scholarly journals Using the competing values framework (CVF) to investigate organisational culture in a major private security company

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Kokt ◽  
C Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Competing Values Framework ◽  
Competing Values ◽  
The South ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
African Context ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
Fierce Competition

The proliferation of crime, especially in the South African context, has placed considerable emphasis on the private security industry.  This has also increased fierce competition in the private security domain with both national and international private security companies infiltrating the South African market.  Like public policing private security has an important role to play in combating crime and other transgressions, with the exception that private security owes its existence to paying customers.  By using the Competing Values Framework (CVF) as conceptual guide, the researchers are able to provide the managers of the company under investigation with insight on how their cultural orientation affects their functioning and ultimately their competitive advantage.

scholarly journals Sharpening the Axe: Identifying and Closing Gaps Within the Training Space of the South African Private Security Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1406-1414
Author(s):  
Linda Mbana ◽  
◽  
Jacob T. Mofokeng ◽  
Witness Maluleke ◽  
Dorcas Khosa
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
The South ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Security Officers ◽  
Security Training ◽  
Training Standards ◽  
Private Security Industry

The ever-present threat of crime in South Africa continues to drive the rise and demand for Private Security Industry (PSI) services amongst various governmental institutions, businesses and citizens to ensure their safety. This rise for the Private Security Services (PSS) persistently presents new challenges to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) such as poor security training standards and deployment of untrained security officers attached to the Private Security Companies (PSCs), which negatively impacts the professionalism of the security industry. This study was guided by this objective: Identifying and closing the gaps within South African training space of PSI. This qualitative study was guided by the exploratory research design. The judgemental sampling technique was adopted to sample 40 participants confined to Gauteng (GP), Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and Western Cape (WC) Provinces. The selected relevant stakeholders were attached to the South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Labour (DoLl), Department of Home Affairs (DoH), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the legal fraternity) and the PSI Directors and security officers to form part of the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and hybrid semi-structured interviews. The findings highlighted that the majority of the participants agreed that the private security industry training space is affected by security service providers letting PSiRA down by not training at, but rather engaging in, criminal activity through selling and people buying PSiRA security certificates. Some of the challenges mentioned include; poor training standards, non-compliance to legislated training standards, unqualified security training facilitators and outdated security Grades, misuse of security equipment leading to serious injuries and death, corruption in the industry, some of it being perpetrated by PSiRA inspectors, the very people who are supposed to keep the industry in check. This study recommends that, in order to overcome the challenges in the security training space, PSiRA needs to do away with the outdated security Grades by developing a new policy framework which will enable the creation of a new security-training curriculum and revise the training methods to suit the ever-changing security industry.

scholarly journals Human rights violations committed by private military and security companies: an international law analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 753-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzbieta Karska
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Private Security ◽  
International Community ◽  
Human Rights Violations ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
International Conventions ◽  
Security Companies

Abstract: This paper is devoted to the growing phenomenon of the private military and security industry with respect to human rights obligations. In the first part, it will analyze the concept of a private security company, which is not clear in national regulations and has few relevant provisions in international conventions. The second part will contain a short description of examples of human rights violations committed by private military and security companies, or with their participation, during service delivery or other forms of activity. The third part of this paper discusses possible methods of responsibility enforcement, with respect to the transnational character of many private security companies involved in human rights violations worldwide. One of the most important elements of the discussion in international community should focus on binding international instrument, preferably a convention, which would be able to establish at least very elementary rules for states and international organizations, responsible for using private military and security companies. The international community has witnessed a lot of initiatives from non-governmental entities, also model laws and self-regulations of the private security industry, but still the real problem has not even been reduced. The number of human rights violations has grown. Keywords: Human rights. Private security companies. Liability.

Private security companies and domestic violence: A welcome new development?

