Research

The Swedish total defense is undergoing rapid growth. As stated in the National Strategy for Supply Preparedness: “The pace needs to increase, and the focus needs to be on taking measures that strengthen the overall capability during the current defense decision period.”

About our research

This entails both strategic opportunities and risks. The Center for Security and Resilience conducts world-class research aimed at contributing knowledge about how total defense can navigate a “rapid but responsible growth.” Responsible growth is an organizational condition in which three dimensions must be coordinated: (1) Tempo (the rhythm and speed at which the organization(s) act), (2) Interpretation (how this change is experienced and understood by actors), and (3) Morality (how decisions are justified in relation to ethics, responsibility, and legitimacy).

These three dimensions are not given, but are shaped through practices, governance systems, and collaboration between actors. Our contribution lies in showing how they can be analyzed together – and how the interplay between them determines whether growth becomes sustainable, meaningful, and legitimate under pressured conditions. CfSR research covers both the civil and the military defense, which enables synergies between the different studies. It is a strength that the Center has funders from both civil and military defense. Some of the Center’s research projects will be more clearly connected to civil defense, others to military defense, and still others will have relevance for both civil and military defense.

Collaboration

This cross-disciplinary approach is unique and is made possible by faculty from the Stockholm School of Economics’ (SSE) different departments together with other national and international researchers collaborating in this initiative. All actors within total defense will need to move from talk to concrete collaborations in order to meet the growth, enable knowledge exchange, and find new ways of working and new points of contact in this new era of strong growth. Here, CfSR’s research and experience of collaboration between public and private actors will be an important building block.

Three main research areas

The Center conducts research within three main research areas: Management and Control; Supply Chains and Resilience; Innovation and Business Models. Currently there are 19 research projects in the Center. Here below you find a description of the three research areas, the research projects and the involved researchers.  

 

Research Area: Management and Control

How are management and control systems coordinated to manage the pace of change and legitimacy in defense organisations that are growing rapidly? Research that sheds light on this will, in addition to academic relevance, also result in evidence-based policy recommendations regarding, for example: a) which models for organisational governance the government, agencies, and private and public organisations use to lead, steer, and develop civil and military defense; b) how values such as efficiency, regulatory compliance, competence supply, and sound financial management can be ensured in times of rapid capability development, as well as during crisis or war; c) what changes are needed in government agencies’ approach to collaboration with industry and academia, especially as technological development for the civilian and defense sectors has merged into one ecosystem?; d) How can research improve understanding of how to aggregate different types of information to support well-informed decision-making from a risk perspective?; e) How can research increase knowledge about how to create incentives for behavioral change?

Many in the defense sector are used to a culture shaped by continuous downsizing and budget cuts. Operational effectiveness has often been secondary to staying within budget. It is a challenge to guide organizations through growth, and also to shift budgeting behavior where efficiency still matters - but with a new definition of what efficiency means. In order to answer these and related questions, CfSR currently has seven ongoing research projects within the research area Management and Control. 

Research Area: Supply Chains and Resilience

How do time pressure and value conflicts affect the flow, prioritisation, and interpretation of resources in preparedness systems? Research that sheds light on this will, in addition to academic relevance, also result in evidence-based policy recommendations regarding, for example: a) the conditions for maintaining supply chains to, from, and within the country; b) how capabilities can be created to compensate for disruptions and interruptions in supply flows; c) how capabilities can be created to prioritise critical flows and critical needs in situations of shortage; d) how markets have been affected by regulations that complicate defense supply, and what strategies could support new solutions.

In order to answer these and related questions, CfSR currently has six ongoing research projects within the research area Supply Chains and Resilience.  

Research Area: Innovation and Business Models

How are efficiency, learning and ethical responsibility balanced in the development of new business models, technical solutions and forms of collaboration?

Research that illuminates this will, in addition to academic relevance, also result in evidence-based policy recommendations regarding, for example: a) how Sweden’s total defense can develop its innovation capacity; b) how the public and private sectors can cooperate in peacetime and during heightened preparedness and war to effectively encourage, manage and implement innovations that strengthen total defense; c) how can business models be designed to promote collaboration among the total defense system, industry, and private actors?

In order to answer these and related questions, CfSR currently has six ongoing research projects within the research area Innovation and Business Models.