Essence of Decision

Graham Allison's Essence of Decision is one of the most incisive, sensitive, and compelling works of analysis I have read. It is also a great work of history as it seeks to explain the Cuban Missile Crisis, one of the key turning points of modern human history.

Allison demonstrates adroitly that what we see depends on what lenses we use. Exclusive reliance on the dominant rational actor perspective blinds us to organizational imperatives such as standard operating procedures, or bureaucratic political maneuvering, which makes policies a resultant, rather than a conscious choice by a unitary actor. By analyzing the same event from different angles, Allison presents us with the most complete picture of how the crisis unfolded, and how it was ultimately resolved.

The book's insights are relevant not only to academics and policymakers, but also to anyone else who works in an organization. The people we deal with advance positions that are influenced by their organization's SOPs, or that are designed to maximize the power of their departments. This is not to say that all people are petty and parochial; it is to say that all people belong to organizations and all decisions are more disorderly than is suggested by the rational actor model.