Political Risk to the Supply Chain

The chapter offers three key points: an examination of how terrorist and criminal organisational structures have a direct impact on the threat posed to the global supply chain, a global and regional overview of the terrorist and criminal threat to the supply chain in each region and, third, some general approaches to responding to varying threats. The global and regional overview of the security threats faced by maritime, civil aviation and rail transportation. The chapter discusses the importance of understanding how terrorist and criminal groups organise and how that impacts their capabilities and opportunities to interfere with the supply chain. There is an understandable focus on the global threat here from al-Qaeda and its various affiliates and offshoots; the key concerns are the metalising regional threats and their potential global impact. The chapter argues that the diversity of threats faced require an equally diverse range of responses utilising both traditional approaches and deploying intellectual tools that have to date been underutilised.