A study of Professionalism during the Falklands/Malvinas war: The Case of the Argentine Marines

This paper assesses how organizational culture affects the fighting performance of units in the battlefield. By focusing on the behavior of a group of Argentine troops during the Falklands War in 1982. Between May 21 and June 14, Argentine and British troops engaged in a fierce land battle for the possession of a group of islands in the South Atlantic known as the Falkland/Malvinas. In a campaign that a participant characterized as “no picnic,” British Marines, paratroopers, and Guards troops defeated the Argentine garrison comprised mainly of conscripted soldiers. However, Argentine Marine units especially distinguished themselves for their fighting ability. According to the author the main reason for this performance rests on their organizational culture.

Argentine Command Structure and its Impact on Land Operations during the Falklands/Malvinas War (1982)

This paper claims that besides training and equipment shortcomings, Argentine command structure was another source of problems that affected the military operations during the Falklands/Malvinas Campaign during April-June 1982. Consequently, the flawed command structure can be seen as a contributing factor in Argentina’s military defeat. Improvisation, confusion, lack of coordination, and desperation prevailed along the command structure throughout the conflict. Operational and tactical commands were seem to be pulling apart between the political imperatives of the High Command in Buenos Aires that transcended to the islands and the military imperatives of the front. This handicap was critical to conduct operations. By using official documents, reports and accounts and the own participants’ testimonies, this paper clarifies the issues connected with the structure of the Argentine High Command and it furthers our understanding of how the Argentine armed forces functioned.

A study of professionalism during the Falklands/Malvinas War: The case of the Argentine Marines

This paper assesses how organizational culture affects the fighting performance of units in the battlefield. By focusing on the behavior of a group of Argentine troops during the Falklands War in 1982. Between May 21 and June 14, Argentine and British troops engaged in a fierce land battle for the possession of a group of islands in the South Atlantic known as the Falkland/Malvinas. In a campaign that a participant characterized as no picnic, British Marines, paratroopers, and Guards troops defeated the Argentine garrison comprised mainly of conscripted soldiers. However, Argentine Marine units especially distinguished themselves for their fighting ability. According to the author the main reason for this performance rests on their organizational culture

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Notas de política exterior Argentina I: La evolución de la opinión pública respecto de las Malvinas (1984-1997)

Este trabajo analiza las opiniones públicas de tres de los actores involucrados en la discusión por la soberanía de las Islas Malvinas: los argentinos, los británicos y los isleños en el período que abarca las dos primeras presidencias de la democracia reinstaurada a fines de 1983 en el país sudamericano: Raúl Alfonsín y de Carlos Menem. Ambos gobiernos mantuvieron el objetivo de alcanzar la soberanía sobre las islas pero siguieron dos políticas diferentes. ¿Cuál fue el impacto de estas políticas en la opinión pública de los actores involucrados? En base a datos de encuestas este trabajo sugiere que en el caso de las Malvinas, los gobiernos democráticos tienen capacidad para influir en la opinión pública y modificarla, pero según sea la naturaleza del tema el apoyo del público establece como mínimo límites externos de lo aceptable. Por el contrario, los otros actores en esta disputa, los británicos y los isleños, si bien se expresaron favorablemente hacia la posibilidad de establecer algunos lazos u acercamientos, mantienen una fuerte actitud de rechazo a cualquier propuesta de transferencia de soberanía. Este trabajo explora tres dimensiones específicas de la parte argentina: actitudes hacia la mejora de las relaciones, actitudes hacia las políticas de Malvinas del gobierno argentino, la idea de una administración y explotación conjunta de los recursos naturales y la visión retrospectiva y una mirada al futuro de cómo sería la futura resolución del conflicto a quince años de la guerra de concluida la guerra. Respecto de los otros dos actores: se analiza la opinión pública general respecto de algunas de esas dimensiones en el Reino Unido y en las Islas Malvinas

Three to tango: Prenegotiation and mediation in the reestablishment of Anglo-Argentine diplomatic relations (1983--1990)

This study highlights the importance of the prenegotiation process in international negotiations. During this preliminary stage, the principal parties were able to reduce the risks of escalation; they defined and narrowed the boundaries of the dispute, clearly identified the trade-offs, and structured the agenda of formal negotiations. Consequently, the likelihood of successful negotiation improved significantly when the parties reach an agreement during PN on what will be discussed later. ^ This case also illustrate that sometimes, when negotiations reach a point of stalemate, a mediator can help to find a “zone of agreement.” When this situation occurs, the degree of involvement and the resources of the mediator are particularly important. Finally, this case confirms the assertions that effective mediation is more a matter of leverage and influence than a matter of impartiality. ^ This research studies the process of prenegotiation and the role of mediators during the negotiations between the Argentine and British governments about the dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands from immediately after the war of 1982 to 1990. In this period, the relationship between both governments evolved from rupture and no-relations to the agreement on the conditions to negotiate the renewal of full diplomatic relations concluded in early 1990. In a preliminary process of prenegotiation, the governments of Switzerland, initially, and the United States played a role in helping to reach an agreement. The former failed when the talks ended abruptly in July 1984. The latter succeeded in getting both parties to the table and keeping them there, thus avoiding a potential rupture until the two parties reached an agreement in principle. ^ By analyzing the interaction dynamics and the processes of learning and adjustment of the parties this research follows a developmental model. This model assumes that the outcomes of a negotiation process are neither predetermined nor random, but are the result of a progressive process of information exchange, learning, social influences, mutual adjustment and joint decision making. Consequently, the outcome of a negotiation is generally determined through the process itself.