems that are different than they think or simply don't exist. Edwards looks at the role of premises in identifying (or ignoring) a problem in a series of case studies that range from strategic decisionsin World War I to our own Iraq War. Too often unexamined premises color initial decisions to pursue a policy and shape the strategies a leader employs to achieve their goals with grave consequences for their countries, organizations, and potentially theworld. Edwards demonstrates the real costs leaders incur by failing to question their premises"-- Provided by publisher.
Contents:
The power of premises -- Assuming problems: the war in Vietnam -- Ignoring and underestimating problems -- Ignoring and underestimating problems: the Chinese intervention in Korea in 1950 -- Assuming and ignoring problems: the invasion of Iraq -- No silver bullet.
Subjects:
Political science -- Decision making.
Political science -- Decision making -- Case studies.
International relations -- Decision making.
International relations -- Decision making -- Case studies.
Politics and war -- United States.
United States -- Foreign relations.
Political science -- Decision making.
Political science -- Decision making -- Case studies.
International relations -- Decision making.
International relations -- Decision making -- Case studies.
Politics and war -- United States.
United States -- Foreign relations.
ISBN:
9780226822822
Availability | |||
---|---|---|---|
Call Number | Location | Shelf Location | Status |
REF GOV Politics Edw | Main (Downtown) | Third Level, Reference | Available for in-library use |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 109-146) and index.