STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE MANAGEMENT Chapter by Babak Akhgar, Simeon Yates & Eleanor Lockley Chapter 1 - Strategy Formation in a Globalized and Networked Age – A Review of the Concept and its definition Pg. 1

Introduction 1. Strategy Formation in a Globalized and Networked Age – A Review of the Concept and its definition Pg. 1 Threats to nations and their citizens be they human made or natural are often moments of crisis and can have huge impacts on individuals, communities, businesses, and societies. Preventing, mitigating, or supporting resilience in the face of such crises remains a major role for nation states. Yet we inhabit a world where nations may be replaced by networks and where threats are global in reach. How do the governmental and policy functions of nation states address such changes? How can they develop strategies to deal with threats to themselves and/or their neighbours? Importantly, how can the technologies that have created this globalized and networked world information and communication technologies (ICT) as well as global travel and trade provide tools to support such strategies? Or are these networks opening us up to new threats and dangers?

Introduction 1. Strategy Formation in a Globalized and Networked Age – A Review of the Concept and its definition Pg. 1 The terrorist events of recent years (New York twin towers attack of 2001, Madrid bombing 2004, London 2005 metro bombing, Mumbai 2008, etc.) have forced governments to think about national security in a broader context than just military operations and issues of competitive advantage in armed forces. For example, the current UK national security strategy readily admits that the country faces a different and more complex range of threats and includes terrorism, cyber warfare, and natural disasters as examples. Current national security strategies have therefore had to expand to consider sophisticated antiterrorism strategy. This is of course especially true as domestic attacks have been made on civilians and there has been a greater diversity of potential threats across the globe.

Introduction 1. Strategy Formation in a Globalized and Networked Age – A Review of the Concept and its definition Pg. 1 The focus of this book is the development of national security strategy in the context of these new global networks. In this introduction we have set out three key issues: –The development of strategy in the context of national security driven by national interest. –The importance of high-quality information and knowledge in the development of strategy strategic intelligence. –The nature of globalized networks based on ICT systems and people that are concurrently locations for threats to national and global security, tools to defend or to threaten national security, and sources of information for both nations and citizens about threats and events.