Changing Face of the State of Indian Security and its Future Impact on Business
- Capt. Raghu Raman, CEO, Mahindra Special Services Group, Mumbai
The business of security and risk management has shifted from protecting companies from risks to being the new source of competitive advantage. Personnel, information, assets, facilities and supply chains of companies doing business in India are exposed to varying risks. At present, there exists an intellectual void in assessment of existing/emerging risks and their business impact, from an Indian perspective.
The presentation by Captain Raghu Raman, CEO, MSSG is an attempt to fill the void. It would be covered in three parts. In part I, Raghu unveils his six forces of risk which have implications for corporates doing business in India. In Part II, it shall be highlighted that the current framework for managing corporate security is fractured. In Part III, the way forward will be discussed.
The six forces of risk are: regional instability, socio-political changes, environmental changes, organized crime, increasingly fierce global competition and demographic and value changes. Terrorism, other violent manifestations of dissent and ability of situations to rapidly spin out of control have implications for business continuity. Socio-political changes (violent secessionist movements and Naxalism) and environmental changes (climate shifts, energy, food and water crises and emergence of “dead zones”) threaten growth markets and supply chains. Trans-national organised crime (such as trafficking in drugs, humans and weapons) as well as local crime statistics are worrying. Fiercely competitive economic landscape is manifesting in corporate espionage and electronic breaches. Changing socio-economic paradigms manifest in high churn rates and attendant risks.
MSSG State of Corporate Security Survey: 2008 ratified the belief that the current framework for managing corporate security is fractured. While security threats are rising, aspects like physical and environmental security, business continuity, governance, outsourcing and competitive intelligence risks are largely overlooked. Beside, in most organisations, nobody appears to be viewing risk in a holistic fashion. The real threat to organisations is not technological inadequacies, but human vulnerabilities.
While there is a realization that corporate security is a CEO level priority, there exists less clarity on direction to take. Captain Raghu Raman contends that plotting the fault lines across six forces and viewing risks in holistic fashion will help in structuring the defence systems. High stress on human engineering element, that is, co-ordinating accountability and ownership, spreading awareness among employees and stakeholders, and inducing mindset change would be critical to de-risking efforts. Accessing professional help to assess and mitigate physical and environmental security threats, information security and third party risks, setting up of governance and competitive intelligence / zero surprise frameworks, training and change management programmes could be essential first steps towards de-risking businesses.
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Manpower and Systems
- Mr. T. Mogan, President, Security Association of Singapore.
Introduction
A fishing village before discovery. No natural resources but only people.
Today, Singapore is an island republic with a land area of 699.4 sq km and population of 4.35 million. A high population density of 6,222 per sq km. In 2005 per capita GDP was $44,666/-. Literacy rate in Singapore stands at 95% among residents aged 15 years and above.
While Singapore remains one of the most connected Asian city with more than 16 Gbps (Gigabytes per second). 74% of households own personal computer and 66% of household having Internet access. A nationwide broadband access. Mobile phone penetration rate exceeds 99%.
The structure of the government is familiar to you. A very E-Government leadership and management. This kind of leadership started in early 1980s where management becomes user of information technology. Late 90s saw the convergence of information technology and telecommunications for service industry, thus the business environment.
Contents
Singapore’s business environment is changing. Corporate networks and systems are complex. MNCs and other organisations are integrating their operations with manpower and systems. So as, not to allow security issues and risk to multiply threats must be confronted.
This confrontation must first identify the challenges that security systems will inevitably face. Singapore’s Private Security Agencies vividly ensure that their IT infrastructures are in place to avoid threats of any kind to the system and ensure that manpower does not have poor IT governance, negligence and any other human error.
With the clear understanding of the country’s population structure and availability of people security technology needs a boost. The security industry in total needs a launch of a community.
In 2006, this boost came with the formation of the Security Technology Community. The Community is set up to bring together private and public sector players to provide support for the Security Technology Industry (STI).
The Community Comprises private technology, electronics Fire and Safety and other experts with also the involvement of Security Enforcement Agencies like SPF, Prison Service and our ICA.
The community is working under the watchful eyes of our Home Affairs Ministry. A Polytechnic Institution, designs and develop innovative products and services to meet the challenges and threats.
New concepts for enhancing Singapore’s security technology industry is on the way especially offering manpower training and capability development.
With this as an overview, Private Security Agencies are enhancing security coverage with the suffering of the insufficient manpower.
A state of art is formed to identify the security coverage for an estate and recommend to incorporate systems with Information Technology to complement and supplement physical security.
Explain IGS
An example of one such state of art is the intelligent guard system that agencies prefer. A software system that fully automates physical security process. It is a system of bridging communication and integration. At a glance the features are :
- Visitor and Contractor Management
- Occurrence and Daily Activity
- Vehicle Movement
- Key Management
- Staff Attendance
- Incident Reporting
- Shift and Staff Deployment
- Event and Communication
- Roll Call in Crisis
- Guard Tour Reports
- Virtual Guard House
- Crisis Managemen
In conjunction with the Singapore Government’s Intelligent Nation 2015 Infocomm Master Plan (iN2015) agencies are progressing towards IT savvy operations to serve their clients.
Thus reducing manpower Intensive Task through automation.
Reducing Manpower Intensive Tasks through automation
Security is changing in Singapore’s government and commercial environment. Manpower alone is becoming a risk factor and such requirements can be expected to diminish. Contributing to this is of course the lack of manpower in Singapore.
Question? To ask
- Is Risk Management preferred to Risk Avoidance?
- Whether to downsize the Security Personnel and employ technology?
- Will Security Coverage be compromised?
Manpower Intensive tasks :
- facilities access control
- issuance of visitor badges
- providing information for visitors
- access control to interior facilities
- key issuance control
- Can manpower be reduced to man these processes.
Systems can :
- Automation and Integration
- IT – Information Technology Access
- Biometric Identification Systems etc.
Singapore’s Challenge
Public perception of security is often very passive. Proposed requirements and attempts to implement these proposals by Security Professionals are often compromised.
Attempts to educate public is undertaken :
- Buyer’s Awareness Seminars
- The ill-effects of a Compromise
- Security Agencies Program for the estate
- Cost is not a consideration factor
- A Nation’s economic viability rests on the security/safety its provide to its investors.
- Advances in Security Technology
Conclusion
So it is not Manpower Vs Technology
It is CONVERGENCE
With the issuance of individual licence, a Vocational Licence for Security Officers in Singapore, the implementation of a working time directive, code of ethics and conduct, the manned security charge rates will increase. Coupled with this, since we are experiencing manpower shortages a reduction in the licensed Security Officers is going to be less with spiralling manned security costs, it becomes vivid that an alternative solution will be to integrate an Intelligent Guard System (IGS) that uses reduced manpower with improved use of electronic security technology.
And as an example, this is exactly what is done these days where Security Services Buyers are requesting for a Security Program to be proposed to their estate. They buy this program with signed contract for 2 years.
We clearly understand that physical presence is a must, but we can minimise this without a compromise.
The Program would definitely entail a system to advise the buyer on the convergence initiatives, workplan, execution and submissions daily on the processes.
Two identities emerge during such submission.
- Reduce Manpower costs and control any future cost of Security Coverage
- Greater responsibility to Security Officer, improves Image and roles. More active during shift duty.
SECURITY COVERAGE
SECURITY OFFICER A MODEL
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