IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/envsyd/v41y2021i3d10.1007_s10669-020-09795-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reviewing qualitative research approaches in the context of critical infrastructure resilience

Author

Listed:
  • R. Cantelmi

    (Sapienza University of Rome
    Land Armaments Directorate, Ministry of Defence)

  • G. Di Gravio

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • R. Patriarca

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

Abstract

Modern societies are increasingly dependent on the proper functioning of critical infrastructures (CIs). CIs produce and distribute essential goods or services, as for power transmission systems, water treatment and distribution infrastructures, transportation systems, communication networks, nuclear power plants, and information technologies. Being resilient becomes a key property for CIs, which are constantly exposed to threats that can undermine safety, security, and business continuity. Nowadays, a variety of approaches exist in the context of CIs’ resilience research. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review on the approaches that have a complete qualitative dimension, or that can be used as entry points for semi-quantitative analyses. The study aims to uncover the usage of qualitative research methods through a systematic review based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). The paper identifies four principal dimensions of resilience referred to CIs (i.e., techno-centric, organisational, community, and urban) and discusses the related qualitative methods. Besides many studies being focused on energy and transportation systems, the literature review allows to observe that interviews and questionnaires are most frequently used to gather qualitative data, besides a high percentage of mixed-method research. The article aims to provide a synthesis of literature on qualitative methods used for resilience research in the domain of CIs, detailing lessons learned from such approaches to shed lights on best practices and identify possible future research directions.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Cantelmi & G. Di Gravio & R. Patriarca, 2021. "Reviewing qualitative research approaches in the context of critical infrastructure resilience," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 341-376, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envsyd:v:41:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10669-020-09795-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10669-020-09795-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10669-020-09795-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10669-020-09795-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cheng-Hsien Hsieh & Hui-Huang Tai & Yang-Ning Lee, 2014. "Port vulnerability assessment from the perspective of critical infrastructure interdependency," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(6), pages 589-606, November.
    2. Caroline Field & Richard Look, 2018. "A value-based approach to infrastructure resilience," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 292-305, September.
    3. Igor Linkov & Cate Fox‐Lent & Laura Read & Craig R. Allen & James C. Arnott & Emanuele Bellini & Jon Coaffee & Marie‐Valentine Florin & Kirk Hatfield & Iain Hyde & William Hynes & Aleksandar Jovanovic, 2018. "Tiered Approach to Resilience Assessment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(9), pages 1772-1780, September.
    4. Wood, Matthew D. & Wells, Emily M. & Rice, Glenn & Linkov, Igor, 2019. "Quantifying and mapping resilience within large organizations," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 117-126.
    5. Hosseini, Seyedmohsen & Barker, Kash & Ramirez-Marquez, Jose E., 2016. "A review of definitions and measures of system resilience," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 47-61.
    6. Feldpausch-Parker, Andrea M. & Peterson, Tarla Rai & Stephens, Jennie C. & Wilson, Elizabeth J., 2018. "Smart grid electricity system planning and climate disruptions: A review of climate and energy discourse post-Superstorm Sandy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P2), pages 1961-1968.
    7. Nancy Kete & Giuliano Punzo & Igor Linkov, 2018. "Enhancing resilience within and between critical infrastructure systems," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 275-277, September.
    8. Emanuele Bellini & Evangelia Gaitanidou & Evangelos Bekiaris & Pedro Ferreira, 2020. "The RESOLUTE project’s European Resilience Management Guidelines for Critical Infrastructure: development, operationalisation and testing for the urban transport system," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 321-341, September.
