Five Key Changes for the Management of UK Defence - An Agenda for Research?

This paper is conceptual in nature and reviews five of the key management challenges facing those charged with the management of the UK Defence. It is argued that similar challenges face many Western governments, albeit the solutions are likely to be country-specific. Given the paucity of academic research into the general area of defence management, it is suggested that there is considerable potential for focused application of ideas and concepts from a broad range of disciplines that will help improve the UKs ability to maintain its peacetime military capability efficiently whilst retaining its capacity to conduct operations effectively. Whilst the paper does not seek to recommend solutions for the issues identified, it does seek to expose the essential features as a means of broadening the understanding of the nature of the challenge and, hence, to help shape the research agenda.