This collection of essays outlines the work of one BSc student in Security and Risk Management from the University of Portsmouth, UK. It provides useful insights towards a better understanding of the topics of security, risk and organised crime.
This book will be of particular relevance for BSc students in security and risk management and for security professionals who would like to deepen their academic knowledge.
List of essays:
What are the main influences on the function of a security manager in the retail and aviation sectors?
Is there such a thing as an unified theory of risk and does the academic literature account for such principle adequately?
There has been a move away from risk as probability to risk as accountability and liability which place the emphasis upon the individual
Business continuity management has evolved as a business function
Critically discuss how corporate security management is evolving
The introduction of more privatisation into public policing will bring lower standards and risk greater corruption
Critically examine the appropriateness of the term ‘organised crime’
Contents
1. What are the main influences on the function of a security manager in the retail and aviation sectors?
2. Is there such a thing as an unified theory of risk and does the academic literature account for such principle adequately?
3. There has been a move away from risk as probability to risk as accountability and liability which place the emphasis upon the individual
4. Business continuity management has evolved as a business function
5. Critically discuss how corporate security management is evolving
6. The introduction of more privatisation into public policing will bring lower standards and risk greater corruption
7. Critically examine the appropriateness of the term ‘organised crime’
8. About the author
Objectives and Research Themes
This collection of academic essays investigates the evolving landscape of security and risk management, aiming to synthesize theoretical frameworks with contemporary professional challenges. The research primarily questions the traditional boundaries between risk management, business continuity, and corporate security, exploring how globalized market pressures and shifting societal expectations redefine the responsibilities of security managers and public policing entities.
- The intersection of corporate security, risk management, and business continuity.
- Critical analysis of the transition from risk-as-probability to risk-as-accountability.
- The impacts of privatisation on public policing standards and corruption risks.
- Theoretical exploration of "organised crime" and its structural realities.
- Socio-technological and psychological influences on security perception and strategy.
Excerpt from the Book
What are the main influences on the function of a security manager in the retail and aviation sectors?
Button (2008, p20) argues that the function of a security manager is to guarantee peace within the node. This 'security state' is based and rely on the elements of a complex security system (Rogers, 2006), adapting itself to new technologies and forms of crime (Clarke, 2004). In science, close to the one previously mentioned is the concept of state of stability, known as equilibrium, where the criterion for determining how a system will behave is the Gibbs condition. At nodal level and following Johnston and Shearing's concept (2003 cited by Button 2008, p20), a security system is composed of six elements: definition of order, authorities, technologies, mentalities, institutions and practices. Consequently, the system appears socio-technological and based upon human interaction. Therefore, the last attribute being involved, Moslow's pyramid of needs, Freud's iceberg model and Reason's model come immediately in mind, concept which, at some point, is shared by Manunta and Manunta (2006). As important is the Gibbs condition to the equilibrium is the security manager achievement to the node: stability and security.
What are the main influences on the function of a security manager in the retail and aviation sectors is the main topic of this essay. However, before some of these discussions being considered, it is important to understand some fundamental concepts and issues such as what is meant by security and what are the main functions of its manager.
Summary of Chapters
1. What are the main influences on the function of a security manager in the retail and aviation sectors?: This chapter assesses the socio-technological factors and systemic pressures that define the security manager's role in distinct industry environments.
2. Is there such a thing as an unified theory of risk and does the academic literature account for such principle adequately?: This chapter investigates the theoretical diversity of risk across scientific, sociocultural, and psychological disciplines, arguing that an unified theory remains elusive.
3. There has been a move away from risk as probability to risk as accountability and liability which place the emphasis upon the individual: This chapter examines the shift in risk management towards individual responsibility and corporate liability in a litigious business society.
4. Business continuity management has evolved as a business function: This chapter argues that business continuity is not a mere technical recovery process but a core organizational function essential for survival in an unpredictable global economy.
5. Critically discuss how corporate security management is evolving: This chapter analyzes how globalization, technology, and capitalistic pressures are forcing a convergence of physical and digital security strategies.
6. The introduction of more privatisation into public policing will bring lower standards and risk greater corruption: This chapter evaluates the controversial role of private actors in policing, weighing service effectiveness against integrity and corruption concerns.
7. Critically examine the appropriateness of the term ‘organised crime’: This chapter deconstructs the ontological status of organised crime, debating whether it exists as a rigid, organized structure or as a fluid, self-organizing phenomenon.
Keywords
Corporate Security, Risk Management, Business Continuity, Privatisation, Organised Crime, Public Policing, Resilience, Accountability, Liability, Security State, Equilibrium, Threat Assessment, Globalisation, Socio-technological Systems, Risk Society
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this collection of essays?
The work explores the critical evolution of security and risk management, examining how theoretical models interact with the practical, often conflicting, demands of corporate and public environments.
What are the primary thematic pillars of the book?
The themes include the professionalisation of security management, the shifting perception of risk from statistical probability to individual accountability, the impacts of privatisation on public safety, and the ontological nature of organised crime.
What is the primary research objective?
The book aims to critically synthesize historical and contemporary academic perspectives to understand how security managers can better navigate and influence complex organizational systems.
What methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a critical analytical approach, relying on a synthesis of multidisciplinary literature—including science, sociology, psychology, and management theory—to evaluate current security practices.
What is addressed in the core sections of the book?
The core sections focus on the transition of security roles in retail and aviation, the development of business continuity as a business function, the influence of PESTEL factors on security management, and the debate surrounding the effectiveness of public versus private policing.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
The key themes are characterized by terms such as Corporate Security, Risk Management, Privatisation, Organised Crime, Resilience, and Accountability.
How does the author view the role of the security manager?
The author views the security manager as a "guardian of the node" whose success depends on balancing the complex flows of individual, technological, and corporate dependencies while maintaining system stability.
What conclusions does the author draw regarding "organised crime"?
The author concludes that organised crime is a complex and factual phenomenon, arguing that its existence is better understood through its effects on the system (in receptio) rather than through rigid, predefined structural labels.
- Citation du texte
- Matthieu Petrigh (Auteur), 2014, Security and Risk Management. Selected Academic Essays, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/307907
