Recruitment, personnel retention capacity and selection system development

The project comprises six sub-studies that together examine key issues relating to recruitment, leadership and organisational culture within the Swedish Armed Forces. By analysing aspects ranging from selection processes and leadership development to mission command, destructive leadership and moral integrity, the project aims to strengthen the knowledge base for the military leadership of the future.

The project consists of six sub-projects:

Recruitment trends in the Swedish Armed Forces

This sub-project aims to monitor recruitment trends in the Swedish Armed Forces in terms of both quantity and quality in order to observe changes over time.

Delegation and mission command

For mission command to function effectively, leaders must be willing and able to delegate, while subordinates must be willing and able to assume responsibility and take initiative. There must also be trust between superiors and subordinates, as well as an environment that supports the development of trust. A negative organisational culture risks undermining both trust and courage. In 2026, an interview study will be conducted with the aim of identifying cultural carriers within the Swedish Armed Forces.

Leadership criteria of the Swedish Armed Forces

The project is available as support for the Swedish Armed Forces’ Leadership Supply Section (CFS) in relation to its work with the organisation’s leadership criteria. During 2026, the focus will be on talent management in relation to leadership development.

Validation of the selection process for the Officers’ Programme

This sub-study examines whether the selection criteria used for admission to the Officers’ Programme can predict outcomes such as performance, motivation to remain in the Swedish Armed Forces, and health during service.

Destructive leadership

For many years, the project has examined what constitutes destructive leadership and the consequences it produces. In recent years, the focus has been on identifying coping and management strategies for dealing with destructive leadership. In 2026, this work will continue through an interview study aimed at capturing organisational strategies for managing destructive leadership.

Moral integrity

This sub-project aims to develop a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) to measure moral integrity in a military context.