Implications for Foreign Policy Research

Abstract

The final chapter summarizes the main contribution of the book—namely, to provide a method by which foreign policy decision-makers can require their advisers to rate all possible options and then input their judgments to the Decision Pad computer program to reach a consensus on top priorities. In short, Options Analysis is rooted in the weights applied within operational codes corresponding to the major social science paradigms. The discussion demonstrates how advice regarding foreign policy blunders can be obviated, including the avoidance of groupthink, cross-organizational turf wars, and misunderstandings based on cultural differences between opposing countries. The conclusion is that foreign policy decision-making can be professionalized when high-level officials adopt Options Analysis.