Strategic Latency and Warning: Private Sector Perspectives on Current Intelligence Challenges in Science and Technology
Report of the Expert Advisory Panel Workshop
January 5, 2016
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and National Intelligence University convened a group of business experts to examine parallels between S&T competition in the marketplace and science and technology intelligence (S&TI). The experts identified the centrality of people — individuals and connected groups — to the successful development and application of latent S&T capabilities. People may indeed be more important to recognizing S&T potential than deep knowledge of any particular technology. This report explores the significance of this key insight for S&TI.
To more clearly understand trends, potential, and ultimate realization of emerging strategic threats from rapidly evolving, expanding, and globalized science and technology (S&T), one must more deeply study the people who are driving rapid S&T innovation. These entrepreneurial leaders shape the business environment for emerging S&T and assemble the components that are essential to the transformation of promising technical ideas to fully realized technological capabilities. An identifiable cadre of individuals from across the globe share certain characteristics, foremost of which is that they are typically driven by a ruthless vision to accomplishment. They are generally known to one another and are fierce competitors — and like-minded collaborators. They are central to the selection of “winning” S&T that ultimately is developed through commercialization. They make things happen and are driven to success.
