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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">cndcgs</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="epub">2538-8959</issn>
      <issn pub-type="ppub">2669-2023</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>LKA</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">77__KONECNA</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.47459/cndcgs.2026.77</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Article</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Generation Z in the Czech Armed Forces: Leadership Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Contemporary National Defence</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>KONEČNÁ</surname>
            <given-names>Markéta</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_cndcgs_aff_000"/>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_cndcgs_aff_000">Faculty of Military Leadership, University of Defence, Czech Republic</aff>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>ZÁCHOVÁ</surname>
            <given-names>Darina</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_cndcgs_aff_001"/>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_cndcgs_aff_001">Faculty of Military Leadership, University of Defence, Czech Republic</aff>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>SEIDLOVÁ</surname>
            <given-names>Markéta</given-names>
          </name>
          <email xlink:href="mailto:marketa.seidlova@unob.cz">marketa.seidlova@unob.cz</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_cndcgs_aff_002"/>
          <xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor3">∗∗∗</xref>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="j_cndcgs_aff_002">Faculty of Military Leadership, University of Defence, Czech Republic</aff>
      </contrib-group>
      <author-notes>
        <corresp id="cor3"><label>∗∗∗</label>Corresponding author.</corresp>
      </author-notes>
      <volume>2026</volume>
      <issue>1</issue>
      <fpage>669</fpage>
      <lpage>677</lpage>
      <pub-date pub-type="epub">
        <day>10</day>
        <month>07</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <permissions>
        <license license-type="open-access">
          <license-p>Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY)</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <abstract>
        <p>The capacity of military organisations to sustain operational effectiveness depends increasingly on their ability to lead and retain Generation Z personnel (born 1996 – 2012) – the first fully digital cohort entering professional armed forces worldwide. This narrative literature review synthesises evidence on the leadership challenges and opportunities associated with Generation Z, with particular focus on the Czech Armed Forces (CAF). Drawing on generational theory, transformational and adaptive leadership models, as well as empirical military research (2019 – 2025), the paper identifies three analytical dimensions: generational characteristics in military contexts, leadership and development requirements, and institutional adaptation within the CAF. Evidence-based implications are developed for leadership doctrine, training design, and organisational culture.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <label>Keywords</label>
        <kwd>Generation Z</kwd>
        <kwd>military leadership</kwd>
        <kwd>Czech Armed Forces</kwd>
        <kwd>narrative literature review</kwd>
        <kwd>transformational leadership</kwd>
        <kwd>national defence</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
