Researching Private Security Consumption

Authors: Massimiliano Mulone

Publish Date: 2013/05/18

Volume: 19, Issue: 4, Pages: 401-417

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Abstract

This paper has two objectives to provide an exploratory analysis of the rationalities and constraints that shape consumption of private security within organizations and to discuss some of the issues and questions that need to be addressed in future empirical studies of private security use by organizations It is based largely on seven semidirected interviews conducted with security managers six of whom work in the private sector While these security managers distanced themselves from responsibility for actual security consumption arguing that they lack the capacity to make such decisions they exercise considerable influence over the demand for private security within their organizations Although all participants noted the relative ease with which they can convince their superiors to invest in security they also indicated that security must have a demonstrated valueadded component for the organization often in money terms Furthermore executives expect security to be minimally intrusive and/or disruptive This paper reports preliminary results of research on an underinvestigated topic it also builds on the methodological decisions and findings in this research to provide useful information to scholars interested in researching private security consumption in organizations

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