By using these and other examples such as Wunderman's use of the "Gold Box" in the TV commercials for Columbia Record Club, Gladwell drives home the point that the Stickiness Factor can help create and tip an action trend in favor of envisaged goals. As he points out, "We all want to believe that the key to making an impact...lies with the inherent quality of the ideas we present. But in none of these cases did anyone substantially alter the content of what they were saying. Instead, they tipped the message by tinkering...." (p. 131)
Gladwell brings out the importance of small, but significant, detail in addressing the Power of Context as well, which he says is important because epidemics are sensitive to environmental conditions and circumstances (p.139). In fact, he theorizes that the factors, which worked in bringing about a reversal in New York City's horrific crime rate, were steps such as scrubbing off the graffiti on the subway and arresting fare-beaters. Using the Broken Windows theory as support, Gladwell states, "...what really matters is little things.... The Power of Context says you don't have to solve the big problems to solve crime...crime epidemics have Tipping Points every bit as simple and straightforward as syphilis in Baltimore...." (p. 151)
Thus, Gladwell effectively establishes that it is the attention to detail or the little things that can make all the difference in successfully setting off a trend or tipping an epidemic. Such attention to detail also includes meticulous attention to the tracking and understanding of human behavioral concepts and trends. Indeed, without the latter, it would not be possible to engineer the tipping of any positive epidemic either in business or in social life. In fact, herein lies the value of Gladwell's theory of the "Tipping Point." for, it explains why the best laid plans often fail to work. They fail...
Intelligence Failures In an ever increasingly complex governmental infrastructure, the importance of communication, mission and strategy are of the utmost importance. The Department of Defense (DOD) and all of its law enforcement agencies are in a pervasive struggle to attain both accurate and actionable intelligence in order to perform their duties to the best of their capabilities and intentions. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the failure of the
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