Maximising defence capacities by allocating societal resources : Balancing the objectives in planning for a total defence structure

Sammanfattning: This thesis aims to investigate how the objectives of neoliberal economic thought and total defence structure are relatable in defence planning. With a theoretical base in research on outsourcing of military logistics, the thesis sets out to contribute to the field of research by conceptualising the objectives of a total defence structure as a way of understanding the defence posture in Sweden since 2015. This is analysed through an in-depth study of Swedish defence planning reports and interviews with relevant actors using a thematic approach of data analysis.  The research identifies that the objectives of neoliberal economic thought and total defence structure correlate to a certain extent but there are also some discrepancies that affect the defence planning and ability. The result indicates that there is a potential to combine the objectives more efficiently if the conceptualisations were developed to fit the current societal structure where outsourcing is a common practice.