Iraq civil aviation and risk perception

Abstract

Iraq is currently going through a period of mild stability and long-term strategic planning for its economic, social and cultural viability. Research into understanding risk perceptions of Iraq's civil aviation industry is concerned with making valued contributions to the redevelopment of Iraq's civil aviation industry. This paper aims to present an overview of a research programme centred on the perceived risk experiences of participants using modern-day Iraq as the back drop. Specifically, the paper identifies the perceived security risks for the civil aviation industry of Iraq and seeks to ascertain how, and in what way, identified risks are perceived by the participants. The research sample population consisted of a primary group located within the Middle East region and not specifically within Iraq. The research results suggest that risks include activities associated with organised crime and risks involving the reliability of security agencies in Iraq. Moreover, other identified risks are related to the capability of the security agencies to identify and recruit qualified and reliable staff. These risks as well as others are perceived to be linked to larger-scale risks throughout the country, primarily perceived in terms of terrorism and organised crime resulting from political and social instability. Risks are generally perceived from a combination of personal life experiences and experiences of risk events, social and cultural factors, and gathering of information from both open source media and personal networks of peers, colleagues, friends and family.