Post on 03-Apr-2018
7/29/2019 CDE Call Influence Through Cyberspace (Released 22 April 2010)
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Understanding and Influencingin Cyberspace
Centre for Defence Enterprise call for proposals and expressions of interest
Release Date: 22ndApril 2010
Second Life Twitter
World of
Warcraft
YouTubeFacebook
APP store
Second Life Twitter
World of
Warcraft
YouTubeFacebook
APP store
This call for research aims to explore how human and social behaviour is manifest inthe virtual worlds of cyberspace and how this behaviour might be shaped or influenced.
Nothing herein shall be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement or representation that any contract shall be offered inaccordance herewith. The MoD reserves the right, subject to the appropriate procurement regulations, to change without notice thebasis of, or the procedures for, or to terminate the process at any time. Under no circumstances shall MoD incur any liability in respectthereof.
www.science.mod.ukwww.dstl.gov.uk
Cyber & Influence S&T Centrecandicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.uk
http://www.science.mod.uk/http://www.science.mod.uk/http://www.dstl.gov.uk/http://www.dstl.gov.uk/mailto:candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.ukmailto:candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.ukmailto:candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.ukhttp://www.dstl.gov.uk/http://www.science.mod.uk/7/29/2019 CDE Call Influence Through Cyberspace (Released 22 April 2010)
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Understanding & Influencing in Cyberspace
1. Context
The UK Government spends over 30Bn per year on Defence. The MOD invests over half of thisbudget on equipment, works and miscellaneous stores and services ranging from, for example,tanks, ships and aircraft through to tools, clothing and window cleaning.
The Defence Industrial Strategy1
A recent study
describes MODs future military capability requirements and the
interaction between MOD and the defence supplier base. This strategy stresses the value MODplaces on engagement with a wider supplier base, including the academic sector and smallcompanies, to stimulate innovation and exploit technological advance for the benefit of UKdefence.
2
Advice / Assessments
Single SourceResearch
Single SourceResearch andTechnology
Risk ReductionDemonstrators
Equipment and
Support forOperations
High RiskHigh Impact
Demonstrators
RapidEnterprise
Growth
Seed CornResearch
C o u n t e r T e r r o r i s mCompetition of
Ideas
Grand Challenge DefenceTechnology
Centres
ChallengeWorkshops
Consortia basedResearch and
Technology
Risk ReductionDemonstrators
InternationalResearch
Collaboration Joint FundedResearch andTechnology
Equipment and
Support forOperations
High RiskHigh Impact
Demonstrators
Development of
Solutions inOperations
found that research and development (R&D) accounted for approximately 2.6Bnof the defence budget. Approximately 2.1Bn of this is part of the equipment and supportprogramme. Approximately 500M is centrally managed as a Science, Innovation and Technology(SIT) programme. Figure 1 illustrates the transition from ideas through growth to demonstratorsand on to application, and lists initiatives in place to support each stage.
Figure 1 - R&D Lifecycle Model ("4 box model")
The Defence Industrial Strategy and MOD Innovation Strategy3
emphasises the need for flexibility,agility and responsiveness in developing new technology and concepts to meet emergingcapability needs. The Defence Technology Plan, which was announced in Autumn 2007 andpublicly launched in February 2009, outlines the priorities and direction that MoD requires aresearch programme to deliver. This call forms part of the Human & Social Influence ResearchProgramme of the Cyber & Influence S&T Centre and will complement existing research activitiesidentified within the Defence Technology Plan (DTP) under the Cyber & Influence RDO.
1Defence White Paper: Defence Industrial Strategy Cm6697, published December 2005
2Maximising Defence Capability Through R&D, published October 2007
3Ministry of Defence Innovation Strategy, published December 2007
7/29/2019 CDE Call Influence Through Cyberspace (Released 22 April 2010)
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IndividualIndividual
PersonalityPersonality
CultureCulture
Team / Group
InformationInformation
EnvironmentEnvironment
ContextContext
IndividualIndividual
PersonalityPersonality
CultureCulture
Team / Group
InformationInformation
EnvironmentEnvironment
ContextContext
2. Problem space
Influence Activities4
affect the character or behaviour of an individual, group or organisation: they realisecognitive effects. Whilst activities in the physical domain will undoubtedly have such effects.the focus ofInformation Activities is in the information domain.
Cyberspace, as part of the information dimension,5
is as much a part of the contemporary operating
environment as the land, sea or air. Moreover, as identified by the National Security Strategy (NSS), it is themost important new domain in national security of recent years.
6
Its existence is undeniable, and has beenfor a period of decades, yet it remains a poorly understood domain which is all-too-often seen as thepreserve of computer specialists.
Whilst Defence activities are known primarily for their physical effect upon the real world, there isincreasing interest in their ability to create effects, by means of military influence activities, in thecognitive domain, often described in terms of the battle for hearts and minds. Whilst capabilities toanalyse and understand human behaviour and attitudes do exist, these have focused on people inthe physical world: there has been relatively little emphasis on how behaviour and attitudes arerevealed, and can be shaped by, on-line activity within the new media. Cyberspace, socialnetworking and virtual worlds have created new environments within which people can inte ract and
therefore represent new and challenging areas of research for human and social scientists 7
and asa domain within which Influence can be exerted.
