| Article ID: | iaor20031509 |
| Country: | United States |
| Volume: | 7 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| Start Page Number: | 77 |
| End Page Number: | 83 |
| Publication Date: | Oct 2002 |
| Journal: | Military Operations Research |
| Authors: | Hurley W.J., Graham W.J. |
In the case where a commander and his staff have to assess an uncertain quantity, this paper uses Markowitz portfolio theory to develop some principles which ought to guide the commander's assessment of staff opinion. Among others these include the conditions under which a commander ought to entertain the opinion of an idiot, and conditions for which the opinion of a ‘yes-man’ are useful.