Military Culture and Information Sharing

In this introductory paper the focus will be on the relation between military culture and information sharing in military operations and organizations, horizontally and vertically. Based on the diversity concept, including its manifestations in separation, variety and disparity, the relation between both phenomena will be explored, looking at both sending and receiving sides of the organization. A typology will be developed using the following concepts from sociology and administrative science: absorptive capacity, resistance, diffusion (including weak and strong ties) and secrecy. The paper will be mainly theoretical, but illustrations from recent operations and experiences will be included.