Being able to affect human & social behaviourdemands an understanding of how thisbehaviour is shaped, not simply by technologybut by multiple factors - personality, motivation,attitudes, social identity, organisational andsocial norms and cultural practices as well asthe wider context within which it occurs.
Analysis of these factors enables the planningand evaluation (measuring effect) of influenceefforts and potentially facilitates the forecastingof human and social behaviour in response tointerventions of all types.
In the first instance, the focus is on currentmanifestations of cyber or social media. Thusthe creation of new virtual worlds, immersiontechnologies and devices are seen as being ofsecondary importance to the underpinninghuman & social science issues.
This document provides an overview of some key human & social science challenges. It should bestressed that these are provided to shape and stimulate thought and should not constrain potentialresearch ideas or approaches, nor should they be seen as exhaustive. Individual proposals shouldnot seek to tackle all facets outlined here but should rather seek to make a contribution in aspecific domain of interest.
4Joint Doctrine Note 1/07
5JDP 0-01, British Defence Doctrine (3
rdEdition), (UK: MoD, 2008), para.240.
6National Security Strategy: Annual Update 2009, (UK: Cabinet Office), Jun 09, para.46.
7It is assumed that a wide range of human and social science disciplines are needed: psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc.
7/29/2019 CDE Call Influence Through Cyberspace (Released 22 April 2010)
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3. Specific areas of interestThis CDE call is looking for innovative proposals that when combined will span the 3 specific areas and the 3 foci (audiences) shown below:
FOCUS
AREAS INDIVIDUAL TEAM / GROUP WIDER AUDIENCE
UNDERPINNING
HUMAN &
SOCIAL SCIENCE
What is the relationship between online and off-line human and social behaviour?
Are online personae real orauthentic? In what way?
How much does the online selfreveal about the personality ofthe real self?
Do group & social norms evolve on-line in the same way as in the realworld?
Can the loose ties of connectedindividuals online transition into tightlybonded groups?
How does social identity and socialinfluence operate online?
Are protest or neighbourhood watchgroups different on-line? Will peopleparticipate more online and why?
INFORMATION
GATHERING
& ANALYSIS
How do we observe and analyse online human and social behaviour?
How can we verify the identity &credibility of individuals that haveonly virtual presence?
Do linguistic analysis techniquesapply on-line, i.e. in Texts, onTwitter?
How to study online groups? Can weuse existing social media / games orwill we need to develop our own?
Is online group activity sufficient ordoes it necessarily lead to off-lineactivity?
How can we use new media to betterassess public opinion and attitudes?
What defines key voices or opinionformers on-line? What analyses mightsupport this identification?
ENGAGEMENT,
PERSUASION,
INFLUENCE
How do we engage with, shape or influence human and social behaviour in cyberspace?
How does communications
synchronicity impact on thedevelopment of onlineinterpersonal relationships?
How is trust created / lost?
What causes online groups to lose
coherence, change goals, fragment? How does a newcomer establish
credibility / rapport with a virtualgroup?
How can social marketing go wrong?
Can we learn from others mistakes? How can we use immersive games as a
channel for our messages?
There is also interest in the procedural and methodological issues inherent in the cyber domain. These include:
How do we deal with problems of data and research / experimentation in this domain?
Can we reliably use second life or other virtual worlds as experimental vehicles?
What ethical / legal issues are there in this area as an experimental area?
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4. Getting involved
Proposals for the Understanding & Influencing in Cyberspaceprogramme are invited from industryand academia.
Proposals in response to this call should be submitted via the CDE process. Proposals should befor a maximum duration of twelve months and can be for full or partial MoD funding. There is no
cap on the value of proposals but it is more likely that a larger number of lower value proposals(20k - 50k) will be funded than a smaller number of higher value proposals. Proposals for thefirst stage of a larger project will be considered provided that a clear indication of the timeline andscope of the complete project is included.
Assessment of the proposals will be conducted using the PAF (Performance AssessmentFramework).
It is important for suppliers to understand that the Understanding & Influencing in Cyberspaceprogramme is focussed on looking at innovative concepts, underpinned by human sciences andfocused on delivering practical solutions. Suppliers are urged to submit their best ideas, regardlessof how unusual or outrageous they may at first appear.
Before submitting a proposal you should read carefully the guidance on the CDE website. Inparticular you should note that the standard terms and conditions of the CDE must beunequivocally accepted in order for a proposal to be considered.
In order to distinguish responses to this call the title of proposals should start with the words CyberInfluence proposal and, if possible, should identify which sub-area they are aimed at addressing.
The timeline for CDE proposals is as follows:
22 April 2010 - CDE seminar: Call opens.
7 June 2010 - Call closes.
21 June 2010 - Decision Conference takes place.
5 July 2010 - Target for contract placement
We are happy to informally discuss your proposal prior to submission. Detailed queries should beaddressed to:
Cyber & Influence S&T Centre
Porton DownSalisburyWiltshireSP4 0JQ
01980 658889candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.uk
mailto:candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.ukmailto:candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.ukmailto:candicdtenquiries@dstl.gov.uk