New Books Network Matthew A. Tattar, "Innovation and Adaptation in War" (MIT Press, 2025)
Dec 15, 2025
Matthew A. Tattar, an Associate Professor at the U.S. Naval War College, explores the dynamic interplay of military innovation and adaptation. He challenges the notion that innovation guarantees success in warfare, arguing that advantages quickly dissipate. Tattar highlights the critical role of organizational flexibility, using case studies from World War I and II to illustrate how effective responses, like convoy tactics, can thwart adversaries. He also underscores the importance of adapting strategies and resources, suggesting that flexibility often trumps being the first mover in military conflict.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Innovation's Advantage Is Short-Lived
- Wartime innovation often yields only short-lived advantages because opponents quickly imitate or counter it.
- Matthew A. Tattar argues organizational flexibility matters more than being first to innovate for lasting success.
Prioritize Organizational Flexibility
- Prioritize building organizational flexibility so an opponent can be repositioned and resources directed to blunt innovations.
- Emphasize structures that let units change roles quickly instead of banking solely on novel weapons or tactics.
Exploit Organizational Gaps To Maximize Impact
- Innovations succeed best when they exploit gaps across multiple rival subunits so no single organization owns the counter.
- Bureaucratic overlap or unclear responsibilities create resistance and slow effective adaptation.
