Business Research Method Proposal Research-Samples for Students

Question: What challenges manifest in the quest for promoting information security management? How much is information security embedded in the goals, strategies, and culture of the Australian university scene? Answer: Introduction Understanding the risks that emerge in the name of cyber crimes and cyber threats is critical in the Australian universities scene, given the widespread usage of information communication technology systems in the sector. First, it is important to consider that in the present world of sharing information online, people work with information that is stored or shared via applications that are stored in the operating systems that computers have (Choo 2010, p. 1). The usage of information services that are available through computer applications continues to grow by the day thanks to the omnipresence of the internet and the standards therein, as established by Van Der Aalst, Ter Hofstede, and Weske (2003, p. 3). This is especially true in the cultures and economies that are deemed as being open, with the example of countries like Australia (Choo 2011, p. 719). Australia has been noted to thrive because of the presence of profound information and communication technologies (Choo 2011, p. 719). However, with the widespread usage of the internet, both positive and negative attributes evolve. When looking at the negativities that emerge from the rampant usage of internet, it is essential to look at the deprivation of privacy (National Research Council 2007, p. vii). Speaking of privacy, it is essential to note that one of the connotations of the concept that has been developed by the National Research Council (2007, p. 3) constitutes the essence of having control over information. The development of ICT systems in businesses as well as the governments has presented an apt environment for the promotion criminal activities under the bracket of cyber crimes and cyber attacks (Choo 2011, p. 719). In Australia for instance, cyber crimes cost businesses the tune of $600 million per annum (Saini, Rao Panda 2012, p. 204). The number of cyber crimes that occur in the business settings in Australia has been reported by the PwC (2015, p. 1) were noted to be the highest in the world, with the large business organizations reporting on the rising cases of the vice. The alarming rank promotes the need for research on the subject of cyber crimes in the Australian business world in particular. In the bid to identify the most suitable area for conducting research, the researcher opted for the Australian universities business scene because universities, as established by the Guardian (2015, p. 1), tend to make use of information systems in almost all of their operations and bus iness. The same can be said for American Universities, which use ICT systems in teaching, learning, administration, and research work (Lane 2007, p. 11). Given the fact that limited research has been present in the understanding of cyber crimes in the Australian universities, and the fact that the country has the largest cyber threat risk, clearly, it is about time that this study gap is filled. On that note, the proposal will seek to precipitate the need for gaining an in-depth understanding of the concept of the risks of cyber threats and cyber crimes in the Australian universities scene. Project Objectives The objectives of the project will be as presented below; To understand the widespread nature of information sharing in the university sector To draw the line between information sharing in universities and the promotion of cyber threat/crime risks by developing a conceptual framework To identify the value that is embedded in information system management To understand the role of the management systems in the Australian university in combating cyber incidents To propose evidence-based recommendations that universities in Australia should consider adopting as a means for promoting cyber protection Project Scope The scope of the project will seek to gain understanding into the concept of cyber security in the Australian business scene, with a bias to the universities. It is essential to note that the ICT systems in the universities contain a plethora of information, which range from financial details, medical data, student biodata, and expensive research as identified by Wagstaff and Sottile (2015, p. 1). The rich information that is available in universities makes them the ultimate targets for hackers (Wagstaff Sottile 2015, p. 1). On that note, the project will seek to dig deeper in the bid to capture the cognizance behind the occurrence of cyber incidents in the Australian universities business scene. Literature Review In the bid to understand the steps that have been made in research, as well as the gaps that are available on the subject of cyber security in the universities, a review of literature was conducted. The literature review section was organized in such a manner that it allowed the researcher to draw attention to certain subjects that are of interest to the topic at hand. On that note, the following themes were considered in the literature review section. Information in the Modern Society One theme that the researcher considers to be essential to the study is the understanding of the role that information plays in the modern society. A study by Lane (2007, p. 21) revealed the fact that there is a growing need for having information accessibility in the modern societies. The meaning is that in the present social structures, an increasing importance in information sharing is becoming fundamental. Information sharing in the current world is facilitated by the presence of electronic communities, and so organizational structures, as well as the foundations of their information systems, are imperative. There is a link that rests between the reliance that exists on information systems in the modern societies, and the information that is shared. This shows that there is a growing need for beefing up protection of ICT systems against the occurrence of threats and risks that may emerge in the form of cyber crimes. ICT in Universities and the Need for having Information Security Protection When looking at the sector for higher learning, it is essential to appreciate the fact that these institutions have developed a dependency in information sharing across online networks to support their core functions. The core functions that were referred to earlier that have prompted the widespread usage of ICT in universities take note of learning, research and teaching, where information is created and shared. Because of the above information regarding the significance of ICT systems in universities, it is imperative to consider the importance of securing information that is of importance to the institutions of higher learning. As established in the studies by Dhillon and Torkzadeh (2006, p. 304), maximizing control systems in the organizations was shown as being essential to the process of instigating the security of information systems. On a similar light, given that universities are considered to be business organizations, they should also consider acknowledging the role of inf ormation security, especially when looking at the business and research information that is available therein. It is essential that universities consider strategic information resource as being a critical asset for universities that has undoubted value. When information is considered as a strategic asset in the institutions of higher learning, automatically, it would mean that this kind of an asset would require protection that is deemed as being appropriate. The proper control would ensure