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Introduction

Publication Type:

Book Chapter

Source:

Defence Management: An Introduction, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Geneva, p.3-13 (2009)

ISBN:

978-92-9222-089-1

Abstract:

<p>In historical terms, defence management emerged as a topic of interest for the defence sector not too long ago. It is no more than five decades since some Western nations introduced the concept of managing defence in addressing such issues as allocating financial or human resources, solving strategic or operational problems in a comprehensive approach, or using business-like tools governing the defence sector. Such an enterprise requires excellence at all levels and in every department of the defence establishment. One proven way of achieving this is to apply the managerial functions of planning, organising, leading and controlling to those segments and activities of the defence organisation that may contribute to maximising the operational performance of armed forces. The problems in need of managerial solutions are similar throughout the entire Euro-Atlantic space, regardless of the status of each individual nation, be it a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member or a partner. Some of these problems are decades old but became urgent in the last fifteen years or so. Among these problems, the cuts in personnel and spendings as a result of the ‘peace dividends’ after the end of the Cold war, as well as the increased demands for more deployable forces that operate far away from their home bases and have to be sustained for longer periods. ...</p><p><span style="font-family: tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN-GB"><a href="/compendum/defence-management-introduction" title="Back to the book content">Back to the book content</a></span></span></p>