Demystifying the Features of Defense Policies: Stability, Resilience, and Robustness

Taheryan, Mohammad; Ebrahimi, Seyed Abbas; Zinatbakhsh, Jafar

Demystifying the Features of Defense Policies: Stability, Resilience, and Robustness

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

² Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management & Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

In the contemporary world characterized by increasing complexities, intense dynamics, and profound uncertainties, public policies face unprecedented challenges. This research examines the relationship among three key features “stability,” “resilience,” and “robustness” in defense policies, employing a conceptual review methodology to elucidate these concepts.
The findings reveal distinct characteristics and mechanisms for each concept. Stability focuses on maintaining initial conditions and existing frameworks, operating through process standardization and institutional routines. Resilience emphasizes the capacity for adaptation and recovery after shocks, functioning through organizational learning and rapid feedback systems. Robustness concentrates on maintaining performance despite ambiguity and uncertainty, working through multi-layered design and diversity of tools.
The research results demonstrate that in today’s complex defense environment, an exclusive focus on stability may impede adaptation to environmental changes, while resilience, with its emphasis on returning to previous states, may not adequately address profound challenges. Conversely, robustness, which focuses on maintaining essential functions while allowing flexibility in methods, may provide a more suitable approach for designing defense policies in current complex and variable conditions.
This study contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical application in defense policy-making, offering insights for policymakers facing contemporary security challenges. The findings suggest that successful defense policies require a balanced integration of these features, with particular emphasis on robustness as a key characteristic for addressing modern complexities and uncertainties.

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