Date of Conferral
7-18-2024
Date of Award
July 2024
Degree
Doctor of Information Technology (D.I.T.)
School
Management
Advisor
Alan Dawson
Abstract
Cybersecurity policies are critical for organizations to protect their digital assets and sensitive information. Leaders must explore and implement effective cybersecurity policies because the lack of effective strategies will lead to increased security risks. Grounded in the social cognitive theory, the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies cybersecurity leaders use to enforce cybersecurity policies in organizations to protect organizational information systems and data. The participants were cybersecurity leaders associated with cybersecurity policies and their implementation and enforcement in different organizations located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Data collection included semistructured interviews of five participating cybersecurity leaders and the analysis of fourteen publicly accessible documents. Four themes emerged from coding: user awareness and training, stakeholder buy-in (management support), baseline/risk assessment testing, and staying abreast with current trends/technologies/standards. A key recommendation is for leaders to establish a security culture where cybersecurity is seen as a value instead of another responsibility. The implications for positive social change include the potential for cybersecurity leaders to reduce the occurrence of breaches while enhancing people’s perceptions and knowledge of cybercrime threats in their organizations creating a positive impact on social implications.
Recommended Citation
Young, Ma'risa LaShawn, "Exploring Strategies Leaders Use for Enforcing Cybersecurity Policies to Protect Information Systems and Data" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16145.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16145
