Security Planning and Assessment High School Essay

Security Planning and Assessment High School - Essay Example Geographical location may become important if the firm is situated in an area that is subject to political or social upheaval. Corporations with offshore facilities must constantly reevaluate and reassess their security requirements and vulnerabilities. Retail and wholesale outlets may take on additional threats if they sell or store materials that may be useful in the manufacture of explosives or weapons of terror. As the cost of goods changes over time, items that were once considered unattractive may take on new value. Dealing with these constantly changing environments requires a program that regularly reassesses security based on the current economic, political, and social climate. This paper will examine the myriad political, social, and economic forces and how they impact the management, planning, and assessment of security for private firms, and the methods that form the most appropriate response for these situations. Americans that are employed overseas for US corporations may become particularly at risk as the political climate changes or the social structure breaks down into lawlessness. Journalists may be kidnapped and held for either political ransom or financial ransom. Terrorists may kidnap high profile executives with the belief that they could be used as a bargaining chip to gain the release of terrorists held in the US or other foreign prisons. In assessing the threat level the political climate of the country should be considered. Questions need to be asked such as; does the country tolerate terrorism and terrorist groups Have these groups threatened the US or US interests If there is a cause for concern, the best assessment tool is intelligence. Geopolitical regions that are at a high risk of terrorist activity that is unfriendly to the US will often have a pattern of previous terrorist acts. If there been any changes in US policy that may initiate a terrorist kidnapping, then this wi ll heighten the risk of future activity. High level and visible personnel working overseas are usually the ones that are most at risk. Countering a personnel threat begins with thorough planning. One of the most critical actions that the person can take is to keep a low profile and remain as anonymous as possible. In addition, "be cautious of local officials in many regions, minimise your profile in order to minimise your risk" (The Cavell Group, n.d., p.1). Living and working locations should be gated with a guard at the entrance, and have video and audio monitoring capability. Routes and routines should be kept private and unpredictable. Personnel should be closely guarded by trained professionals, preferably from the region. If traveling in a private car, plans and escape routes should be planned ahead of time. Planning should also include contingency plans for the worst-case scenario. Family, staff, and colleagues should be trained in the proper response to any type of attack. It should be remembered that in the case of a kidnapping for ransom on foreign soil, the local government might not be helpful. The legal , cultural, and political disparities among nations, as well as the constraints on intelligence and expertise, "all point to the fact the prospects for effective action at the state level are not promising" (James & Goldstaub, 1988, p.75-76). Individuals and corporations operating on foreign soil