| When somebody mentions private detectives, | | | | trivial such as unauthorized staff absenteeism with |
| people will often think back to the movies from | | | | staff taking rather too many sickies, can cause |
| the early 20th Century featuring gritty detectives, | | | | major financial problems when the company not |
| living on women, booze and chain smoking their | | | | only has to pay the member of staff but also has |
| way through every case before shooting the bad | | | | to bring in temporary cover. Other issues such as |
| guy and getting the girl at the end. Although this is | | | | theft from work, corporate fraud and industrial |
| a fun and romantic image, it is complete fiction | | | | espionage are also within the remit of the private |
| and in no way reflects the activities of modern | | | | detective in this field. Detectives specialising in |
| private detectives. | | | | corporate investigations will be skilled in some or |
| The modern private detective is as likely a highly | | | | all of these fields and will be able to subtly |
| skilled financial wizard, who is a highly trained in | | | | investigate issues leaving the management time |
| computers dealing in corporate investigations than | | | | to actually run the company. When the issues |
| they are to be sitting in a car late at night | | | | have been investigated fully and a case made, the |
| following an errant husband or wife around and | | | | managers may be saved from embarrassing and |
| trying to get photographs of them cheating. In | | | | unfounded accusations against a truly innocent |
| fact these days corporate investigations are one | | | | member of staff. If the situation wasn't quite so |
| of the most likely places you will ever meet a | | | | innocent then they will have sufficient evidence to |
| private detective. | | | | take action against the guilty staff member (or |
| Modern companies run on tight budgets and | | | | members) and if required to take to the police or |
| problems with staff can cut into this in a bigger | | | | to the civil courts for further action. |
| and bigger way. Even things which seem quite | | | | |