Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Information Technology (D.I.T.)

School

Information Systems and Technology

Advisor

Donald Carpenter

Abstract

Security violations have been one of the key factors affecting manufacturers in adopting the Internet of Things (IoT). The corporate-level information technology (IT) leaders in the manufacturing industry encounter issues when adopting IoT due to security concerns because they lack strategies to protect against security violations. Grounded in Roger’s diffusion of innovations theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies corporate-level IT leaders use in protecting against security violations while adopting IoT for manufacturers. The participants were senior IT leaders in the eastern region of the United States. The data collection process included interviews with corporate-level IT leaders (n = 6) and examination of company documents (n = 10). The data analysis process involved searching patterns for words, codes, or themes and their relationships to confirm the findings. During analysis, four major themes emerged: relevance of securing IoT devices in IoT adoption, identifying and separating personal and confidential data from analytical data, adequate budget for securing IoT network devices and infrastructure as key factors in IoT adoption, and risk mitigation policy relevant to securing IoT devices. The implications for positive social change include the potential for corporate-level IT leaders to develop tools that will detect threats, prevent malicious attacks, and monitor IoT networks for any IoT device vulnerabilities. Improved protection from security violations may result in more efficient ways for people to use natural resources. Additionally, there may be a wider usage of smartphones connected to IoT to simplify people’s lives.

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