Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Olive, John

Titel

"Does Foreign and Domestic Terrorism Pose a Real Threat to Shopping Malls in America?"

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Erscheinungsjahr

2013

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Post 9/11, our intelligence agencies identify shopping malls as high-probability targets. Can you imagine the impact of a terrorist bombing of a mall, and the cumulative effects of it happening more than once? The economic impact could be devastating, also consider the impact of terrorism on the Constitution, and on our collective self-conception as an open and free society. This study was accomplished to answer two research questions: "Does Foreign and Domestic Terrorism Pose a Real Threat to our Shopping Malls in America?" and "How Can Leaders Better Protect Malls Across America from Violent Acts of Terrorism, While Conjointly Respecting Personal Liberties?" This research goes on to examine the actions of leadership, associated implications, infringement of personal liberties, vulnerabilities to our 1,500 enclosed malls, and potential measures of protection. There were two qualitative research methods used to provide a comprehensive picture of the threat of terrorism to our malls in America. The narrative systematic review was done to address two research questions. The observed security measures and vulnerabilities were then listed and categorized to create a checklist on mall security. The three checklists categories to emerge were: 1) Interior Physical Security Measures. 2) Exterior Physical Security Measures, and. 3) Management Practices. During the next phase, checklist validation was done by a panel of experts. Subsequent to the systematic review, experts conducted naturalistic covert observation on ten selected Super Regional Centers (SRSs) in the four regions of the country, and one in the mid-Pacific. During the observation phase, a number of poor or failing security measures were found, providing leader's useful information to make risk-based decisions to harden malls. Economics is a significant vulnerability; owners must attract a large number of patrons, while providing an open and inviting atmosphere. The largest global security threats to malls are IEDs, vehicle bombs, suicide bombers, and firearms. The researcher offers several areas warranting further studies, such as assembling a cadre of scholars to better understand Islam, and Islamic countries, and the potential employment of Chemical Warfare (CW) agents and poisons. Those leaders, who fail to harden malls through some form of risk-based security measures, face potential economic ruin through a substantial decline in buyer demand and potential lawsuits, in the event of a terrorist attack.