Understanding employees' information security identities: an interpretive narrative approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Wall ◽  
Prashant Palvia
Keyword(s):  
Information Security ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Security Compliance ◽  
And Control ◽  
Over Time

PurposeThe authors seek to understand the formation of control- and security-related identities among organizational employees through and interpretive narrative analysis. The authors also seek to identify how the identities form over time and across contexts. Several identities are identified as well as the changes that may occur in the identities.Design/methodology/approachFew interpretive or critical studies exist in behavioral information security research to represent employee perspectives of power and control. Using qualitative interviews and narrative analysis of the interview transcripts, this paper analyzes the security- and control-related identities and values that employees adopt in organizational settings.FindingsTwo major categories of behavioral security compliance identities were identified: compliant and noncompliant. Specific identities within the compliant category included: faithful follower vs the reasoned follower, and other-preserving versus the self-preserving identities. The noncompliant category included: anti-authority identity, utilitarian identity, trusting identity and unaware identity. Furthermore, three patterns of identity changes were observed.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors’ narrative stories suggest that employee identities are complex and multi-faceted, and that they may be fluid and adaptive to situational factors. Future research should avoid assumptions that all employees are the same or that employee beliefs remain constant over time or in different contexts. Identities are also strongly rooted in individuals' rearing and other life experiences. Thus, security control is far broader than is studied in behavioral studies. The authors find that history matters and should be examined carefully.Practical implicationsThe authors’ study provides insights that managers can use to enhance security initiatives. It is clear that different employees build different control-related identities. Managers must understand that their employees are unique and will not all respond to policies, punishments, and other forms of control in the same way. The narratives also suggest that many organizations lack appropriate programs to enhance employees' awareness of security issues.Originality/valueThe authors’ narrative analysis suggests that employee security identities are complex and multi-faceted, and that they are fluid and adaptive to situational factors. Research should avoid assumptions that all employees are the same or that their beliefs remain constant over time or in different contexts. Identities are also strongly rooted in individuals' rearing and other life experiences. Their history matters and should be examined carefully.

Escalation of commitment and information security: theories and implications

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 580-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitriy V. Chulkov
Keyword(s):  
Information Security ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Escalation Of Commitment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Theories ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Security Compliance ◽  
Information Security Investment

Purpose This study aims to explore the challenges that the escalation of commitment poses to information security. Design/methodology/approach Two distinct scenarios of escalation behavior are presented based on literature review. Psychological, organizational and economic theories on escalation of commitment are reviewed and applied to the area of information security. Findings Escalation of commitment involves continuation of a course of action after receiving negative information about it. In the information security compliance context, escalation affects a firm when an employee decides to break the firm’s information security policy to complete a failing task. In the information security investment context, escalation occurs if a manager continues investment in policies and solutions that are ineffective because of psychological, organizational or economic factors. Both of these types of escalation may be prevented with de-escalation techniques including a change in management or rotation of duties, monitoring, auditing and governance mechanisms. Practical implications Implications of escalation of commitment behavior for information security decision-makers and for future research are discussed. Originality/value This study complements the literature by establishing the context of escalation of commitment in decisions related to information security and reviewing managerial and economic theories on escalation of commitment.

