Abstract
This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the emerging profession of Security Risk Intelligence Analysis in the private sector by exploring the individual and collective professional identity of practitioners who identify and analyse threats and risks to the security of personnel, key assets and operations of an organisation or business in the private sector. The study used a mixed-method approach for the empirical research of how practitioners across different organisational contexts and national boundaries construct and maintain their professional identity in their quest for meaningful work.Security risk intelligence analysts in the private sector share the same individual professional identity, forming the collective professional identity's blueprint. There were some elements of difference, but none of them impacted the overall results that emerged during the study. Their professional identity is centred on their expert knowledge and ability to perform complex intellectual tasks in providing forewarning and insight into threats to the organisation or client's well-being and sustainability. They have a strong individual professional identity that reflects high levels of job satisfaction, pride and autonomy in their profession who thrive on connecting on a professional, functional level with stakeholders. Their main professional challenge related to the relative lack of understanding of their role in the private sector by various stakeholders in and outside the organisation.
Lastly, proposals are made on how the profession as a collective and individual security risk intelligence analysts can increase their professional identity and their concomitant impact on the security risk management field and the security sector.
| Date of Award | Apr 2021 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Moufida Sadok (Supervisor), Leah Alexandra Fox (Supervisor) & Paul Norman (Supervisor) |