Journal of Systems and Information Technology

Ani, Uchenna Daniel; He, Hongmei; Tiwari, Ashutosh

2019 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/jsit-02-2018-0028

As cyber-attacks continue to grow, organisations adopting the internet-of-things (IoT) have continued to react to security concerns that threaten their businesses within the current highly competitive environment. Many recorded industrial cyber-attacks have successfully beaten technical security solutions by exploiting human-factor vulnerabilities related to security knowledge and skills and manipulating human elements into inadvertently conveying access to critical industrial assets. Knowledge and skill capabilities contribute to human analytical proficiencies for enhanced cybersecurity readiness. Thus, a human-factored security endeavour is required to investigate the capabilities of the human constituents (workforce) to appropriately recognise and respond to cyber intrusion events within the industrial control system (ICS) environment.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach (statistical analysis) is adopted to provide an approach to quantify the potential cybersecurity capability aptitudes of industrial human actors, identify the least security-capable workforce in the operational domain with the greatest susceptibility likelihood to cyber-attacks (i.e. weakest link) and guide the enhancement of security assurance. To support these objectives, a Human-factored Cyber Security Capability Evaluation approach is presented using conceptual analysis techniques.FindingsUsing a test scenario, the approach demonstrates the capacity to proffer an efficient evaluation of workforce security knowledge and skills capabilities and the identification of weakest link in the workforce.Practical implicationsThe approach can enable organisations to gain better workforce security perspectives like security-consciousness, alertness and response aptitudes, thus guiding organisations into adopting strategic means of appropriating security remediation outlines, scopes and resources without undue wastes or redundancies.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates originality by providing a framework and computational approach for characterising and quantify human-factor security capabilities based on security knowledge and security skills. It also supports the identification of potential security weakest links amongst an evaluated industrial workforce (human agents), some key security susceptibility areas and relevant control interventions. The model and validation results demonstrate the application of action research. This paper demonstrates originality by illustrating how action research can be applied within socio-technical dimensions to solve recurrent and dynamic problems related to industrial environment cyber security improvement. It provides value by demonstrating how theoretical security knowledge (awareness) and practical security skills can help resolve cyber security response and control uncertainties within industrial organisations.

Strasser, Artur; Westner, Markus; Strahringer, Susanne

2019 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/jsit-01-2018-0008

This paper aims to investigate the main tasks, necessary skills, and the implementation of the offshore coordinator’s role to facilitate knowledge transfer in information systems (IS) offshoring.Design/methodology/approachThis empirical exploratory study uses the classical Delphi method that includes one qualitative and two quantitative rounds to collect data on IS experts’ perceptions to seek a consensus among them.FindingsThe participants agreed, with strong consensus, for a set of 16 tasks and 15 skills. The tasks focused primarily on relationship management and facilitating knowledge transfer on different levels. The set of skills consists of approximately 25 per cent “hard” skills, e.g. professional language skills and project management skills, and approximately 75 per cent “soft” skills, e.g. interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to deal with conflict. Two factors mainly influence implementing the offshore coordinator role: project size and the number of projects to be supported simultaneously.Practical implicationsThe findings provide indications of how to define and fulfill this crucial role in practice to facilitate the knowledge transfer process in a positive way.Originality/valueSimilarities in previous research findings are aggregated to examine the intermediate role in detail from a consolidated perspective. This results in the first comprehensive set of critical tasks and skills assigned to the competency dimensions of the universal competency framework, demonstrating which and how many competency dimensions are critical.

Modi, Kirit J.; Garg, Sanjay

2019 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/jsit-01-2017-0006

Cloud computing provides a dynamic, heterogeneous and elastic environment by offering accessible ‘cloud services’ to end-users. The tasks involved in making cloud services available, such as matchmaking, selection and composition, are essential and closely related to each other. Integration of these tasks is critical for optimal composition and performance of the cloud service platform. More efficient solutions could be developed by considering cloud service tasks collectively, but the research and academic community have so far only considered these tasks individually. The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated QoS-based approach for cloud service matchmaking, selection and composition using the Semantic Web.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors propose a new approach using the Semantic Web and quality of service (QoS) model to perform cloud service matchmaking, selection and composition, to fulfil the requirements of an end user. In the Semantic Web, the authors develop cloud ontologies to provide semantic descriptions to the service provider and requester, so as to automate the cloud service tasks. This paper considers QoS parameters, such as availability, throughput, response time and cost, for quality assurance and enhanced user satisfaction.FindingsThis paper focus on the development of an integrated framework and approach for cloud service life cycle phases, such as discovery, selection and composition using QoS, to enhance user satisfaction and the Semantic Web, to achieve automation. To evaluate performance and usefulness, this paper uses a scenario based on a Healthcare Decision-Making System (HDMS). Results derived through the experiment prove that the proposed prototype performs well for the defined set of cloud-services tasks.Originality/valueAs a novel concept, our proposed integrated framework and approach for cloud service matchmaking, selection and composition based on the Semantic Web and QoS characterisitcs (availability, response time, throughput and cost), as part of the service level agreement (SLA) will help the end user to match, select and filter cloud services and integrate cloud-service providers into a multi-cloud environment.

