The DOI matches its Crossref record, with a small difference in title or year; 3 of the 4 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics
Abstract
The Diffusion of Military Power examines how the financial and organizational challenges of adopting new methods of fighting wars can influence the international balance of power. Michael Horowitz argues that a state or actor wishing to adopt a military innovation must possess both the financial resources to buy or build the technology and the internal organizational capacity to accommodate any necessary changes in recruiting, training, or operations. How countries react to new innovations--and to other actors that do or don't adopt them--has profound implications for the global order and the likelihood of war. Horowitz looks at some of the most important military innovations throughout history, including the advent of the all-big-gun steel battleship, the development of aircraft carriers and nuclear weapons, and the use of suicide terror by nonstate actors. He shows how expensive innovations can favor wealthier, more powerful countries, but also how those same states often stumble when facing organizationally complicated innovations. Innovations requiring major upheavals in doctrine and organization can disadvantage the wealthiest states due to their bureaucratic inflexibility and weight the balance of power toward smaller and more nimble actors, making conflict more likely. This book provides vital insights into military innovations and their impact on U.S. foreign policy, warfare, and the distribution of power in the international system.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Research on military systems and military power overwhelmingly suggests that, in general, what matters most for victory and defeat in warfare is how countries and nonstate actors use these tools (Biddle 2004, Horowitz 2010).”
From Do Emerging Military Technologies Matter for International Politics? (2020) · cites this paper as Horowitz 2010
Citations
Cites
Collective Mind in Organizations: Heedful Interrelating on Flight Decks
Weick, K. E., & Roberts, K. H. (1993) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2393372 · Cited by 4,517
Zucker, L. G., & Darby, M. R. (1996) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.93.23.12709 · Cited by 785
Zisk, K. M. (1993) · Princeton University Press eBooks · doi:10.1515/9781400820931 · Cited by 97
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 4 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 101–183 of 183
JUSTAS for all? Innovation and UAVs in the Canadian forces
Schaub, G. J. (2015) · Defence Studies · doi:10.1080/14702436.2015.1035941 · Cited by 4
North Korean nuclear strategy: envisioning assured retaliation
Lee, D. S., & Alexandrova, I. (2019) · International Relations of the Asia-Pacific · doi:10.1093/irap/lcz028 · Cited by 4
Farrell, T. (2020) · Journal of Strategic Studies · doi:10.1080/01402390.2020.1768371 · Cited by 4
Unpacking military emulation: absorptive capacity and German counterinsurgency doctrine during ISAF
Dyson, T. (2019) · European Security · doi:10.1080/09662839.2019.1702528 · Cited by 4
Governments, Rebels, and the Use of Child Soldiers in Internal Armed ConflictsPreprint
Tynes, R., & Early, B. R. (2011) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.1898229 · Cited by 4
An analytics-based framework for military technology adoption and combat strategy
Schuur, P. C. (2025) · Decision Analytics Journal · doi:10.1016/j.dajour.2025.100586 · Cited by 3
Traité de relations internationales
Vennesson, P. (2013) · Presses de Sciences Po eBooks · doi:10.3917/scpo.balza.2013.01.0717 · Cited by 3
Innovación militar en el Ejército español durante la guerra de Marruecos (1921-1927)
López-Rodríguez, G. (2019) · Revista Española de Ciencia Política · doi:10.21308/recp.51.06 · Cited by 3
Military Power and Conventional Deterrence
Dall’Agnol, A. C., & Duarte, É. E. (2022) · Revista de relaciones internacionales estrategia y seguridad · doi:10.18359/ries.5793 · Cited by 3
AUTONOMOUS WEAPON SYSTEMS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
Akkuş, B. (2022) · Güvenlik Bilimleri Dergisi · doi:10.28956/gbd.1078155 · Cited by 3
New technology, old strategy: Cyberspace and the international politics of African agency
Allen, N., & Lime, M. L. (2024) · Journal of Strategic Studies · doi:10.1080/01402390.2024.2330074 · Cited by 3
Johnson, R. A. I. (2017) · doi:10.1093/obo/9780199743292-0215 · Cited by 3
Factores culturales y procesos de cambio militar en el ejército español
López-Rodríguez, G. (2022) · Revista Española de Investigaciones Sociológicas · doi:10.5477/cis/reis.179.59 · Cited by 2
Adapting military doctrine in the shadow of the future
Lehmann, T. C. (2023) · The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation Applications Methodology Technology · doi:10.1177/15485129231189286 · Cited by 5
Hwang, J.-J. (2026) · Defence Studies · doi:10.1080/14702436.2026.2672089 · Cited by 2
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Leadership Decapitation Tactics Against Terrorist Groups
Price, B. (2015) · T.M.C. Asser Press eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-6265-072-5_12 · Cited by 2
Ships over Troubled Waters: Examining Naval Development in Asia
Crisher, B. (2021) · Journal of Asian and African Studies · doi:10.1177/0021909621995859 · Cited by 2
