Organizational Change in the Army: The Spanish Case

The Spanish Army has experienced a profound transformation during the last three decades. Recent academic literature has identified the key elements of the historical background, operational experience, and professionalization of forces. Based on 24 personal interviews with military personnel, this chapter examines how the Spanish Army has evolved and the various planning activities undertaken to prepare forces for future operating environments. The chapter provides a theoretical background on military change as applied to the Spanish Army. This perspective will allow us to study (1) the main drivers of change, (2) operational and organizational transformations in the Spanish Army, and (3) current change initiatives to adapt land forces to the future operating environment in 2035. Conclusions include several recommendations to improve military performance and identify key lessons learned from expeditionary operations of the Spanish Army since 1991.