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The Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) are today in a process of transformation, with the focus changing from homeland defence to embracing a global perspective. This change is being driven by a trend towards increasing international commitments. This has created a new set of demands on SAF, which has put pressure on greater efficiency in the supply chain, not least the order fulfilment process (OFP). Today, material managers can have a significant impact on lead-time reduction, but it is often unclear as to which aspects of the process managers should focus their efforts and capital on, to bring about improvements in the supply chain and the order fulfilment process. To increase knowledge of this phenomenon, the purpose of this thesis has been to investigate factors that have an impact on efficiency when it comes to the military supply chain (order fulfilment process for Role 2) in relation to ongoing changes within the SAF.

The project is based on a case study of the medical capability (Role 2). Moreover, a model has been used, which illustrates different influential factors of a changing organisation. These are core business, strategies, competence and management culture, all of which lead to a better understanding of how the unique context might have an impact on the efficiency related to the supply chain.

The results of the analysis show that there are great similarities between the empirical and theoretical elements. Several actors in the process are well aware of what needs to be done to improve the OFP; hence, there are some implications worthy of emphasis. However, the results also indicate that the use of measurements is not considered as a key principle for the management of processes by the respondents. Nevertheless, by using measurements in the OFP, SAF could better define the actual order cycle time and indirectly improve the OFP. An overall strategy has not been identified; however there are strategic goals and a material strategy. Furthermore, it is important that many of the respondents are not aware of what is said in these documents and that it appears to be unclear how the strategy should be applied in their daily work.

With regard to the leadership culture, there appears to be a strong "bottoms-up spirit" and a weak "top down" leadership in SAF. The study indicates that efficiency in the supply chain would benefit from a better balance between top down and bottom up leadership. The main conclusion from the analysis is that competence seems to be the essential factor in increasing efficiency in the OFP, to meet the demand for the development of new military capabilities, such as the NBG. It is almost as if this factor has been forgotten or is being neglected by SAF.