woman pointing at graph with pencil

Risk and security management research

We're helping people and organisations effectively manage risk and security


Risk and security management is about identifying and evaluating risks to organisations and individuals and taking action to minimise those risks. It affects many areas, from social work and corporate reputation, to the work of the armed forces and emergency services.

Our risk and security management research helps organisations and individuals responsible for managing risk and responding to incidents to identify, understand and overcome risk and security challenges. 

We aim to encourage people to think about alternative ways of dealing with risk and security challenges rather than following a standard response.

Our research covers the following topics

  • Crisis management
  • Risk management
  • Decision making
  • Sustainability
  • Terrorism
  • Cybercrime
  • Moral disengagement
  • Ethical leadership
  • Personal and organisational resilience 

Methods

To conduct this research, we use methods such as failure mode affect analysis (FEMA), reliability block diagrams (RBD), fault tree analysis (FTA), grounded theory, ethnographic enquiry, simulation, observations and experiments.

Projects

  • How to float

    We worked with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to establish what is now the globally recognised way to prevent drowning – turn on your back, float and relax. This research has informed internationally adopted life-saving techniques, treatments and technologies.

  • AI-ARC: Automatic Arctic Sea Vessel Anomaly Detection

    We're working to improve maritime situational awareness, decision-making, communication, available rescue resources, and thus the safety and security of all EU maritime actors, particularly in the Arctic Sea.

  • ARCSAR (Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network)

    We're addressing the Arctic and North-Atlantic (ANA) region to prepare to cope with security and safety threats that will result from increased commercial activity in the region. 

  • Europe’s biggest ever disaster training exercise begins today

    In March 2016, we were involved in Exercise Unified Response (EUR), a week-long, EU-funded simulation exercise led by the London Fire Brigade. We designed simulations, acted as independent observers and evaluators, and contributed to the final report. The outcomes of this exercise may influence how emergency services respond to major emergencies across the EU.

  • Hampshire Fire and Rescue course

    We worked with Hampshire Fire and Rescue to develop a course that helps personnel make better decisions in scenarios that are difficult to replicate in a simulation environment.

What happened at Fukushima 10 years ago? BBC World Service

Our staff and research were featured on a BBC programme about Fukushima.  

Watch now

Publication highlights

Discover our areas of expertise

Risk and security management is 1 of 4 areas of expertise within the Business and Management research area. Explore the others below

Innovation management

We're looking at how organisations can optimise product and process development while meeting the needs of a changing market that demands innovation.
entrepreneur talking about innovation
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Small business and entrepreneurship

We're investigating the social and economic factors affecting entrepreneurship and the economy, and how small business practices affect entrepreneurship.
Photo of Eric Downer in the pub Lord John Russel
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Sustainability and business

We're identifying how businesses can embed sustainability practices to contribute to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A birds eye view of a circle of houses surrounding a cluster of trees
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Our members

Sara Eileen Bertin Hadleigh-Dunn Portrait

Media ready expert

Professor Sara Hadleigh-Dunn

Professor of Risk and Organisational Resilience

sara.hadleigh-dunn@port.ac.uk

Strategy Enterprise and Innovation

Faculty of Business and Law

PhD Supervisor

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Ashraf Wasfi Labib Portrait

Professor Ashraf Labib

Professor of Operations and Asset Management

Ashraf.Labib@port.ac.uk

Operations and Systems Management

Faculty of Business and Law

PhD Supervisor

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Dylan Francis Jones Portrait

Professor Dylan Jones

Professor of Operational Research

Dylan.Jones@port.ac.uk

School of Mathematics and Physics

Faculty of Technology

PhD Supervisor

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Salem Chakhar Portrait

Dr Salem Chakhar

Senior Research Fellow

Salem.Chakhar@port.ac.uk

Operations and Systems Management

Faculty of Business and Law

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Interested in a PhD in Business & Management?

Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Business & Management postgraduate research degrees page.