Organizational Cultures Effects On Information Sharing Within The United States Intelligence Community

A major factor contributing to national security failures in the United States is the inability of the Intelligence Community to share information effectively. This failure is rooted within the organizational culture of the Intelligence Community. The U.S. government has failed to adequately identify, conceptually understand, and address culture as an impediment toward information sharing, particularly before September 11, 2011. The author contends that the unique culture of agencies within the Intelligence Community is necessary to their mission success, but it may also inhibit the effective exchange of information. Using Edgar Schein's theory and model of organizational culture, this thesis analyzes the culture of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with an eye toward how those cultures affect information sharing. Through understanding and applying the principles of organizational culture, the Intelligence Community will have the opportunity to improve its information-sharing environment.