Opportunity, Challenge, Risk and Threat — Review of Definitions and Relations

The article presents fundamental issues related to vital problems with a view to research on internal security, namely — opportunities, challenges, risks and threats. The reason for treating these phenomena in such a way is the fact that they most often occur together. It also seems important that today there is a substantial perception and awareness of opportunities, challenges, risks and threats. This can be achieved by making information and knowledge widely available. A significant source of the latter is scientific research which provides systematically improved and highly objective collections of reliable information about reality together with the methods for their skilful and effective use. The considerations presented are based on a review of the Polish and foreign literature used in security research conducted within the framework of  security sciences. It  has been used to  present basic identification problems and mutual relationships among opportunities, challenges, risks and threats. The analysis presented indicates a lack of uniformity in the perception of the concept of risk. Completely different is the situation with regard to  identifying opportunities, challenges, risks and threats. There are here many common areas referring mainly to sources and effects. The considerations presented have made it possible to identify mutual cognitive and utilitarian relations between the subject phenomena. The conclusions of the article include a summary of the above-mentioned considerations.