Parisini, E. (2025) · Global Public Policy and Governance · doi:10.1007/s43508-025-00115-x · Cited by 2
Persistent Conflict and Special Operations Forces
Reynolds, P. W. (2014) · Military review · Cited by 2
Žotkevičiūtė-Banevičienė, A. (2021) · Journal of Security and Sustainability Issues · doi:10.47459/jssi.2021.11.1 · Cited by 2
Kadercan, B. (2022) · Global Studies Quarterly · doi:10.1093/isagsq/ksac032 · Cited by 3
Examining Supply Chain Risks in Autonomous Weapon Systems and Artificial Intelligence
Wyatt, A. (2023) · Applied Cybersecurity & Internet Governance · doi:10.60097/acig/162874 · Cited by 2
The Influence of Mediator Military Power on Armed Conflicts Resolution
Mustafina, V., & Mal’tsev, A. F. (2024) · International Trends / Mezhdunarodnye protsessy · doi:10.17994/it.2023.21.4.75.8 · Cited by 2
Brands, H. (2017) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3014389 · Cited by 2
Jahn, D. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-34560-0_9 · Cited by 1
López-Rodríguez, G. (2023) · Studia Europejskie / Centrum Europejskie Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego · doi:10.33067/se.1.2023.4 · Cited by 1
The Spanish Army in Security Force Assistance
López-Rodríguez, G. (2023) · Revista Científica General José María Córdova · doi:10.21830/19006586.1075 · Cited by 1
Kraft, I. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-30184-2_13 · Cited by 1
Büyükakıncı, E. (2024) · Güvenlik Stratejileri Dergisi · doi:10.17752/guvenlikstrtj.1609862 · Cited by 2
International Society's Challenge of Targeted Killing by Drones
Troy, J. (2017) · International Politics · doi:10.1057/s41311-017-0112-2 · Cited by 1
Boermans, M., Galema, R., Plantinga, A., & Scholtens, B. (2026) · European Journal of Political Economy · doi:10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2026.102826
LeadershippDriven Innovation & Evolution of SocietiesPreprint
Coccia, M. (2015) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.2579222 · Cited by 1
Exploring the Final Frontier: An Empirical Analysis of Global Civil Space ProliferationPreprint
Early, B. R. (2011) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.1932254 · Cited by 1
Public Opinion and Drone Exports: Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment in the U.S.Preprint
Lushenko, P., & Kreps, S. E. (2023) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4447640 · Cited by 1
Conclusion: innovation and military power
Farrell, T., Rynning, S., & Terriff, T. (2013) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781107360143.005
Power, Proximity, and Democracy: Geopolitical Competition in the International SystemPreprint
Markowitz, J. N., & Fariss, C. J. (2013) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.2204867
Enamorado, J. J. (2015) · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja)
International society and the logics of anarchy
Brenner, W. J. (2015) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781316271650.003
Diliberto, J. (2016) · University of Birmingham Institutional Research Archive (University of Birmingham)
Borchert, H. (2016) · Zeitschrift für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik · doi:10.1007/s12399-016-0575-z
International Society's Challenge of Targeted Killing by DronesPreprint
Troy, J. (2017) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.2977419
Spearin, C. (2017) · New security challenges · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-54903-3_6
Powerful, Proximate and Potentially Threatening: Explaining Why States Arm and Project PowerPreprint
Anders, T., Fariss, C. J., & Markowitz, J. N. (2017) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3045481
Die Virtualisierung der Kriegsführung
Andreas, M. (2018) · Handbuch Virtualität · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-16358-7_17-1
Die Virtualisierung der Kriegsführung
Andreas, M. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-16342-6_17
Long, C. (2021) · Advanced sciences and technologies for security applications · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-73655-2_8
The Nature of the Premodern Strategic Environment
Grygiel, J. J. (2018) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781316665909.002
Kreuzer, M. P. (2014)
Parent, J. M., & Rosato, S. (2022) · Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego eBooks · doi:10.31338/uw.9788323550075.pp.636-650
Jahn, D. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-05678-0_9-1
Hooper, S. J. (2022) · International Politics · doi:10.1057/s41311-022-00421-9
Александрович, В. В. (2023) · Lomonosov World Politics Journal · doi:10.48015/2076-7404-2023-15-1-16-69
Prolegomena on Theory: Rector, Actor, Other
Atkinson, M. (2023) · Contributions to phenomenology · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-40776-5_2
Roberts, L. H. (2023) · Journal of Military Studies · doi:10.2478/jms-2023-0007
War and Technology from 1800 to Globalization. Prometheus Unbound
Bret, P. (2024) · Techne. · doi:10.1484/m.techne-eb.5.129831
Bugarčić, F. Ž., Stekić, N., & Tubić-Ćurčić, T. (2025) · Politička revija · doi:10.5937/pr83-55146
Unintended Beneficiaries of Military AI: How Third-Party States Reshape Strategic Stability
Cai, C., & Zhang, L. (2025) · BTTN Journal · doi:10.61732/bj.v4i2.248
La guerra inteligente de China como estrategia de innovación y desarrollo económico.
