Book Review: Corporate Security

Corporate Security Crossroads: Responding to Terrorism, Cyberthreats, and Other Hazards in the Global Business Environment. By Richard J. Chasdi. ​abc-clio.com; 248 pages; $48.

The landscape for corporate security practitioners is changing. Globalization and rapid technology advances are forcing industry leaders to understand and deal with convergence now more than ever. Corporate Security Crossroads: Responding to Terrorism, Cyberthreats, and Other Hazards in the Global Business Environment takes a scholarly approach to drawing a "then and now" correlation to modern day issues that multinational entities are facing. It presents a macro view on relevant geopolitical matters that will help key policy and decision makers better understand the complex risks that are present in less-developed parts of the world. 

Setting this book apart from others, there are many ties to modern and recent issues. The book is incredibly well researched, and Richard J. Chasdi uses this data to support his own assertions. Reference source material represents a significant amount of the overall content—the "Notes" section comprises nearly 25 percent of the book. 

Case studies paint a clear picture for readers but do not represent a true global perspective. The inclusion and analysis of Western-focused incidents, along with the others, would have better supported the author's attempt to present wide-reaching global business hazards.

Corporate Security Crossroads is an advanced text and an ideal publication for research and academic environments, as well as for companies and other organizations that focus largely on geopolitical matters. It is less relevant to CSOs and CISOs operating outside of a governmental or foreign affairs role. 

Reviewer: Pete Bernritter is senior regional manager, Americas Security and Safety, at Dassault Systèmes. He is a member of the ASIS Investigations Council and serves on the technical committee for developing the Active Assailant Annex to the ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention Standard.