Interpretive Structural Modeling of Security Systems for Better Security Management in Railways
Anoop Srivastava, Sanjeev K. Swami, Devender Banwet · Traffic safety · 2016
This chapter discusses the application of Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to the security system in Indian Railways. ISM is a soft systems methodology, based on paired comparison of structural elements with respect to a given relationship, to structure complex systems. The results presented in the chapter are based on research work that involved security experts drawn from the railways along with other stakeholders as domain experts, but do not reflect any official version of Indian Railways. Research has proved that Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is significantly superior to interactive group exercises like brainstorming in generating ideas, solutions to problems, etc. ISM requires active participation of the stakeholders of the concerned system as domain experts. Some of the important actions required to be taken should include strengthening and ensuring coordination between the intelligence agencies, training and research, attempts to provide holistic security in terrorism/insurgency affected areas, and the like.