Even though terrorism poses an increasing threat to multinational companies, corporate leaders can thwart attacks by learning to navigate the complexities of foreign governments, social unrest, and cultural dissonance.
Multinational corporations are on the front lines of terrorism and cyberattacks—two of the world’s biggest threats to global security. How can corporate leaders mitigate their organizations’ risks and develop an infrastructure that detects and deters a security menace before it happens? This timely reference lays out essential political context and historical background to help executives identify contemporary threats and understand the interconnections between threat dynamics in an increasingly dangerous international environment.
This compelling work is organized into seven chapters. The beginning chapters profile the specific risks for multinational companies and detail which global—and regional—factors might propagate violence targeted at American-based businesses. Next, two historical case studies on terrorist assaults at Tigantourine and Mombasa illustrate how counterterrorism can successfully thwart potential attacks against business targets. The final part describes industrial espionage and criminal activity and then outlines a corporate counterterror blueprint to combat the prospect of terrorism, providing specific recommendations for preventative measures.
Features
- Covers different operational environments
- Offers strategies for minimizing risk, such as shortening supply chains and creating redundancies to mitigate cyberattacks or physical threats
- Discusses the use of corporate intelligence about local conditions to create effective security measures and track future safety trends
- Suggests that multinational corporations work together to achieve economies of scale in antiterrorism services and to establish partnerships with local governments
Richard J. Chasdi, PhD, is professor of management and associate director of the Center for Complex and Strategic Decisions at Walsh College. He serves on the editorial board of Armed Forces & Society and Perspectives on Terrorism: A Journal of the Terrorism Research Initiative. He has also served as a member of the international advisory board of Terrorism: An Electronic Journal (TEJ). His published works include Serenade of Suffering: A Portrait of Middle East Terrorism, 1968–1993; Tapestry of Terror: A Portrait of Middle East Terrorism, 1994–1999; and Counterterror Offensives for the Ghost War World: The Rudiments of Counterterrorism Policy. He received his master's degree from Boston College and his doctorate in political science from Purdue University.
Reviews
"...deserves kudos but also a rightful place among serious and committed researchers and academia engaged in counter-terrorism studies.This book must be on libraries' shelves for the general and enlightened readership."—Indian Journal of Asian Affairs, May 6, 2019
"Richard Chasdi has produced a well-informed work, which underscores the need for business and government entities to understand the political, cultural, and economic environments in which they operate, particularly when in foreign countries. . . . The book contains useful insights for a broad spectrum of readership.The main audience would seem to be CEOs and security officials for multinational corporations and government foreign policy officials. Yet his methodology will appeal to political scientists and statisticians, as will his study of ‘lone wolf’ terrorists attract psychologists and sociologists. As such, the book provides value in several fields. . . . Professor Chasdi’s research provides a very useful guidebook towards the way ahead."—CDA Institute, December 3, 2018
"Conceptually innovative."—Perspectives on Terrorism, February 26, 2018
“While multinational corporations (MNCs) are favorite targets of terrorists, there is a surprising lack of new research on how they can better protect themselves against the threat of terrorism. Professor Chasdi’s new book therefore fills a void. His proactive security approach with its identification of intervention points is a welcome addition to the literature on the prevention of terrorism.”—Alex P. Schmid, Director, Terrorism Research Initiative; Editor-in-Chief, Perspectives on Terrorism; and Research Fellow, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism—The Hague
“Richard Chasdi has produced a remarkable and much-needed study for how the international business community can deal with the ongoing threat of terrorism and other contingencies. Through detailed analyses, case studies, and insightful viewpoints, Chasdi emphasizes correctly the need for multinational corporations and other business entities to understand the complex political, social, and economic environments in which they operate. It is a book that is essential reading for those concerned with the myriad threats that can arise when doing business in foreign countries.”—Jeffrey D. Simon, Author, Lone Wolf Terrorism: Understanding the Growing Threat
“This book beautifully illustrates the vital role multinational corporations play within the complex political, economic, environmental, and technological systems from which global security threats emerge. Chasdi sets the stage for complexity systems analysis to be used as a regular instrument to confront terrorism; he also makes an extremely persuasive case for systemic foresight analysis as a key cornerstone of business strategic planning and government foreign policy. This groundbreaking book is a must-read for business leaders and government officials in anticipatory governance and foresight roles. Chasdi’s urgent plea for strong and agile public-private partnerships—without which we cannot hope to successfully counter terrorism or crime—must not go unheeded.”—Pamela J. Sydelko, Director, Systems Science Center, Global Security Sciences Division,
Argonne National Laboratory
“A specialist on terrorism, Richard Chasdi has authored the best study on the current and emerging risk to international business. This book also makes a significant contribution to the literature on public-private partnerships in the security arena. With terrorist targeting shifting from hard and hardened targets to soft targets, Chasdi’s work is essential reading for the business community.”
—Rohan Gunaratna, Professor of Security Studies, Nanyang Technological University, and Head, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Singapore