Discerning payment patterns in Bitcoin from ransomware attacks

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-589
Author(s):  
Adam B. Turner ◽  
Stephen McCombie ◽  
Allon J. Uhlmann
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Target Network ◽  
Input Side ◽  
Output Side ◽  
And Control ◽  
Programming Interface ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Over Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate available forensic data on the Bitcoin blockchain to identify typical transaction patterns of ransomware attacks. Specifically, the authors explore how distinct these patterns are and their potential value for intelligence exploitation in support of countering ransomware attacks. Design/methodology/approach The authors created an analytic framework – the Ransomware–Bitcoin Intelligence–Forensic Continuum framework – to search for transaction patterns in the blockchain records from actual ransomware attacks. Data of a number of different ransomware Bitcoin addresses was extracted to populate the framework, via the WalletExplorer.com programming interface. This data was then assembled in a representation of the target network for pattern analysis on the input (cash-in) and output (cash-out) side of the ransomware seed addresses. Different graph algorithms were applied to these networks. The results were compared to a “control” network derived from a Bitcoin charity. Findings The findings show discernible patterns in the network relating to the input and output side of the ransomware graphs. However, these patterns are not easily distinguishable from those associated with the charity Bitcoin address on the input side. Nonetheless, the collection profile over time is more volatile than with the charity Bitcoin address. On the other hand, ransomware output patterns differ from those associated charity addresses, as the attacker cash-out tactics are quite different from the way charities mobilise their donations. We further argue that an application of graph machine learning provides a basis for future analysis and data refinement possibilities. Research limitations/implications Limitations are evident in the sample size of data taken on ransomware campaigns and the “control” subject. Further analysis of additional ransomware campaigns and “control” subjects over time would help refine and validate the preliminary observations in this paper. Future research will also benefit from the application of more powerful computing resources and analytics platforms that scale with the amount of data being collected. Originality/value This research contributes to the maturity of the field by analysing ransomware-Bitcoin behaviour using the Ransomware–Bitcoin Intelligence–Forensic Continuum. By combining several different techniques to discerning patterns of ransomware activity on the Bitcoin network, it provides insight into whether a ransomware attack is occurring and could be used to trigger alerts to seek additional evidence of attack, or could corroborate other information in the system.

scholarly journals Exploring prehospital C2-work during a mass gathering event

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik G. Prytz ◽  
Jonas Rybing ◽  
Eric Carlström ◽  
Amir Khorram-Manesh ◽  
Carl-Oscar Jonson
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Task Load ◽  
Shared Awareness ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Control ◽  
Over Time

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the workload and shared workload awareness in a staff performing command and control (C2) work during a planned major incident (MI) empirical case in Sweden. Design/methodology/approach – Data on workload and shared awareness were collected during live C2-work using qualitative observations and in-situ interviews mixed with quantitative questionnaires. Findings – A content analysis of the qualitative data revealed categories of workload sources. Quantified workload estimates showed changes in workload levels over time and staff roles, which were also contextualized using the results of the qualitative data. Data on shared awareness indicated that team workload awareness shifted over time according to common patterns. This study demonstrates a promising methodology to study C2-related factors during live EMS work. Research limitations/implications – The observed variations in workload imply that research that relies only on post-task measurements of workload may be inaccurate. Future research could use this method to investigate the connection between workload and performance during different types of MIs. Originality/value – The results can be used to inform future Göteborgsvarvet C2-teams in terms of when, why, and for whom task load changes, which would support predictive allocation of resources.

Blockchain as supply chain technology: considering transparency and security

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Xu ◽  
Joonghee Lee ◽  
James R. Barth ◽  
Robert Glenn Richey
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Text Mining ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Use Cases ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Twitter Data ◽  
The Way

PurposeThis paper discusses how the features of blockchain technology impact supply chain transparency through the lens of the information security triad (confidentiality, integrity and availability). Ultimately, propositions are developed to encourage future research in supply chain applications of blockchain technology.Design/methodology/approachPropositions are developed based on a synthesis of the information security and supply chain transparency literature. Findings from text mining of Twitter data and a discussion of three major blockchain use cases support the development of the propositions.FindingsThe authors note that confidentiality limits supply chain transparency, which causes tension between transparency and security. Integrity and availability promote supply chain transparency. Blockchain features can preserve security and increase transparency at the same time, despite the tension between confidentiality and transparency.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was conducted at a time when most blockchain applications were still in pilot stages. The propositions developed should therefore be revisited as blockchain applications become more widely adopted and mature.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to examine the way blockchain technology eases the tension between supply chain transparency and security. Unlike other studies that have suggested only positive impacts of blockchain technology on transparency, this study demonstrates that blockchain features can influence transparency both positively and negatively.

