The sphere of risk influence of corporate security. A conditional model of mechanisms, barriers, and degree

Abstract Corporate security is embedded within enterprise risk governance, yet its organisational influence remains uneven and often operationally confined. This article examines the nature and limits of corporate security’s risk influence through the concept of a sphere of risk influence. Drawing on a multi-phase qualitative study of literature, organisational failure events, and expert practitioner focus groups, it conceptualises influence as a conditional outcome shaped by enabling mechanisms, constraining barriers, and the degree to which influence is realised in practice. Situated within Enterprise Security Risk Management frameworks, the sphere of risk influence is understood as the organisational space within which ESRM principles are effectively enacted, particularly through cross-functional collaboration and the integration of security risks within enterprise risk management systems. Findings show that corporate security engages diverse stakeholders across governance and operational environments, but that influence beyond the technostructure depends on contextual salience, structural legitimacy, and cultural positioning. The study offers a unifying diagnostic framework and theoretical foundation for future research on governance, influence, and professionalisation in security practice.