Furlong, A., Netzahualcoyotzi, R., & Herrera, E. H. (2026) · PORTES revista mexicana de estudios sobre la Cuenca del Pacífico · doi:10.53897/revportes.2026.06.03
The Influence of Mediator Military Power on Armed Conflicts Resolution
Mustafina, V. V., & Maltsev, A. M. (2025) · Russian Journal of World Politics and Law of Nations · doi:10.24833/rjwpln-2024-1-83-117
Panwar, R. (2026) · European Modern Studies Journal · doi:10.59573/emsj.10(1).2026.33
Dependence by design: decisive control in Royal Navy missions under US retrenchment
Bonner, J., & Galbreath, D. J. (2026) · European Security · doi:10.1080/09662839.2026.2648933
Strategic latency under algorithmic risk: Pakistan’s divergence from the AI arms Race
Ahmed, S., & Yaakub, A. N. (2026) · Defence Studies · doi:10.1080/14702436.2026.2664456
Defence Entrepreneurship: A Theory of Military Innovation Under Constraint
Carlucci, P. (2026) · Revista Científica General José María Córdova · doi:10.21830/19006586.1599
Quantification of geopolitical factors via artificial intelligence
Stajković, N., & Miljković, M. (2026) · Srpska politička misao · doi:10.5937/spm98-67084
Мальцев, А. М. (2026) · Defence and Peace Economics · doi:10.1080/10242694.2026.2697823
Akhtar, N., & Mahmood, N. (2026) · International Journal of Emerging Multidisciplinaries Social Science · doi:10.54938/ijemdss.2026.05.2.676
Rzazade, Z. (2026) · Journal of Strategic Studies · doi:10.1080/01402390.2026.2703571
Algorithmic deterrence: A new strategic logic in the era of artificial intelligence
Pavić, A. M. (2026) · Nacionalni interes · doi:10.5937/nint54-64046
Military innovation and procurement trade-offs: explaining Japan’s drone adoption
Ogi, H. (2026) · The Pacific Review · doi:10.1080/09512748.2026.2726763
Verschuren, S. C. J. (2026) · Journal of Strategic Studies · doi:10.1080/01402390.2026.2720233
Çifçi, O. (2026) · Akdeniz Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi · doi:10.25294/auiibfd.1945551
ROBOTS, DRONES, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF MODERN MILITARY POWER
Amartur, B. (2026) · International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science · doi:10.31435/ijitss.3(51).2026.6264
AI Weaponization: Threats to Peace or Paths to International Cooperation?
Arora, P. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-14911-4_38
Technology, Power, and the Governance of International Security
Fernández-Osorio, A. E., Santos, C. P., & Matey, G. D. (2026) · Revista Científica General José María Córdova · doi:10.21830/19006586.1684
Quand les « faibles » frappent fort - Technologies ouvertes, idéologie et violence politique
Hamel, T. (2026) · Sécurité globale · doi:10.54695/secug.263.0023
Kapoula, O., Panitsidis, K., Spinthiropoulos, K. G., Vezou, M., & Xolopoulos, A. (2026) · Societies · doi:10.3390/soc16100355
The fall of ASTROS: Organisational barriers to the Brazilian Army’s cruise missile programme
Duarte, É. E., Santos, T., Pereira, E. D. S., & Makrakis, H. (2026) · Journal of Strategic Studies · doi:10.1080/01402390.2026.2747998
Perilous Waters: The Political Economy of International Warship Exports
Clare, T. (2013) · DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library)
Metadata
- Authors
- Horowitz, M. C.
- Corresponding author
- Horowitz, Michael C.
- ORCID
- Horowitz, Michael C.
- Venue
- Princeton University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- Published
- 2010-12-31
- OpenAlex
- W2251423976
- Cited by
- 182
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 8.32
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Princeton University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › International Relations and Foreign Policy
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Defense, Military, and Policy Studies
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Military History and Strategy
- Keywords
- military innovation, balance of power, military finance, military organization, aircraft carriers, nuclear weapons, suicide terrorism, non-state actors, US foreign policy, international security
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review