An exploration of reflective practice in security risk management: how senior security managers experience reflective practice

ABSTRACT

This study explored how senior security risk managers experience reflective practice. It looked specifically at the extent to which the practitioners reflected on their own practice, the ways in which they did so, and the usefulness of reflective practice for security risk management managers. Grounded theory methodology was used to collect and analyse relevant data. The outcome of the study is two-fold. From a theoretical perspective, the study provides a substantive theory about how senior security risk management practitioners experience reflective practice. From a professional practice angle, the study offers essential functional information about reflective practice in security risk management.

KEYWORDS:

• Reflection
• reflective learning
• reflective practice
• security risk management
• corporate security

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all research participants for their partaking in this study as well as my doctoral supervisors and the administrative team of the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies of the University of Portsmouth for their support and encouragement.

In addition I would like to thank the United Nations Department of Safety and Security, especially Under-Secretary General for Safety and Security Mr. Peter Drennan, for permission to interview a small number of UNDSS security risk management practitioners as part of this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexander Nikolaus Hasenstab

Alexander Nikolaus Hasenstab, DSyRM, is the Security Coordinator for Africa region in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He is passionate about security risk management, especially about humanitarian security management and adult learning to improve humanitarian security management.