6.2: Organizational Process Model

The Organizational Process Model

The Organizational Process Model (OPM) focuses on the role of bureaucracies and their procedures in shaping state decisions. Instead of viewing the state as a unified actor, this model emphasizes that decisions are the result of routines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and the established processes of organizations. According to OPM, the USSR's failure to conceal the construction of missile sites in Cuba can be attributed to the use of standard procedures used back in Russia. Bureaucracies rely on established processes, which may not always be adapted to changing circumstances. Similarly, the U.S. government did not resort to airstrikes or a ground invasion largely because these actions did not fit into the existing operational plans and procedures. President Kennedy was also concerned about civilian casualties and the inability to guarantee the destruction of all missiles through military action. The OPM model suggests that decisions during crises are often constrained by organizational routines. Rather than evaluating all possible alternatives, policymakers choose options that reduce uncertainty and rely on established procedures, even if these are not necessarily the most effective.