| Publication |
2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Private military and security companies have gained political authority within the governance of security, but the increasing authority seems unmatched by legitimacy. This article analyzes self-legitimation efforts by the dominant Western industry. It draws on two different theoretical perspectives of legitimacy, organizational legitimacy and democratic legitimacy, and argues that four dimensions of legitimacy are relevant to these companies. The article finds empirically that there are different degrees of deficits in each dimension and discusses the use of some corresponding legitimating strategies used by the industry. Findings indicate that much effort currently seems concentrated on building input legitimacy, while there are also less concerted efforts to cultivate both output and moral legitimacy. The article warns that, if unchallenged, legitimation campaigns may lead to further accumulation of private influence on military and security policies, both nationally and internationally.
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