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diarmaid Harkin ◽  
Kate Fitz-Gibbon
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Protective Services ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
The Poor ◽  
New Development ◽  
Private Security Industry

Due to the poor reputation of the private security industry and the multiple lines of concerns raised by scholars over the potentially corrosive costs of commercial security provision, it is important to consider whether for-profit companies are a welcome addition to the network of actors who respond to the needs of domestic violence victims. Using the case study of ‘Protective Services’ in Victoria, Australia, who appear to be one of the first known instances of a private security company offering services to victims of domestic violence, we argue that there may be advantages for victims engaging with commercial providers and reasons for optimism that commercial outfits can improve feelings of safety for a particularly vulnerable and under-protected population.

Uneasy Partners Against Crime: The Ambivalent Relationship Between the Police and the Private Security Industry in Mexico

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Logan Puck
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Security Forces ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Mexican State ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
Ambivalent Relationship ◽  
Security Companies

AbstractLegitimation is a fraught process for private security companies operating in Mexico and other countries in the Global South where the police have a poor reputation. Mexican private security companies have an ambivalent relationship with the police, which causes firms to engage in two seemingly contradictory practices. Companies attempt to gain legitimacy by aligning with the image of the police to earn a sense of “symbolic stateness” while simultaneously distancing themselves from Mexico's actual police forces so as to disassociate from the institution's poor reputation. Consequently, collaboration between public and private security is limited, despite official attempts by the Mexican state to foster positive contact between them. Overall, this study contributes to the growing literature on private security by providing novel insights into the strategies private security firms utilize to navigate within states possessing delegitimated security forces, and the resulting lucrative political economy landscape.

scholarly journals Exploring hindrances for professionalising South African Private Security Industry: Experiences and recommendations

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 728-741
Author(s):  
Linda Mbana ◽  
Dorcas Khosa ◽  
Jacob Tseko Mofokeng ◽  
Witness Maluleke
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Private Security Industry

The professionalisation of the private security industry (PSI) can be beneficial and costly and these need to be measured against undertaking any professionalisation initiatives, since they can provide some degree of quality control to some businesses working in the field but can also impose hindrances and negative experiences to those wishing to enter the industry. The purpose of this study was to explore the following question: What are the experiences on hindrances to professionalisation of the PSI by Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority [PSiRA] in South Africa? Following a qualitative research approach, this study employed the exploratory research design. The judgemental sampling technique was adopted to select a sample of 40 participants from Gauteng (GP), KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Western Cape (WC) provinces. The findings highlighted that the majority of the participants agreed that the professionalisation of the PSI through PSiRA is facing many positive and negative experiences and hindrances, particularly in the private security training space where corruption and criminality are rife. This study recommends that, to overcome the noted hindrances, PSiRA needs to update the training curriculum, empower and train more inspectors and build relationships with industry stakeholders.

scholarly journals South Africans offering Foreign Military Assistance Abroad: How real is the Risk of Domestic Prosecution?

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Shannon Joy Bosch
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Military Assistance ◽  
New School ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Industry

This article discusses the efficacy of the existing Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998, and the proposed Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in the Country of Armed Conflict Act 27 of 2006, in regulating the private security industry and prosecuting those in contravention of the legislation. It discusses the motivations behind recent attempts to deny the citizenship of South African nationals who had taken up employment abroad in the private security industry. The article gives some guidance regarding the likelihood of prosecution for the new school of South African fighters taking up arms for foreign causes like ISIS, the IDF, and Nigeria.  

scholarly journals The State of Security Law Violations by the Private Security Businesses in Seoul and Countermeasures

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Ju-lak Lee ◽  
Seok Lee ◽  
Jinsung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Korean War ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Security Officers ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
The Korean War ◽  
Quantitative Development ◽  
Private Security Industry

