Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Information Systems and Technology

Advisor

Howard Schechter

Abstract

Companies that perform data backup lose valuable data because they lack reliable data backup or restoration methods. The purpose of this study was to examine the need for a Six Sigma data backup performance indicator tool that clarifies the current state of a data backup method using an intuitive numerical scale. The theoretical framework for the study included backup theory, disaster recovery theory, and Six Sigma theory. The independent variables were implementation of data backup, data backup quality, and data backup confidence. The dependent variable was the need for a data backup performance indicator. An adapted survey instrument that measured an organization's data backup plan, originally administered by Information Week, was used to survey 107 businesses with 15 to 250 employees in the Greater Cincinnati area. The results revealed that 69 out of 107 small businesses did not need a data backup performance indicator and the binary logistic regression model indicated no significant relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The conclusion of the study is that many small businesses have not experienced a disaster and cannot see the importance of a data backup indicator that quantifies recovery potential in case of a disaster. It is recommended that further research is required to determine if this phenomenon is only applicable only to small businesses in the Greater Cincinnati area through comparisons based on business size and location. This study contributes to positive social change through improvement of data backup, which enables organizations to quickly recover from a disaster, thereby saving jobs and contributing to the stability of city, state, and national economies.

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