Government vs. Corporate Security

Apr 1, 2002 12:00 PM

Security professionals in the government arena are more likely than their counterparts in private industry to see their jobs expand with additional responsibility. They are also more likely to have security systems that are fully integrated. Furthermore, their electronic access control systems are likely to be older and their CCTV/surveillance systems newer than those of their private industry colleagues.

These are among the results of exclusive research conducted by Primedia Business Magazines and Media. Results of the study contrast responses from survey participants in the government/education realm with those from among the Fortune 1000, the nation's top private companies. Analysis points to differences in how both groups approach their jobs and the tools (equipment) they use in their everyday work.

The top chart shows that government/ educational institution respondents have seen their jobs involve expanded responsibility, require more technical knowledge and require them to do more with less. Many fewer Fortune 1000 respondents find themselves in similar circumstances.

Government/educational respondents are also more likely to have systems in which security is fully integrated, 26.7 percent versus 14.7 percent of Fortune 1000 respondents. They are less likely to have decided not to integrate their systems — 6.7 percent versus 18.1 percent among Fortune 1000 respondents who plan to take a less high-tech route.

CCTV systems among government/education security personnel are an average of 3.9 years old; at Fortune 1000 companies, the average age is 5.8 years. Electronic access control systems used by the government/education respondents are an average of 5.3 years old, while those used by the Fortune 1000 are an average of 4.4 years old. The third chart shows the average ages of other systems used by both groups of respondents.

More of the decision-making process related to buying security systems is made at the departmental level among government/education respondents (40.0 percent), while among the Fortune 1000 the decision is more often made at the corporate level (53.4 percent).

Government/education respondents are more likely to use computer network security and electronic locks, but less likely to use CCTV surveillance and perimeter security. The fourth chart shows how often other components are used.

Your positions…

How has your role as a security professional changed in the last few years?

	Fortune 1000	Govt/Educ Inst
More responsibility/involvement/expanded role	42.2%	73.3%
More technical/technology-based	32.8%	60.0%
Have to do more with less	33.6%	50.0%
Focus has shifted	6.0%	13.3%

Describe your company/institution's attitude toward integration of security with other systems.

	Fortune 1000	Govt/Educ Inst
Our systems are fully integrated	14.7%	26.7%
We're moving toward full integration	25.9%	33.3%
Our systems are not yet integrated	35.3%	33.3%
We have decided not to integrate our systems at this time	18.1%	6.7%

How old are your current systems (mean number of years)?

	Fortune 1000	Govt/Educ Inst
CCTV/surveillance	5.8	3.9
Electronic access control	4.4	5.3
Electronic locks	4.2	5.3
Intercoms/communications	4.6	7.8
Perimeter security	6.4	7.0
Photo ID/Badging	3.6	2.4

Which are components of your systems?

	Fortune 1000	Govt/Educ Inst
Asset tracking	19.8%	23.3%
CCTV/surveillance	58.6%	46.7%
Computer network security	41.4%	53.3%
Electronic access control	59.5%	66.7%
Electronic locks	40.5%	56.7%
Perimeter security	37.9%	26.7%

Where is the buying decision made?

	Fortune 1000	Govt/Educ Inst
Corporate level	53.4%	23.3%
Individual location	27.6%	20.0%
Departmental basis	7.8%	40.0%

SOURCE: ACCESS CONTROL & SECURITY SYSTEMS' Security Trends Study, October 2001

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Opening Up About Door Closers
• An Enterprise Approach
• The Framework For Open Systems
• On A Higher Plane
• More from April's issue