Clausewitz: The Debate Continues on this Polarising Military Figure

Book Review Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz (1780–1831) was a Prussian military officer, military theorist, and writer on military affairs. His most famous work is Vom Kriege, known in the English-speaking world as On War. Absent this book, few today would even know of Clausewitz. Its publication, however, has cemented his place in history, as it remains in print and a topic of… Read More

Learning from Soft Power: Healthcare & the Military

The value of ‘soft power’ versus ‘hard power’ is very much flavour of the month and is hotly debated. Below is a BMJ article that utilises the concept of soft power for the healthcare environment. The limitations of direct military intervention – or ‘hard power’ as politicians call it – for achieving foreign policy are… Read More

Tweeting is a Work Concern

Examples of employees being reprimanded for ill-advised tweets are common, such as the Bristol stockbroker sacked for tweeting: “Think I just hit a cyclist. But I’m late for work so had to drive off lol.” But the assumption that personal tweets that do not mention the tweeter’s employer are ‘safe’ is wrong, says Andrew Brown… Read More

Smoking Policy: Remember ‘Vaping’ & e-Cigarettes

A recent tribunal has highlighted the importance of having a policy on ‘vaping’, or using e-cigarettes , at work. In Insley v Accent Catering, a school catering assistant claimed she was constructively dismissed. The headteacher of the school where she was working complained to its catering contractor that Ms Insley had been smoking in front… Read More

Royal Navy: Admirals to Warships Ratio

Did you that the Royal Navy has more Admirals than warships (capital ships such as frigates, destroyers and submarines). As at January 2015 the Royal Navy had 38 Admirals: 1 Admiral; 7 Vice Admirals; and 30 Rear Admirals. This is in contrast to the 33 warships: 13 frigates; 6 destroyers; and 14 submarines. FOI 2015… Read More

How Smart Connections will Shape New Skills

New types of ‘smart, connected products’, resulting from advances in technology, are having a significant impact on reshaping industries, competition and competitive advantage, according to this Harvard Business Review article. Products that used to be simply mechanical and electrical have become more complex systems that combine hardware, sensors, data storage capabilities, micro-processors, software and connectivity.… Read More

Climate Change & Future Military Strategy

Climate change does not respect borders and we must work together to fight its threats. These are not the words of a ‘tree-hugger’, but the US Department of Defense. A recently published report says that extreme weather, rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall and rising oceans could fuel armed insurgency and heighten the impact of a pandemic, through their effects on political instability, poverty, migration and resource disputes.… Read More