Designing, Protecting, and Ensuring a Long Life for Critical Infrastructure
Business Finance
Note: There are 2 parts to this assignment.
Part 1
You have depicted a specific network from within your sector graphically and presented your depiction to your classmates and instructor. This week, you will explore in depth the nodes, assets, and links within your selected network.
In 2 pages, deliver a preliminary view of the assets, nodes, and links in your network. Be concise, yet comprehensive.
The following elements should be included in the paper:
- Describe each node, asset, and link in the network. If these are too numerous, you may elect to describe types of assets and links.
- Using the Lower Colorado Dams as an example, it is important to realize that dams can produce hydroelectric power; serve as storage sites by creating a reservoir for drinking, irrigation, and recreation; or primarily provide diversion by directing water for other uses. Some dams may also serve all of these functions.
- Consider and describe the threats that might impact each node or type of node.
- Links may be critical too, but absorb these in considering threats to your nodes. For example, if a road links 2 power production facilities, and its impassibility in the winter means employees do not make it to work, you should simply cast this threat in terms of how it impacts the node. In other words, there is a threat of employees not reporting to work because of the remoteness of facility and routinely impassable roads.
- Every node should have multiple potential threats, and these should be realistic and fully described.
- Do not choose obscure or extremely unlikely threats, or you will find that infinite possibilities exist.
- You must use professional and governmental sources to help identify realistic threats.
- Consider and list the potential consequences each of these threats might produce.
- Produce a 2-page report using your own design for its format and style, but ensure it is well-organized, clearly delivered, mechanically sound, and comprehensive in content.
- If you mention sources or deliver content that is in any way derived from material or ideas that are not your own original thoughts, include proper citations.
- If you produce a well-considered report for this assignment, the risk assessment you produce later in the term will be partially complete.
In considering threats and consequences, you should think critically, not superficially. For example, in the Lower Colorado Dams example, a threat to a water reservoir could be climate change, which as a consequence might lead to evaporation. But climate change may produce drought as well, which as a consequence can result in overconsumption of reservoir waters. This could threaten its availability or fair distribution for drinking, agriculture, and power production, which would impact at least 3 separate sectors. The Lower Colorado Dams illustration reveals that different dams and reservoirs impact various communities and numbers of populations in different ways. Therefore, potential consequences will vary. Consider a reservoir that serves mostly as a recreation site, versus one that provides drinking water to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Part 2
Choose a hypothetical or real-world leader who you seek to educate on your selected sector and network. You will write an executive summary in which you seek to both inform and influence this leader, explain what network theory is, and discuss how its use will be beneficial to the community, agency, or company for identifying risks and vulnerabilities, and for ultimately assisting this entity in developing mitigation strategies.
In the 1 page executive summary, be sure to complete the following:
- You should demonstrate a clear understanding of what network theory is and what its benefits are.
- You should clearly, comprehensively, and concisely explain the concept in your own words.
- You should make connections as to how it can aid community, agency, or company leaders in prioritizing limited resources, surfacing mitigation requirements, and compelling creative solutions.
- In making these connections, use real-world elements of your selected sector or network and employ realistic conditions and opportunities.
- It should be organized, clearly delivered, mechanically sound, and comprehensive in content.
- You have limited space, so do not provide any wordy, repetitive, or irrelevant filler material.
- If you mention sources or deliver content that is in any way derived from material or ideas that are not your own original thoughts include proper citations.
