Military Forces in gray zone conflicts: influence of logistics as dynamic capability

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25062/2955-0289.4969

Keywords:

threats, dynamic capabilities, gray zone conflict, hybrid warfare, logistics

Abstract

Conflicts are transforming from kinetic to non-kinetic, meaning they do not employ tools of direct physical violence. This is the case with gray zone threats, which leads, also from the logistics perspective, to seek strategies to help address these threats. Therefore, the objective of this review is to analyze the influence of logistics as a dynamic capability of the Military Forces on gray zone threats through specific cases. To achieve this objective, the PRISMA 2020 methodology was used. The main findings were that there are different threats in gray zone conflicts, such as: ethnic conflicts, active total defense to confront various attacks, reduction of fishing space, energy as a crucial sector of economic tools, and militarization of trade.

Author Biography

Juan Carlos Aristizabal Murillo, Escuela Superior de Guerra General Rafael Reyes Prieto

Doctorando en Gestión. Magíster en Educación con énfasis en Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas. Especialista en Docencia e Investigación Universitaria. Administrador de empresas. Profesional en Ciencias Militares. Docente e investigador, Escuela Superior de Guerra “General Rafael Reyes Prieto”.

References

Badakhshan, E., & Ball, P. (2024). Deploying hybrid modelling to support the development of a digital twin for supply chain master planning under disruptions. International Journal of Production Research, 62(10), 3606-3637. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2023.2244604

Barreto, I. (2010). Dynamic capabilities: A review of past research and an agenda for the future. Journal of Management, 36(1), 256-280. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309350776

Belo, D., & Carment, D. (2023). Ethnic conflict and modern warfare. En Routledge handbook of the future of warfare. Routledge.

Cannas, V. G., Ciano, M. P., Saltalamacchia, M., & Secchi, R. (2024). Artificial intelligence in supply chain and operations management: A multiple case study research. International Journal of Production Research, 62(9), 3333-3360. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2023.2232050

Castañé, G., Dolgui, A., Kousi, N., Meyers, B., Thevenin, S., Vyhmeister, E., & Östberg, P.-O. (2023). The ASSISTANT project: AI for high level decisions in manufacturing. International Journal of Production Research, 61(7), 2288-2306. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2022.2069525

Chen, W.-C., Ou, C.-H., Yang, M.-H., & Shih, Y.-C. (2024). China’s gray zone actions in the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea: A comparative study and impact on fisheries. Marine Policy, 167, 106246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106246

Easterby-Smith, M., Lyles, M. A., & Peteraf, M. A. (2009). Dynamic capabilities: Current debates and future directions. British Journal of Management, 20(s1), S1-S8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2008.00609.x

Enamorado, J., & Jesús, J. (2020). International competition below the threshold of war: Toward a theory of gray zone conflict. https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.14.1.1836

Geri, M. (2024). Understanding Russian hybrid warfare against Europe in the energy sector and in the future ‘energy-resources-climate’ security nexus. Journal of Strategic Security, 17(3), 15-34. [suspicious link removed]

Ii, A. J. E. (2025). Operating in the gray zone: An alternative paradigm for U.S. military strategy.

Kohtamäki, M., Parida, V., Oghazi, P., Gebauer, H., & Baines, T. (2019). Digital servitization business models in ecosystems: A theory of the firm. Journal of Business Research, 104, 380-392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.027

Kurtmollaiev, S. (2020). Dynamic capabilities and where to find them. Journal of Management Inquiry, 29(1), 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492617730126

Ljungkvist, K. (2024). The military-strategic rationality of hybrid warfare: Everyday total defence under strategic non-peace in the case of Sweden. European Journal of International Security, 9(4), 533-552. https://doi.org/10.1017/eis.2024.18

McDonagh, N., & Bachmann, S.-D. D. (2025). Economic coercion and gray zone competition: Reassessing the China-Australia case. Pacific Affairs, 98(1), 53-77. https://doi.org/10.5509/2025981-art5

Merhi, M. I., & Harfouche, A. (2024). Enablers of artificial intelligence adoption and implementation in production systems. International Journal of Production Research, 62(15), 5457-5471. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2023.2167014

Morris, L., Mazarr, M., Hornung, J., Pezard, S., Binnendijk, A., & Kepe, M. (2019). Gaining competitive advantage in the gray zone: Response options for coercive aggression below the threshold of major war. RAND Corporation. https://doi.org/10.7249/RR2942

Olan, F., Liu, S., Suklan, J., Jayawickrama, U., & Arakpogun, E. O. (2022). The role of Artificial Intelligence networks in sustainable supply chain finance for food and drink industry. International Journal of Production Research, 60(14), 4418-4433. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2021.1915510

Onditi, F., McLarren, K., Ben-Nun, G., Stivachtis, Y. A., & Okoth, P. (Eds.). (2023). The Palgrave handbook of diplomatic thought and practice in the digital age. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28214-0

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., & Alonso-Fernández, S. (2021). Declaración PRISMA 2020: Una guía actualizada para la publicación de revisiones sistemáticas. Revista Española de Cardiología, 74(9), 790-799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.recesp.2021.06.016

Papadopoulos, T., Sivarajah, U., Spanaki, K., Despoudi, S., & Gunasekaran, A. (2022). Editorial: Artificial intelligence (AI) and data sharing in manufacturing, production, and operations management research. International Journal of Production Research, 60(14), 4361-4364. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2021.2010979

Sharma, R., Kamble, S. S., Gunasekaran, A., Kumar, V., & Kumar, A. (2020). A systematic literature review on machine learning applications for sustainable agriculture supply chain performance. Computers & Operations Research, 119, 104926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cor.2020.104926

Teece, D. J. (2007). Explicating dynamic capabilities: The nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28(13), 1319-1350. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.640

Wang, C. L., & Ahmed, P. K. (2007). Dynamic capabilities: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 9(1), 31-51. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2007.00201.x

Yu, M., & Cao, E. (2020). Information sharing format and carbon emission abatement in a supply chain with competition. International Journal of Production Research, 58(22), 6775-6790. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2019.1685704

Zollo, M., & Winter, S. G. (2002). Deliberate learning and the evolution of dynamic capabilities. Organization Science, 13(3), 339-351. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.13.3.339.2780

How to Cite

Aristizabal Murillo, J. C. (2025) “Military Forces in gray zone conflicts: influence of logistics as dynamic capability ”, Estrategia, Poder y Desarrollo, 4(7), pp. 57–64. doi: 10.25062/2955-0289.4969.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Published

2025-06-30

Altmetric

Escanea para compartir
QR Code

Some similar items: