Research on special operations is vague and at an early stage despite the fact that special operations, as we know them today, have been implemented since World War II. Several theories about why and when special operations succeed have been identified. However, current research suggests that these singly are not sufficient to explain something as complex as the nature of the special operations. Instead, the theories of special operations should be used together to complement each other. The purpose of this study is to provide an initial contribution to the research of special operations in which two independent theories are used to analyse how the planning and preparation for a special operation affect its outcome. One theory addresses the issue at a strategic level and the other one a tactical level. By breaking down the theories into smaller elements and seeking answers to these through a qualitative text analysis, indicators and evidence of its occurrence are obtained. The study's outcome shows that the parts of the two theories contribute, to some extent, to the explanation of the importance of planning and preparation in a special operation. It also shows that it is fruitful to use two theories to better understand the phenomenon of special operations.