Lessons (not) learned? : EU military operations and the adaptation of CSDP

Defence date: 13 June 2013Examining Board: Prof. Pascal Vennesson (European University Institute, Supervisor); Prof. Marise Cremona (European University Institute); Prof. Michael E. Smith (University of Aberdeen); Prof. Sophie Vanhoonacker (Maastricht University)PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digital archive of EUI PhD thesesEver since the launch of the EU’s first military operations in 2003, the Council recognized the importance for the EU to learn lessons from all its missions. Indeed, preliminary evidence from primary and secondary sources suggests, that at least part of the CSDP developments of the past years in the field of military crisis management result from lessons as identified during the first CSDP military operations. But despite the EU’s objective to learn from its missions and tentative proof that learning is actually happening, CSDP remains characterized by a number of limits and drawbacks. But why? Why did the EU, in the field of military crisis management, learn some lessons from its missions, and not others? The thesis explores this empirical puzzle and qualitatively investigates this research question. In order to do so and from a theoretical perspective, it makes use of Organizational Learning Theory (OLT), which provides the theoretical and analytical tools to explain how learning and non-learning can possibly occur within CSDP. Empirically, it is based upon 85 interviews that were conducted across the institutional landscape of CSDP as well as with some UN and NATO staff. The first chapter lays out the theoretical, analytical and methodological framework of the thesis. The second chapter introduces its case studies – the EU’s first three military operations (EUFORs Concordia, Artemis, and Althea) and provides the necessary information to embed the research analyses to follow. The third chapter presents first empirical findings, focusing on the EU infrastructure for learning in EU military crisis management. It introduces the actors involved in the learning process and sheds light on the processes that account for learning in this field. Chapter four uncovers and explains the lessons identified from the case studies. Chapter five fleshes out the underlying causal mechanisms that explain why specific lessons were learned from the EU’s first three military operations. In order to do so, it contrasts one successful with one unsuccessful area of lesson learning. Building upon that, it adapts the model of learning processes within organizations as developed in chapter one. To support these theoretical and empirical findings, chapter six provides additional information on EU developments in all the remaining fields of lesson identification from chapter four. Concluding the thesis, chapter seven summarizes its empirical and theoretical findings, fleshes out its contribution, develops recommendations on how to improve the learning process in EU military crisis management and lays out research questions that emerge from its findings

Testing of High Strength Fabrics: Reporting Modulus, Low Strain Properties, and Ultimate Tensile Strength

Measurement of the tensile properties of high strength woven and knit fabrics, including geotextiles and geogrids traditionally make use of roller grip-type clamping systems. These grips are designed to allow a sample to be pulled in tension without applying an excessive crimping or compressive force on the specimen, thus avoiding premature failure. Roller grips, also known as capstan grips, also have the advantage of allowing the specimen to align itself with the applied force therefore loading the specimen uniformly across the width. However, since the specimen tightens itself around the grip during testing, crosshead travel cannot be used to measure specimen strain, which makes the determination of low strain properties and the selection of modulus values difficult. Two issues that must be addressed in obtaining low strain properties are how to measure sample strain and how to get an accurate and repeatable starting point for the test. This paper will explore alternate methods of gripping systems, strain measurement and data analysis with the objective of accurately measuring and reporting low strain properties of woven and knit textiles. </jats:p