Strategy Development & Evaluation in the Battlefield

This study proposes a newly structured Quantified SWOT Analytical Method for strategy development and evaluation to provide operational achievement. In the proposed methodology, while SWOT analysis supports the decision situation by structuring the decision hierarchy, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) measures the relative importance of the SWOT factors in this hierarchy. Using the quantitatively evaluated SWOT factors weighted by AHP, operational strategies can be developed for the purpose of building on the strengths, eliminating the weaknesses, exploiting the opportunities and/or countering the threats with the highest weights. The assigned relationships between the SWOT factors and alternative strategies allow the ranking of these strategies that yields the selection of the applicable strategies in practice. An illustrative case study is presented to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed methodology. The results show that this methodology helps the commanders to manage the complexity of the battlefield and to organize indefinite strategic decision-making process in the battlefield.