Understanding the influence of technological capability and exogenous pressure on business model dynamics: insights from a longitudinal case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingqin Su ◽  
Shuai Zhang ◽  
Huanhuan Ma
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Technological Capability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
Over Time

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to explore how technological capability and exogenous pressure interactively influence business model (BM) dynamics over time in new technology-based ventures.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a longitudinal case study of the BM innovations of a Chinese financial technology venture. The structural approach and temporal bracket are used to analyze and theorize the data.FindingsThe findings indicate that distinct contextual changes impel a firm to refine or abandon existing BMs over time. In different stages, the antecedents interactively influence BM dynamics with three successive patterns, namely pressure dominance, parallel influence and hybrid influence. While both antecedents trigger changes during the initiation and implementation of new BMs, they also serve as the filter and the enabler, respectively, during the ideation and integration of BMs.Research limitations/implicationsThe study inductively develops three propositions regarding the relationship between BM dynamics and its antecedents, which is based on the data collected from one single firm. Future research should test the propositions in other domains and take more cross-level antecedents into consideration.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the nascent research stream of BM dynamics by offering in-depth insights into the interaction of internal and external antecedents and by linking the differentiated roles of antecedents to the BM innovation process. The research offers some practical implications for new technology-based ventures seeking to develop BMs in a fast-changing environment.

Work–life balance: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumari Rashmi ◽  
Aakanksha Kataria
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a clear view of current dynamics and research diversification of extant literature in the field of work-life balance (WLB). This paper provides a systematic and critical analysis of WLB literature using bibliometric analysis.Design/methodology/approach Scopus database has been used for carrying out this review that is based on 945 research papers published from 1998 to 2020. The prominence of the research is assessed by studying the publication trend, sample statistics, theoretical foundation, the highly cited research articles and journals, most commonly used keywords, research themes of top four recognized clusters, sub-themes within each cluster and thematic overview of WLB corpus formed on the premise of bibliographic coupling. Additionally, content analysis of recently published papers revealed emerging research patterns and potential gaps.Findings Major findings indicate that the research area consists of four established and emerging research themes based on clusters formed as (1) flexible work arrangements, (2) gender differences in WLB, (3) work–life interface and its related concepts, and (4) WLB policies and practices. Emerging themes identified through content analysis of recent articles include gender discrepancy, the impact of different forms of contextual (situational) factors and organizational culture.Originality/value This research paper is the first of its kind on the subject of WLB as it provides multifariousness of study fields within the WLB corpus by using varied bibliographic mapping approaches. It also suggests viable avenues for future research.

Balancing territorial identities

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 805-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Stöttinger ◽  
Elfriede Penz
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Territorial Identity ◽  
Constituent Element ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
Globalized World

Purpose In today’s globalized world, countries are becoming increasingly multiethnic. This raises questions about the different dimensions of consumers’ territorial identities, and how these dimensions are differentiated, interrelated and interlinked. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Using qualitative interviews, this paper investigates how (40) respondents from two different ethnic minorities in a country that is not necessarily considered multiethnic perceive these dimensions of territorial identity (ethnic, regional and national) as a constituent element of their own person and of their behavior. Findings The authors highlight that these three dimensions of territorial identity co-exist as independent entities; they are distinct but interrelated and interconnected. Furthermore, idiosyncrasies in the ethnic sub-samples are investigated and described. These are related to the connection to the country of residence (being born there vs having immigrated there). Finally, avenues for future research, such as expanding the concept of territorial identities and its connection to consumer behavior, are suggested. Originality/value The authors extend the bipolarity commonly used in territorial identities (global vs local or ethnic vs national) to three conceptually independent dimensions. The authors explore the relationships between these dimensions of territorial identity and show that they may not conflict but, instead, co-exist.

scholarly journals Fresh perspectives on customer experience

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 430-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet R. McColl-Kennedy ◽  
Anders Gustafsson ◽  
Elina Jaakkola ◽  
Phil Klaus ◽  
Zoe Jane Radnor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dynamic Nature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Advance Theory ◽  
Over Time