that information availability, integrity and confidentiality are regulated. Challenges and Implementation of Information Security Control It is one thing to point out the need for setting up controls for the ICT systems in the universities as means of mitigating the possible risks that emerge in the form of cyber crimes and threats, and it is another to follow through with the systems that foster implementation of information security. In the universities, adopting the activities that foster ICT control that is effective is not quite clear, as established by Wood (2000). On that note, it is essential to note that awareness is vital to the universities, particularly when it comes to the erection of new positions of office such as Coordinators, and Information and Security Officers, which will play a fundamental role in beefing up information security. Information security should also be considered as being an organizational responsibility that has to be factored in the processes of the organization. This is a major concern given that the funding that is allocated to information security may not seem to match up to the s ecurity needs of the organization. Asides from poor budgetary allocations, other hurdles that impair with the process of promoting adequate information security take note of the lack of commitment, lack of knowledge, and guidance. Oblinger (2003, p. 1) identifies the fact that educators support the need for having information security systems, but differences in opinions occur when options are proposed. This maybe partly because of the absence of adequate risk analysis, which can reveal all the necessary information that is required in launching proposals for beefing information security. When looking at the challenges that emerge in the quest to boost effective information security, it is essential to mention the need to integrate the IS with the cultural values that are in existence in the universities. This idea of integrating IS with the strategies of a firm was propelled by Kotulic and Clark (2003, p. 597). When universities have effective systems that foster information security, it shows that the institutions have the top information structures that support the achievement of its goals. Having an understanding of the best system to adopt for the universities is also essential. Clearly, information security management in the varsities can be achieved with the appreciation of the increased dependency of the universities upon the electronic sharing of information as well as the emerging events that present a threat to the information that is deemed as being of high value in the universities. Research Design and Methodology In the bid to respond to the above research questions, as well as to meet the study objectives, a research study will be conducted. A quantitative research approach will be employed as noted below. Quantitative Research It is essential to note that quantitative research makes use of numerical analysis, where statistical features are classified, counted and conclusions drawn from causalities (University of Southern California 2017, p. 1). In the present research, a quantitative study design would be facilitated by the use of a structured questionnaire, which will function as the research instrument. The questionnaire will contain questions that will be related to the topic of cyber crimes in Australia's university sector. The design of the study will be a survey research. Survey research is critical in gaining the insight of the participants regarding a particular subject, and many respondents can participate (Alderman Salem 2010). In the survey research, an audience will be identified. The survey provider will then be identified, which will be Google forms. The survey will then be conducted, which will be followed by an evaluation in the form of data analysis. Data analysis will be facilitated by the preparation of a codebook, setting up of the structure of the data, data entry and screening of errors. The data will then be explored by the use of graphs and descriptive information. Finally, determination of relationships will be done in the bid to make a decision. Random sampling will be employed in the study, where the target respondents will be the staff members and management in the Australian universities. The selected sample size is 300 respondents. A pilot test will be done to promote validity and reliability of the study. Research Limitations At the end of the study, the researcher will identify whether the study was effective and if limitations were present in the research design i.e. sampling, research design instrument, data collection, data analysis, and decision-making. Time Schedule (Research Plan) The schedule of the study is as presented in the Gantt chart that is displayed in the Appendix section (Appendix A). Conclusion The problem of cyber crimes presents risks and threats to businesses including universities. The current research is essential to gaining understanding into the concept of cyber crimes in the Australian universities. The research findings will be a step in the direction towards finding evidence-based solutions to curb the adverse effects that would otherwise emanate from the acts of cyber criminals. References Alderman, A.K. and Salem, B., 2010. Survey research. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 126(4), pp.1381-1389. Choo, K.K.R., 2010. Cloud computing: Challenges and future directions. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (400), p.1. Choo, K.K.R., 2011. The cyber threat landscape: Challenges and future research directions. Computers Security, 30(8), pp.719-731. Dhillon, G. and Torkzadeh, G., 2006. Value?focused assessment of information system security in organizations. Information Systems Journal, 16(3), pp.293-314. Kotulic, A.G. and Clark, J.G., 2004. Why there arent more information security research studies. Information Management, 41(5), pp.597-607. Lane, T. (2007). Information security management in Australian Universities: An exploratory analysis (Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology). National Research Council, 2007. Engaging privacy and information technology in a digital age. National Academies Press. Oblinger, D., 2003. IT security and academic values. Luker and Petersen, Computer Network Security in Higher Education, 4. PwC. (2015).Australia Tops Asian Region for Cyber Security Risks: Report. [online] Available at: https://www.pwc.com.au/press-room/2015/cyber-security-risks-oct15.html [Accessed 24 May. 2017]. Saini, H., Rao, Y.S., and Panda, T.C., 2012. Cyber-crimes and their impacts: A review. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, 2(2), pp.202-9. The Guardian. (2015).Universities need to plug into threat of cyber-attacks. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/31/universities-cyber-attacks-research-criminals [Accessed 24 May. 2017]. The University of Southern California. 2017. Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Quantitative Methods. Available at: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/quantitative [Accessed 24 May. 2017]. Van Der Aalst, W.M., Ter Hofstede, A.H. and Weske, M., 2003, June. Business process management: A survey. In International conference on business process management (pp. 1-12). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Wagstaff, K. and Sottile, C. 2015. Cyberattack 101: Why Hackers Are Going After UniversitiesAvailable at https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/universities-become-targets-hackers-n429821 [Accessed 24 May. 2017]. Wood, C.C., 2000. An unappreciated reason why information security policies fail. Computer Fraud Security, 2000(10), pp.13-14.