Developing National Resilience
Aug 2005, Vol. 150, No. 4
By David Omand
Resilience is the capacity to absorb shocks and to bounce back into functioning shape, or at the least, sufficient resilience to prevent stress fractures or even system collapse. Resilience is therefore an undoubted public good. But there are nevertheless significant unanswered questions. Is there agreement over which are the threats and hazards against which we most need to build our resilience? Do we agree on the timescales when these problems might present themselves or become acute? Do we know how much extra security we can provide and for what marginal extra cost, so that there can be intelligent trade-offs, and application of common-sense rules such as the 80/20 guide? At what point does sensible risk management become unreasonable risk avoidance bringing disproportionate costs, not just financial but in terms of loss of personal liberty or privacy?
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By David Omand
Resilience is the capacity to absorb shocks and to bounce back into functioning shape, or at the least, sufficient resilience to prevent stress fractures or even system collapse. Resilience is therefore an undoubted public good. But there are nevertheless significant unanswered questions. Is there agreement over which are the threats and hazards against which we most need to build our resilience? Do we agree on the timescales when these problems might present themselves or become acute? Do we know how much extra security we can provide and for what marginal extra cost, so that there can be intelligent trade-offs, and application of common-sense rules such as the 80/20 guide? At what point does sensible risk management become unreasonable risk avoidance bringing disproportionate costs, not just financial but in terms of loss of personal liberty or privacy?
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