    9. Saaty, Thomas L., 1990. "How to make a decision: The analytic hierarchy process," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 9-26, September.
    10. Margaret H. Kurth & Sabrina Larkin & Jeffrey M. Keisler & Igor Linkov, 2017. "Trends and applications of multi-criteria decision analysis: use in government agencies," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 134-143, June.
    11. Igor Linkov & Daniel A. Eisenberg & Kenton Plourde & Thomas P. Seager & Julia Allen & Alex Kott, 2013. "Resilience metrics for cyber systems," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 471-476, December.
    12. Seppänen, Hannes & Luokkala, Pekka & Zhang, Zhe & Torkki, Paulus & Virrantaus, Kirsi, 2018. "Critical infrastructure vulnerability—A method for identifying the infrastructure service failure interdependencies," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 25-38.
    13. Mendonça, David & Wallace, William A., 2015. "Factors underlying organizational resilience: The case of electric power restoration in New York City after 11 September 2001," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 83-91.
    14. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    15. Zio, Enrico, 2016. "Challenges in the vulnerability and risk analysis of critical infrastructures," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 137-150.
    16. Petersen, L. & Lange, D. & Theocharidou, M., 2020. "Who cares what it means? Practical reasons for using the word resilience with critical infrastructure operators," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    17. Landegren, Finn & Höst, Martin & Möller, Peter, 2018. "Simulation based assessment of resilience of two large-scale socio-technical IT networks," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 112-125.
    18. Christoph Riegel, 2014. "Infrastructure resilience through regional spatial planning - prospects of a new legal principle in Germany," International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(1), pages 17-29.
    19. Rehman Akhtar & Joost Santos, 2013. "Risk-based input–output analysis of hurricane impacts on interdependent regional workforce systems," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 65(1), pages 391-405, January.
    20. Jochen Monstadt & Martin Schmidt, 2019. "Urban resilience in the making? The governance of critical infrastructures in German cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(11), pages 2353-2371, August.
    21. David M. Simpson & Carrie Beth Lasley & Thomas D. Rockaway & T.A. Weigel, 2010. "Understanding critical infrastructure failure: examining the experience of Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina," International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 6(3), pages 246-276.
    22. Maureen S. Golan & Laura H. Jernegan & Igor Linkov, 2020. "Trends and applications of resilience analytics in supply chain modeling: systematic literature review in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 222-243, June.
    23. Nicholas A Cradock-Henry & Joanna Fountain & Franca Buelow, 2018. "Transformations for Resilient Rural Futures: The Case of Kaikōura, Aotearoa-New Zealand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    24. Ossi Heino & Annina Takala & Pirjo Jukarainen & Joanna Kalalahti & Tuula Kekki & Pekka Verho, 2019. "Critical Infrastructures: The Operational Environment in Cases of Severe Disruption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, February.
    25. Brown, Charlotte & Seville, Erica & Vargo, John, 2017. "Measuring the organizational resilience of critical infrastructure providers: A New Zealand case study," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 37-49.
    26. Hughes, Larry & de Jong, Moniek & Wang, Xiao Qin, 2016. "A generic method for analyzing the risks to energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 895-908.
    27. Leon F. Gay & Sunil K. Sinha, 2013. "Resilience of civil infrastructure systems: literature review for improved asset management," International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(4), pages 330-350.
    28. Cinta Lomba-Fernández & Josune Hernantes & Leire Labaka, 2019. "Guide for Climate-Resilient Cities: An Urban Critical Infrastructures Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-19, August.
    29. Marie Herrmann Lunecke, 2015. "Urban planning and tsunami impact mitigation in Chile after February 27, 2010," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 79(3), pages 1591-1620, December.
    30. Cate Fox-Lent & Matthew E. Bates & Igor Linkov, 2015. "A matrix approach to community resilience assessment: an illustrative case at Rockaway Peninsula," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 209-218, June.
