Assessing Corporate Security Departments' Internal Relationships and Linkages with Other Business Functions

Abstract During the past decade there has been extensive research that has addressed corporate security departments' external relationships with law enforcement. However, little is known about the internal relationships of corporate security with the other business functions in the organization. Security directors and managers from the Fortune 500 and Fortune Service 500 companies were surveyed to assess the corporate security departments' relationship to other business functions and departments within the organization. The major categories of respondents included chemical/pharmaceutical, financial, manufacturing, service, and utilities companies. Respondents were asked about the corporate security departments' relationship to other business functions as well as which executives and departments are closely associated or allied with corporate security. Findings suggest that corporate security is closely aligned with other business functions and works well with other departments. However, the extent to which executives and departments that are associated with corporate security to ensure security within the company varies among the types of industries.