In a broad philosophical manner, security can be considered a core need and social process whose end goal is to ensure individual, social, economic, and political security. In fact, perhaps it is better to understand that security exists to change a state of insecurity. To address these insecurities, security operates in the individual, organizational, and governmental domains. The need for security also creates and oftentimes relies upon social cohesion and relationships in order to ensure that individuals will effectively live with one another, while also strengthening organizations, governments, and nation states.
Security is also a measurable and objective state. And, effective security is an end goal. For example, a company may have an actual security event or not meet certain security standards for the protection of an asset–both of which are objective measures prompting the company to meet a measurable goal. In other cases, such as the 9-11 terrorist attacks, individuals, organizations, and governmental organizations soon realized that their security practices and operations were not adequate, prompting them to use private and public resources to reduce or eliminate the state of insecurity and reach the end goal of security.
Failing to meet safety and security needs can have profound effects on individuals' abilities in establishing positive interpersonal relationships and a sense of belonging, impacting their levels of self-esteem. Because of effective security, employees will have positive social interactions, high levels of self-esteem, and increased productivity. If, however, security is lacking, individuals may not feel safe or secure; hence, the organization could experience low productivity, morale, and employee resignations. All of these negative factors related to an "unsafe" environment could financially impact the profitability of the company in both the short and long term.
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