Decision-making games as tools for supporting strategic thinking and security

Abstract

Decision-making games, regardless of their nature, should be focused on supporting decision-making processes at every stage of decision-making. Many years of experience have shown that both traditional board games and modern computer games are effective in training decision-makers, both in the military and civilian spheres. They constitute a specific branch of game theory, the goal of which is to optimize decisions made in conflict situations, where each player strives to maximize their own benefits, knowing that opponents’ goals may differ from their own, and that mutual actions have a significant impact on all participants. Strategic thinking plays a crucial role in decision-making games. It is understood, on the one hand, as a process aimed at making optimal strategic decisions, and on the other, as a tool for solving strategic problems, taking into account the examination of all possible options, the selection of goals, and the utilization of resources. Essential information, gath-ered using available analysis and synthesis techniques, allows for optimal decision-making and the achievement of initially formulated goals, while exercises conducted within decision-making games enable innovation and future planning. National and international security extends beyond purely military aspects, encompassing political, economic, and social factors that should be considered in broadly understood decision-making games. They constitute a crucial element in the training of per-sonnel in both the armed forces and most organizations, providing opportunities to develop and hone the skills necessary for decision-making in leadership, management, governance, and com-mand processes, with high effectiveness and low cost. They serve not only simulation and analytical purposes but also educational purposes, where player errors provide knowledge that should be ap-plied in real-world operations. Strategic decisions allow for planning for the future, although their long-term consequences in a dynamically evolving and security-threatening international situation remain an open question. Therefore, they should anticipate potential threats and challenges suffi-ciently in advance, and decision-making games play a crucial role in this regard.