Theorising Military Innovation’s Emergence and Effectiveness Across Innovation Timelines

Abstract This conceptual article discusses moderators of the phases of military innovation and their mutual relationship. It examines how factors such as organisational culture, incentives, risk-taking environments, and resource mobilisation impact the different phases in the innovation process. It finds moderators have varying explanatory values across the innovation timeline, influencing both the emergence and effectiveness of innovations. During the invention phase, critical thinking, organisational culture, and incentives drive the generation of innovative ideas. In the incubation phase, political coherence, industrial structure, and lobbying efforts become crucial for advancing these ideas within the military and political bureaucracy. The implementation phase is shaped by strategic culture, political will, and risk appetite, which determine the broader acceptance and execution of innovations. This leads to a detailed expansion of Horowitz and Pindyck’s model of the military innovation process by acknowledging the feedback mechanisms and interdependencies among these factors.