The ASIS blog sat down with Christopher Walker to discuss the updated Protection of Assets (POA). As one of the editors, Walker discussed the edition of the new Business Principles book to the POA. To learn more about the POA or purchase a revised copy visit here.
The Protection of Assets (POA) Manuals have served as an essential part of the learning process for security professionals seeking to attain the designation of Certified Protection Professional (CPP). While the development of technical skills has been the focus, what was missing was a discussion of the world of business in which security professionals operate.
Of all the roles that exist within a business, those in security are among the least likely to have formal business education. This business knowledge gap has long been a credibility problem for security professionals. Therein lies the purpose of this book, to close the gap and provide security professionals with a better understanding of business.
However, not all business principles are relevant to the practical needs of security professionals. Rather than attempting an inexhaustible review of all known business topics, the goal of the Business Principles book is to enable security professionals to gain key insights and access to information they can put to use – not in theory, but in practice. What each security professional gets from the book will be a process of individual discovery and determination, with the goal of becoming more valuable to their company, their profession, and themselves.
The Business Principles book discusses topics that help provide better answers to questions security professionals need to know, such as – Why is the alignment between the competitive environment and the internal capabilities of a business essential to success? What are the barriers to decisions and how might better decisions to be made? What are the different strategies a business can use to compete?
Today’s organizations expect employees to engage in the development of new knowledge, skills, capabilities, and behaviors. Continual learning is essential, and it has led to the proliferation of educational choices that include secondary and post-secondary degrees, certificates, and various specialized credentialed programs offered not merely in-house but by educational institutions and professional associations – like ASIS International. Accordingly, the ASIS POA is a must have for any serious security professional and not simply because it looks good on a bookshelf, though it does. Rather, the set of books of the POA provide access to comprehensive peer reviewed material necessary to help the professional address today’s growing range of security problems in a complex, ever-changing world.