    31. Jeffrey C. Cegan & Ashley M. Filion & Jeffrey M. Keisler & Igor Linkov, 2017. "Trends and applications of multi-criteria decision analysis in environmental sciences: literature review," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 123-133, June.
    32. Lauren R. McBurnett & Margaret M. Hinrichs & Thomas P. Seager & Susan Spierre Clark, 2018. "Simulation Gaming Can Strengthen Experiential Education in Complex Infrastructure Systems," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 49(6), pages 620-641, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bokolo Anthony, 2023. "Deployment of distributed ledger and decentralized technology for transition to smart industries," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 298-319, June.
    2. Raziye Norouzi Masir & Mohammad Ataei & Farhang Sereshki, 2024. "A novel index for shearer system resilience in underground coal mines based on the operational environment," Journal of Risk and Reliability, , vol. 238(3), pages 475-501, June.
    3. Jesus Beyza & Jose M. Yusta, 2021. "Integrated Risk Assessment for Robustness Evaluation and Resilience Optimisation of Power Systems after Cascading Failures," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Mariachiara Piraina & Paolo Trucco, 2022. "Emergency management capabilities of interdependent systems: framework for analysis," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 149-176, June.
    5. Perera, A.T.D. & Hong, Tianzhen, 2023. "Vulnerability and resilience of urban energy ecosystems to extreme climate events: A systematic review and perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    6. Federico Antonello & Piero Baraldi & Enrico Zio & Luigi Serio, 2022. "A Novel Metric to Evaluate the Association Rules for Identification of Functional Dependencies in Complex Technical Infrastructures," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 436-449, September.
    7. Zachary A. Collier & James H. Lambert & Igor Linkov, 2021. "Integrating data from physical and social science to address emerging societal challenges," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 331-333, September.
    8. Corinna Köpke & Jennifer Mielniczek & Christoph Roller & Kerstin Lange & Frank Sill Torres & Alexander Stolz, 2023. "Resilience management processes in the offshore wind industry: schematization and application to an export-cable attack," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 161-177, June.
    9. Cristina Allende-Prieto & Jorge Roces-García & Luis Ángel Sañudo-Fontaneda, 2024. "The High-Resolution Calibration of the Topographic Wetness Index Using PAZ Satellite Radar Data to Determine the Optimal Positions for the Placement of Smart Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Urb," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-12, January.
    10. Karakoc, Deniz Berfin & Barker, Kash & González, Andrés D., 2023. "Analyzing the tradeoff between vulnerability and recoverability investments for interdependent infrastructure networks," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    11. Bokolo Anthony Jnr & Sobah Abbas Petersen, 2023. "Using an extended technology acceptance model to predict enterprise architecture adoption in making cities smarter," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 36-53, March.
    12. Yang, Zhuyu & Barroca, Bruno & Laffréchine, Katia & Weppe, Alexandre & Bony-Dandrieux, Aurélia & Daclin, Nicolas, 2023. "A multi-criteria framework for critical infrastructure systems resilience," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    13. Federico Antonello & Piero Baraldi & Enrico Zio & Luigi Serio, 2022. "A novelty-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for identifying functional dependencies in complex technical infrastructures from alarm data," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 177-188, June.
    14. Liu, Yu & Maurer, Megan Lynn & Carstensen, Trine Agervig & Wagner, Anne Margrethe & Skov-Petersen, Hans & Olafsson, Anton Stahl, 2024. "An integrated approach for urban green travel environments: Planning factors, benefits and barriers as perceived by users and planners," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    15. Mukesh Gautam & Timothy McJunkin & Ryan Hruska, 2024. "A Resilient Integrated Resource Planning Framework for Transmission Systems: Analysis and Optimization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-20, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Poulin, Craig & Kane, Michael B., 2021. "Infrastructure resilience curves: Performance measures and summary metrics," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    2. Ivo Häring & Mirjam Fehling-Kaschek & Natalie Miller & Katja Faist & Sebastian Ganter & Kushal Srivastava & Aishvarya Kumar Jain & Georg Fischer & Kai Fischer & Jörg Finger & Alexander Stolz & Tobias , 2021. "A performance-based tabular approach for joint systematic improvement of risk control and resilience applied to telecommunication grid, gas network, and ultrasound localization system," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 286-329, June.