Watchaton, Ananchanok; Krairit, Donyaprueth

2019 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/jsit-07-2017-0054

This study aims to understand how public sector organizations can successfully implement organizational information systems (IS). It identifies the factors that contribute to the success of organizational IS implementation in public universities.Design/methodology/approachBoth qualitative and quantitative research methods are used. The proposed research model is based on previous studies and primary qualitative research, including in-depth interviews, telephone surveys and mail surveys using semi-structured questionnaires to identify the determinants and measures of implementation success. Based on the first mail survey’s results, quantitative research is conducted to test the research hypotheses. The data are gathered from university personnel at 40 public universities, and the study focuses on the implementation of student registration systems.FindingsThe results suggest that successful implementation of organizational IS includes the decisions of both those in authority and users. The external and internal organization and individual user factors have direct relationships with the measure of implementation success, which suggests significant differences between authorities and users.Research limitationsThe analysis is based on the viewpoint of public university personnel; however, the findings suggest the need for further research on other public organizational IS as well as other public service operations.Practical implicationThe study clearly suggests a set of factors to guide public universities in successfully implementing organizational IS for local conditions of a developing country.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the understanding of effective IS implementation in public universities in a developing country.

Mpinganjira, Mercy

2019 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/jsit-06-2017-0044

This paper aims to provide a conceptual model that elucidates the role of cognitive absorption in explaining behavioural intentions in virtual health communities.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 361 contributing members of virtual health communities from Gauteng, South Africa, using a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modelling using AMOS software was used to analyse the data.FindingsThe findings show that cognitive absorption has a significant direct positive influence on content posters’ intentions to continue participating on virtual health community platforms. Cognitive absorption was also found to have an indirect influence on behavioural intentions through its influence on members’ attitude. It was also found to play a mediating role in the influence of perceived usefulness and behavioural intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe study shows the value of linking flow theory and the technology acceptance model to provide a comprehensive understanding of behavioural intentions in virtual health community forums.Practical implicationsManagers of virtual health communities need to pay attention to experiential aspects of their sites. Success in ensuring that community members are cognitively absorbed is key to the development of positive attitude and intentions towards virtual health community forums.Originality/valueVirtual health communities play a new and growing role in the way health-related information and support is offered and accessed by those in need. Despite their importance, not much research has been done to explain the role of consumer experience in member behavioural intentions on such forums. The study contributes to this understanding by demonstrating the value of cognitive absorption in directly explaining users’ attitude and behavioural intentions. The study also sheds light on the role played by cognitive absorption in explaining the influence of perceived usefulness on behavioural intentions.

Alsaadi, Meiaad Rashid; Ahmad, Syed Zamberi; Hussain, Matloub

2019 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/jsit-11-2017-0116

The purpose of the study is to provide a concrete, integrated plan to improve the service quality of mobile government (m-government) services from the customer perspective in the Gulf Cooperation Council.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was used to analyze a case study of the UAE Ministry of Interior (MOI) mobile application and a competitor: the MOI application of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a focus group.FindingsResults show that the technical requirement “real time” has the highest priority for deployment and “tangible service” has the lowest priority.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are limited to m-government services. Further studies could explore other government services such as traditional face-to-face services.Practical implicationsResults imply that if government decision-makers or software developers aim to understand customer requirements and improve their mobile services accordingly, the quality-function-deployment (QFD) approach is much more effective than traditional approaches in which decisions regarding services are prioritized based on the decision-makers or software developers’ perspectives.Originality/valueMany previous studies have applied QFD for developing products based on customer needs. This, however, is one of the few studies to successfully apply the QFD matrix to m-government services.