'Convergence' in the security industry – definitions, drivers and consequences
Weaver, Benjamin LU
(2008)
In Lusax memo series
- Abstract
- Drawing on a combination of empirical industry observations and management literature, this document at- tempts to shed some light on the usage of the term ‘convergence’ that can be identified within the security sector. The aim is to provide both a typology of definitions and a discussion of some of the strategic implica- tions of different types of convergence. A basic distinction is made between convergence on the demand-side (inside enterprise organizations) and the supply-side (technology and products and services). Demand-side convergence is identified as a unified approach to security that entails tearing down the organizational walls that separate the physical security, IT and information security functions. This notion of... (More)
- Drawing on a combination of empirical industry observations and management literature, this document at- tempts to shed some light on the usage of the term ‘convergence’ that can be identified within the security sector. The aim is to provide both a typology of definitions and a discussion of some of the strategic implica- tions of different types of convergence. A basic distinction is made between convergence on the demand-side (inside enterprise organizations) and the supply-side (technology and products and services). Demand-side convergence is identified as a unified approach to security that entails tearing down the organizational walls that separate the physical security, IT and information security functions. This notion of convergence is fo- cused on the organization of security work in terms of people, processes and technology. On the supply side, technological convergence is identified as a set of concurrent trends that have enabled the shift towards intel- ligent network devices. At the product (and service offering) level, a distinction is made between convergence in substitutes (e.g. IP cameras replacing analog cameras) and convergence in complements (e.g. bundling of software, hardware and services). Seen from an industry perspective, these two types of convergence have different consequences. The former potentially leads to an industry shakeout, where entrant companies chal- lenge incumbents’ dominant positions, while the latter may lead to alliance seeking and vertical integration. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/7854650
- author
- Weaver, Benjamin
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Book/Report
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- security industry, security, industry convergence, convergence
- categories
- Popular Science
- in
- Lusax memo series
- pages
- 6 pages
- publisher
- Institute of Economic Research, Lund University
- report number
- LXM-BW2
- project
- LUSAX - Security Industry Dynamics
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- http://www.lusax.ehl.lu.se/
- id
- a25e7e23-3df7-419c-83eb-b7021765ff46 (old id 7854650)
- alternative location
- https://publicera.ehl.lu.se/media/lusax/lxm-bw2-convergence.pdf
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 10:53:40
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 21:01:25
@techreport{a25e7e23-3df7-419c-83eb-b7021765ff46,
abstract = {{Drawing on a combination of empirical industry observations and management literature, this document at- tempts to shed some light on the usage of the term ‘convergence’ that can be identified within the security sector. The aim is to provide both a typology of definitions and a discussion of some of the strategic implica- tions of different types of convergence. A basic distinction is made between convergence on the demand-side (inside enterprise organizations) and the supply-side (technology and products and services). Demand-side convergence is identified as a unified approach to security that entails tearing down the organizational walls that separate the physical security, IT and information security functions. This notion of convergence is fo- cused on the organization of security work in terms of people, processes and technology. On the supply side, technological convergence is identified as a set of concurrent trends that have enabled the shift towards intel- ligent network devices. At the product (and service offering) level, a distinction is made between convergence in substitutes (e.g. IP cameras replacing analog cameras) and convergence in complements (e.g. bundling of software, hardware and services). Seen from an industry perspective, these two types of convergence have different consequences. The former potentially leads to an industry shakeout, where entrant companies chal- lenge incumbents’ dominant positions, while the latter may lead to alliance seeking and vertical integration.}},
author = {{Weaver, Benjamin}},
institution = {{Institute of Economic Research, Lund University}},
keywords = {{security industry; security; industry convergence; convergence}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{LXM-BW2}},
series = {{Lusax memo series}},
title = {{'Convergence' in the security industry – definitions, drivers and consequences}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5646226/7854667.pdf}},
year = {{2008}},
}