Dynamic Commitment Problems and Military Effectiveness: Resolve, Adaptation, and Flexibility in the Use of Force

Abstract

This dissertation explores the causes and consequences of military commitment problems and evaluates how they impact military effectiveness. Military organizations regularly encounter dynamic, heterogenous environments in which conditions can change both quickly and substantially over time, which can give rise to commitment problems. I investigate three factors necessary for military organizations to be effective in such situations: resolve—the willpower to continue with a course of action despite setbacks; adaptation—the ability to learn from and adjust to novel situations; and flexibility—the ability to respond quickly to different situations. Each of these factors is related to a different commitment problem that military forces often have to confront. First, high signals of resolve within an army can make the commitment to fight credible, such that commanders and troops believe fighting in combat is their best option, rather than fleeing or surrendering. Second, a high level of commitment to a conflict by political leaders can create better conditions for the military to adapt to novel situations and improve their doctrines. Finally, high flexibility through improved force projection capabilities can make security commitments to other states credible, as it allows military forces to respond to crises more quickly and efficiently. I demonstrate that organizational solutions to commitment problems are directly tied to military effectiveness, and along with other types of commitment solutions, provide a better framework for understanding military effectiveness than existing approaches.