The private security industry in South Korea has grown rapidly since the cessation of the Korean War in 1953. The main duty of the private security officers in their beginning era was to simply protect the supplies of the U.S. military stationed in the country, but the number of people employed in the business has outgrown the number of police officers since 2001.Despite the quantitative development of the private security industry, the quality of the services provided by the businesses has not advanced sufficiently except for a few number of specialized areas because of the perception that the police should be in charge of the overall security of society in addition to the low crime rate in the country and the lack of safety awareness by citizens. This has also resulted in an overflow of under-qualified businesses. Moreover, the lack of sense of duty among the employees of private security has resulted in violations of the existing laws and regulations, which has hindered further development of the industry. In this study, the current state of the private security companies registered at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is examined in addition to the details of the Private Security Act and its breaches by the security businesses in Seoul area during 2013. With a basis on the findings, the causes for the violations are assessed and prevention measures are suggested.  

scholarly journals Udlicitering af politiets opgaver i Danmark og Sverige

2020 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-86
Author(s):  
Mette Volquartzen
Keyword(s):  
Private Security ◽  
Social Attitudes ◽  
Public Authority ◽  
Physical Force ◽  
Future Scenario ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
State Liability

AbstractThe growth in the private security industry alongside a persistent separation of policing from the state is a well-documented Western phenomenon. Yet in Denmark, the police still claim a monopoly over matters of security and the exercise of public authority. This is partly because they operate in a society with a strong cultural aversion to the privatisation of police tasks. Despite this traditional cultural antipathy, privatisation may nevertheless become a future scenario in Denmark due to changes in social attitudes in general and to internal crises within the police. This article presents and analyses these developments and considers the legal implications of privatising certain police tasks in Denmark. Building on this analysis, it draws conclusions about the potential avoidance of state liability through outsourcing. The paper draws comparisons with Sweden, a similar state in political, cultural and legal respects, which began delegating police tasks to private security companies almost fifty years ago, including those that involve the use of physical force.

scholarly journals Are Private Security Guards Capable of Protecting Life and Property? Exploring Russian Youth's Perceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 338-348
Author(s):  
Anna Gurinskaya ◽  
Mahesh Nalla ◽  
Diana Rafailova
Keyword(s):  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Private Security ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Private Citizens ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
Work Security

In the recent decades private security industry has grown significantly both worldwide and in Russia. In this article we examine Russian citizens, more specifically, youth perceptions of private security guards who come in contact with private citizens. We examine public attitudes toward the nature of security guards work as it relates to their professionalism, effectiveness, and civility. We also analyze the degree to which students are satisfied with the guards work. Data for this research is drawn from a sample of 191 college students attending various universities in St. Petersburg, Russia. Our findings suggest that Russian students are ambivalent in general about the nature of security work, security guards professionalism and effectiveness. Overall, students are satisfied with the guards services or demonstrate neutral attitudes. However, positive contact with security guards appeared to be a strong predictor of their positive views. Therefore, private security companies should pay more attention to the guards training related to everyday interactions with citizens. Findings also suggest that there are group differences in terms of age, gender, and income in their views about the various dimensions of private security guards work. Females, younger people as well as students with lower income tend to have higher assessment of security guards professionalism, effectiveness, and civility. State regulation of the private security industry and industry regulations should aim at influencing the factors that contribute to positive citizens assessments of private security guards.

Improving Human Rights in the Private Security Industry: Envisioning the Role of ICoCA in Latin America

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-107
Author(s):  
Cristina NARVÁEZ GONZÁLEZ ◽  
Katharine VALENCIA
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Code Of Conduct ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Human Rights Abuses ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
Security Companies

AbstractThe private security industry in Latin America has been associated with human rights abuses, particularly in the context of extractive operations. Most private security guards in the region are poorly trained and do not undergo adequate vetting. These factors combined with serious deficiencies in the rule of law across the region too often enable private security companies to effectively operate outside state control and engage in human rights abusive practices. This article argues that adoption of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Providers (ICoC) by Latin American private security companies and states, coupled with civil society engagement with ICoC’s Association, may help reduce negative human rights impacts arising out of private security services within the extractive industry.

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