Public-Private Partnerships for Information Sharing in the Security Sector: What’s in It for Me?

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Abstract:

<p style="margin-left:19.85pt;">There is little research on public-private information sharing partnerships within the security sector and the benefits it may bring to both sectors. This contribution uses insights from previous research on the benefits of public-private partnerships from organisational science, information management, innovation economics, and technology studies to examine whether they are also valid within the security sector. In a first phase, this analytical framework is used to screen insights from partners involved in triple-helix collaboration in the field of innovation, technology and security. In a second phase, in-depth interviews are conducted with public and private actors involved in setting up a pilot project where information exchange is central. The research results show that traditional benefits such as increased effectiveness, efficiency, improved relationships, creation of learning opportunities and obtaining a strategic, operational, and/or economic advantage that were found in other contexts are also confirmed in the security sector. In addition, Belgian security actors saw improved decision-making and service delivery, increased personnel safety and a more integrated security chain as potential benefits. Understanding these benefits may facilitate the design of future public-private partnerships in the security sector.</p>