    3. Patriarca, Riccardo & Simone, Francesco & Di Gravio, Giulio, 2022. "Modelling cyber resilience in a water treatment and distribution system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    4. Arvidsson, Björn & Johansson, Jonas & Guldåker, Nicklas, 2021. "Critical infrastructure, geographical information science and risk governance: A systematic cross-field review," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    5. Liu, Xing & Fang, Yi-Ping & Zio, Enrico, 2021. "A Hierarchical Resilience Enhancement Framework for Interdependent Critical Infrastructures," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    6. Hossain, Niamat Ullah Ibne & Jaradat, Raed & Hosseini, Seyedmohsen & Marufuzzaman, Mohammad & Buchanan, Randy K., 2019. "A framework for modeling and assessing system resilience using a Bayesian network: A case study of an interdependent electrical infrastructure system," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 62-83.
    7. Judit Lienert & Igor Linkov, 2019. "Editorial featured papers on environmental decisions," EURO Journal on Decision Processes, Springer;EURO - The Association of European Operational Research Societies, vol. 7(3), pages 151-157, November.
    8. Milad Zamanifar & Timo Hartmann, 2021. "A prescriptive framework for recommending decision attributes of infrastructure disaster recovery problems," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 633-650, December.
    9. Kik, M.C. & Claassen, G.D.H. & Meuwissen, M.P.M. & Smit, A.B. & Saatkamp, H.W., 2021. "Actor analysis for sustainable soil management – A case study from the Netherlands," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    10. R. Duncan McIntosh & Austin Becker, 2020. "Applying MCDA to weight indicators of seaport vulnerability to climate and extreme weather impacts for U.S. North Atlantic ports," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 356-370, September.
    11. Pawel Gromek & Grzegorz Sobolewski, 2020. "Risk-Based Approach for Informing Sustainable Infrastructure Resilience Enhancement and Potential Resilience Implication in Terms of Emergency Service Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-30, June.
    12. Igor Linkov & Benjamin Trump & Greg Kiker, 2022. "Diversity and inclusiveness are necessary components of resilient international teams," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-5, December.
    13. Amir Noori & Hossein Bonakdari & Khosro Morovati & Bahram Gharabaghi, 2018. "The optimal dam site selection using a group decision-making method through fuzzy TOPSIS model," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 471-488, December.
    14. Zhaoming Yang & Qi Xiang & Yuxuan He & Shiliang Peng & Michael Havbro Faber & Enrico Zio & Lili Zuo & Huai Su & Jinjun Zhang, 2023. "Resilience of Natural Gas Pipeline System: A Review and Outlook," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-19, August.
    15. Khalilullah Mayar & David G. Carmichael & Xuesong Shen, 2022. "Resilience and Systems—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    16. Dubaniowski, Mateusz Iwo & Heinimann, Hans Rudolf, 2021. "Framework for modeling interdependencies between households, businesses, and infrastructure system, and their response to disruptions—application," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    17. Souad Ahmed Benromdhane, 2021. "A multi-attribute utility model for environmental decision-making: an application to casting," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 21-32, March.
    18. Mohamed Gaha & Bilal Chabane & Dragan Komljenovic & Alain Côté & Claude Hébert & Olivier Blancke & Atieh Delavari & Georges Abdul-Nour, 2021. "Global Methodology for Electrical Utilities Maintenance Assessment Based on Risk-Informed Decision Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-23, August.
    19. Alexander A. Ganin & Phuoc Quach & Mahesh Panwar & Zachary A. Collier & Jeffrey M. Keisler & Dayton Marchese & Igor Linkov, 2020. "Multicriteria Decision Framework for Cybersecurity Risk Assessment and Management," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(1), pages 183-199, January.
    20. Nabil Touili, 2021. "Hazards, Infrastructure Networks and Unspecific Resilience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:envsyd:v:41:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10669-020-09795-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.