The process of globalization with its increasing economic convergence, political fluctuation and national insecurity has contributed to an increase in the interest in
risk management and corporate governance. One of the industries best placed to profit from this is the business of corporate investigation.
The birth of the modern corporate investigation industry is often attributed to the incorporation of J. Kroll Associates in 1972 by Jules Kroll, a former district attorney in New York. Kroll Associates, a self-described risk consultancy company, is often credited as having created an industry where there was none. Whilst such claims ignore a rich history of private detectives operating in national contexts throughout the 19th century, Kroll contributed significantly to the professionalization and
globalization of corporate investigative work.
This paper will outline Kroll’s role in establishing and globalizing this industry, which
by its very nature transcends national borders. In doing so, it will examine the symbiotic relationship between globalization and the growth of Kroll Associates over 30 years, from its incorporation to the company’s sale to Marsh & McLennan
Companies for $1.9 billion in 2004. Clients such as multinational corporations, national governments and high net worth individuals rely on companies like Kroll to provide high-quality knowledge when faced with the unexpected challenges and
opportunities produced by globalization. Examples range from tracing the assets of dictators, such as Ferdinand Marcos, investigating potential breaches of the Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act and investigating people on behalf of high net worth
individuals such as Harvey Weinstein. Thus the relationship between globalization,
surveillance capitalism and the knowledge-based economy will also be explored.
This paper places reliance on primary sources such as trade publications, national journalistic publications, state records (US Congress, US Senate and UK Parliament), corporate records, court records and journal articles.