The insurgency business: the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, 2010-2016
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Authors
Pillot, Beau L.
Subjects
Islamic State (IS)
Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS)
economic resources
business principles
money
manpower
materiel
terrorism financing
logistics
economic durability
resiliency
entrepreneurialism
Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS)
economic resources
business principles
money
manpower
materiel
terrorism financing
logistics
economic durability
resiliency
entrepreneurialism
Advisors
Dew, Nick
Whiteside, Craig
Date of Issue
2017-12
Date
Dec-17
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The Islamic State (IS)--also known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Syria (ISIS)--managed to seize large swaths of territory within the sovereign countries of Iraq and Syria from 2011 to 2016. Even though its caliphate has been reduced in size and scope in 2017, the IS's entrepreneurial capability to effectively manage money, manpower, and materiel has enabled it to develop its brand as the deadliest and most widely known terrorist organization. The narrative of the IS being a governing body promoted a value proposition of financial stability, security, religious structure for divine worship, and camaraderie, thus enticing local and global customers to its brand and furthermore allowing the group to recruit talented individuals to support the caliphate. Using the human capital it cultivated, the IS developed its organizational structure and promoted its brand through entrepreneurial ingenuity, which included plundering, fabricating, and acquiring war materiel, to support its strategic objectives. The IS is generally more organized and sophisticated than any other regional non-state actor or traditional terrorist group such as Al-Qaeda. In conclusion, the IS's short-term politico-military successes and global media coverage over the last several years have enabled the group to establish a franchise that draws in the money, manpower, and materiel that allow it to continue being the world's most recognized terrorist brand.
Type
Thesis
Description
Department
Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
Organization
Department of Defense Management (DDM)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.