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide directions for future research on: broadening the role of customers in customer experience; taking a practice-based approach to customer experience; and recognizing the holistic, dynamic nature of customer experience across all touch points and over time. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is conceptual identifying current gaps in research on customer experience. Findings – The findings include a set of research questions and research agenda for future research on customer experience. Originality/value – This research suggests fresh perspectives for understanding the customer experience which can inspire future research and advance theory and managerial practice.

scholarly journals Elaborating factors affecting visual control in a big room

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-47
Author(s):  
Jukka Majava ◽  
Harri Haapasalo ◽  
Kirsi Aaltonen
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Visual Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
And Control

Purpose The “big room” concept and lean philosophy have become increasingly popular in the construction industry. Visual control is a central part of lean philosophy and the big room concept; its aim is to improve information flow, joint problem-solving and real-time decision-making. Visual control facilitates effective project management by providing information on what work is performed and why, customer requirements, deadlines, work status and potential problems. This study aims to explore how visualisation supports project management and control in a big room and the factors that facilitate good visual control. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on the case study method, and the objective is to elaborate the current understanding of factors that affect visual control. The study includes a literature review and an empirical study of a large construction project. Findings The results indicate that many factors facilitate visual control. Despite the importance of facilities and tools, communication and teamwork are identified as the key factors. On a broader level, the results indicate a need for a holistic approach in developing visual management strategies and practices in the construction industry and in complex projects in particular. Research limitations/implications A single case may not be able to offer a generalised picture of this complex topic. However, the study provides novel insights for practitioners and researchers interested in the development of visual control and big rooms. Future research topics are also proposed. Originality/value While previous studies have identified many elements of successful big room implementation – including integration and early involvement, information sharing, tools and facilities – this study focusses specifically on the factors that facilitate visual control.

A critical review and reconstruction of perceptual brand equity

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asli D.A. Tasci
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Perspectives ◽  
Structural Relations ◽  
Strategic Market

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to: distinguish between financial brand equity and perceptual brand equity; distinguish among different stakeholder perspectives on customer-based brand equity, consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) (consumer, customer, employee and resident); contrast the original definitions and measures of CBBE by Aaker and Keller; identify the deviations from the original conceptualizations and measures of CBBE by Aaker and Keller; discuss the evolution of the most commonly used CBBE components; analyze the structural relations of the most common CBBE components and generate conceptual, structural, relational and methodological suggestions for future research. Design/methodology/approach This critical review conducted a narrative analysis of the perceptual brand equity literature (CBBE) by inventorying about 200 empirical and conceptual CBBE studies in several different contexts. Studies that included CBBE, brand equity, customer-based brand equity and consumer-based brand equity were included in this review. Only 87 representative studies that either conceptually defined or empirically measured CBBE and its components were included in the deep analysis. Findings The review revealed that the literature is divergent in terms of CBBE components or structural relations among components in any context including tourism and hospitality. Even though about 40 different CBBE components exist in different contexts, the totality of the CBBE literature reflects a consensus on five components of CBBE, brand familiarity/brand awareness, brand image/brand associations, perceived quality, consumer value and brand loyalty, all of which collectively define the total meanings of a brand from consumer/customer perspective. Research limitations/implications Keeping these five components intact, this study suggests a concise CBBE definition, conceptual clarifications for these components, a model reflecting their structural relations and a framework of parsimonious measures. The study makes future research recommendations in terms of using uniform CBBE components, measures and relational structure among components, identifying the relationship between CBBE and financial-based brand equity and comparing different stakeholder perspectives on CBBE in future research. Originality/value With these observations and suggestions, this critical review provides a guideline for more robust theory development of the CBBE construct. Additionally, it offers a parsimonious and practical CBBE blueprint for the practitioners who include CBBE as a strategic market metric in their marketing and research plans. Furthermore, it suggests standardization in CBBE research to enable systematic reviews with meta-analysis of the CBBE literature in the future. Using standard components, measures and relational models in CBBE research, as was suggested in this study, would allow meta-analysis for a meaningful comparison of results between different brands, products and even industries.

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