Project
Understanding the value of defence
Jul 13, 2021
The value of defence extends beyond providing security to a nation, offering benefits to both the economy and society in times of peace as well as conflict. The UK Ministry of Defence asked RAND to develop a 'Defence Value Proposition' to provide a better understanding of why defence exists and how the value it brings to the nation can be better articulated to government, partners and the wider public.
Towards a Defence Value Proposition for the UK
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The value of defence extends beyond providing security to a nation, offering benefits to both the economy and society in times of peace as well as conflict. Despite this, there is currently no common approach to measuring the value of defence, making it difficult to present a case for investment in this area when competing for limited public sector resources.
Recognising this, the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre within the UK Ministry of Defence asked RAND Europe to examine the 'value proposition' of UK defence, to provide a better understanding of why defence exists and explore how the value it brings to the nation can be better articulated across government, to partners and to the wider public.
Defence delivers value to society in a variety of direct and indirect forms, beyond the immediate benefits of protection against security threats. The UK Defence Value Proposition covers a range of interconnected components, each providing value in a different way:
Various factors affect how different groups view the values of defence, from evolving political contexts to personal circumstance. To help the UK defence articulate a more compelling value proposition to multiple audiences, this study recommends it should:
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter Two
Understanding value in the public sector
Chapter Three
Learning from approaches in other nations and sectors
Chapter Four
Defining the value proposition of UK defence
Chapter Five
Conclusions and next steps
Annex A
Glossary of key terms
Annex B
List of stakeholders
The research described in this report was commissioned by the the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC) and conducted by RAND Europe.
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