New doctoral thesis looks at Swedish Armed Forces

20 August 2012 Jönköping International Business School

On Friday 17 August Per Skoglund successfully defended his doctoral thesis in Business Administration at Jönköping International Business School.

The thesis, entitled “Sourcing decisions for military logistics in Peace Support Operations – A case study of the Swedish armed forces”, addresses sourcing decisions’ impact on military logistics in the Swedish Armed Forces’ (FM) Peace Support Operations (PSOs). It looks at how the decisions affect the operational effectiveness of the FM and the peace development process. FM’s PSOs during the period 2002-2010 have been analysed with the focus on two operations, in Liberia and in the Bay of Aden.

The study shows that proximity to and partnership relations with the suppliers are important for the ability to meet different requirements in PSOs. The study indicates that the requirements in the Swedish Act of Public Procurement hinder the FM’s ability to be source efficient and effective in PSOs.

Sourcing was identified as one logistic key function. The sourcing decisions change between different phases in the operation. The study found that the decisions are important for logistic outcomes. The decisions enabled responsiveness in the logistics system in a hostile environment, effectiveness in the operations and more efficiently spent taxpayers’ money.

An important outcome from the study is also that it shows that logistics and sourcing in PSOs can contribute to the overall peace development process through procurement in the operational area, requirements put on international suppliers to establish relations in the operational area and to have military logistics resources support to the rebuilding of the nation.

Faculty opponent at the defence was Professor David Moore, Cranfield University. The examining committee consisted of Professor Thomas Johnsen, Audencia Nantes School of Management, France, Professor Gyögyi Kovacs, Hanken School of Economics, Finland, and Associate Professor Adele Berndt, JIBS. Chairperson at the defence was Professor Susanne Hertz (main tutor).

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