Managing the outsourcing of information security processes: the 'cloud' solution

Information security processes and systems are relevant for any organization and involve medium-to-high investment; however, the current economic downturn is causing a dramatic reduction in spending on Information Technology (IT). Cloud computing (i.e., externalization of one or more IT services) might be a solution for organizations keen to maintain a good level of security. In this paper we discuss whether cloud computing is a valid alternative to in-house security processes and systems drawing on four mini-case studies of higher education institutions in New England, US. Our findings show that the organization’s IT spending capacity affects the choice to move to the cloud; however, the perceived security of the cloud and the perceived in-house capacity to provide high quality IT (and security) services moderate this relationship. Moreover, other variables such as (low) quality of technical support, relatively incomplete contracts, poor defined Service License Agreements (SLA), and ambiguities over data ownership affect the choice to outsource IT (and security) using the cloud. We suggest that, while cloud computing could be a useful means of IT outsourcing, there needs to be a number of changes and improvements to how the service is currently delivered

Information systems security outsourcing key issues : a service providers' perspective

Completed research paperThere is a perception that information systems security outsourcing, in spite entailing a relationship between a client and one or more providers, tends to be studied and analysed from the perspective of the client. A gap is then believed to exist in the study of the information systems security outsourcing relationship from the point of view of the service provider. This research aims to identify the key issues of such a relationship from the perspective of the service provider and rank them according to their importance. The Delphi method was used to support the communication with the group of experts contributing to this research as well as to boost consensus within the group. Final interviews with participants were also conducted with the aim of reaching deeper into their opinions and to shed a brighter light over the results of the Delphi. A ranked list of the 13 most important key issues found is presented and discussed and propositions for further work are put forward in the wake of the study.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

INFORMATION SYSTEMS SECURITY OUTSOURCING KEY ISSUES: A SERVICE PROVIDERS\u27 PERSPECTIVE

There is a perception that information systems security outsourcing, in spite entailing a relationship between a client and one or more providers, tends to be studied and analysed from the perspective of the client. A gap is then believed to exist in the study of the information systems security outsourcing relationship from the point of view of the service provider. This research aims to identify the key issues of such a relationship from the perspective of the service provider and rank them according to their importance. The Delphi method was used to support the communication with the group of experts contributing to this research as well as to boost consensus within the group. Final interviews with participants were also conducted with the aim of reaching deeper into their opinions and to shed a brighter light over the results of the Delphi. A ranked list of the 13 most important key issues found is presented and discussed and propositions for further work are put forward in the wake of the study

Examining Task Conflict and Team Atmosphere in Virtual Teams Engaged in Outsourced Project Work

Global teams have become commonplace. As teams have become more dispersed, leveraging outsourced resources has gained popularity. Outsourcing can be a prudent move financially; however, when it is inappropriately applied, the damage it produces can easily overshadow any financial gains. Such ill effects can include impaired employee performance and morale caused by decreased job security. Moreover, it can lead to a less favorable team atmosphere and increased task conflict. This study examined the effects of team virtuality along with the strategic alignment of outsourcing on team performance. The research utilized the intervening processes theory (IPT). The IPT posits that the relationship between certain constructs cannot be measured directly; however, the impact can be measured through other constructs. In the case of this study, it was the impacts of the constructs of virtuality, job security, outsourcing, and team temporariness on team performance. The intervening constructs were team atmosphere and task conflict. The research instrument was an online survey. The results of this survey supported the hypotheses that task conflict was impacted by team virtualization, job security, and team atmosphere. Weak support was provided for the influence of team temporariness on task conflict. The impacts of team virtualization and job security on team atmosphere were not supported. Finally, team performance was influenced by team atmosphere but not task conflict

Information systems security outsourcing key issues: a service providers’ perspective

Mestrado em Gestão de Sistemas de InformaçãoThere is a perception that information systems security outsourcing, in spite entailing a relationship between a client and one or more providers, tends to be studied and analysed from the perspective of the client. A gap is then believed to exist in the study of the information systems security outsourcing relationship from the point of view of the service provider. This research aims to identify the key issues of such a relationship from the perspective of the service provider and rank them according to their importance. The Delphi method was used to support the communication with the group of experts contributing to this research as well as to boost consensus within the group. Final interviews with participants were also conducted with the aim of reaching deeper into their opinions and to shed a brighter light over the results of the Delphi. A ranked list of the 13 most important key issues found is presented and discussed and propositions for further work are put forward in the wake of the study

The Outsourcing-to-Insourcing Relocation Shift: A Response of U.S. Manufacturers to the Outsourcing Paradigm

Outsourcing has been utilized as a corporate strategy by U.S. manufacturers for over three decades to minimize manufacturing and production costs, focus on core competencies and achieve sustained competitive advantages in the global market. In recent years, manufacturers have begun evaluating nearshoring, reshoring and insourcing strategies as near-term responses to trigger events such as increased labor costs and decreased product quality. The United States Air Force also established outsourcing as its primary strategy for achieving cost-saving objectives associated with the design, engineering, manufacturing, production and sustainment of its fourth, fifth and sixth generation weapon systems. In order to decrease weapon system costs and consistently achieve congressionally mandated core and 50/50 requirements, the United States Air Force is evaluating opportunities to bring outsourced workload into the depot infrastructure. This research applies grounded theory and case study methodologies to examine the antecedents and barriers of the U.S. manufacturing outsourcing-to-insourcing relocation shift. A structured framework is presented to assist the United States Air Force as a guide for evaluating insourcing opportunities. The framework addresses contract duration, access to critical information, and the factors influencing the insourcing decision

A Client-Vendor Relationship Perspective of Cultural Differences on Cross-Border Information Technology Outsourcing

Cross-border information technology (IT) outsourcing continues to rise due to the demand for business process outsourcing. Issues such as miscommunication and management problems have emerged because of cross-cultural disparities between clients and vendors across national borders. The theoretical framework of this study was based on the organizational culture model studies of Meek, Spradley, Smith, and Draft for examining and understanding complex organizational practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory sequential case study was to qualitatively identify and quantitatively determine the management approaches that are effective in managing cross-cultural differences and the constitution of the elements of global adjustment, motivation, mindset, and communication patterns involving outsourcing business leaders in the United States. Ten IT leaders participated in-depth face-to-face interviews, while 120 IT outsourced service providers from the United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore, and India completed the survey. Pearson\u27s correlation analysis was performed on quantitative survey data. Qualitative data from interviews were organized, coded, and the results generated 6 themes. The themes included no management issues in the current processes, a lack of formal management approaches to resolve cross-cultural issues, an intent to provide a strong management partnership platform, and a positive relationship between approaches. Quantitative results showed that formal management approaches positively correlated with global adjustment, motivation, mindset, and communication pattern. Results could be socially significant to IT business leaders, as these results will equip them with knowledge of effective practices and management approaches to address cultural diversity issues, programs, and policies in the industry

A Historical Observation of the Intellectual and Institutional Structures of the Field

In this paper, we examine the evolution of the institutional and intellectual structures of the IS field. We argue that, though the field’s institutional structures—academic programs, journals, conferences, and professional associations—have developed admirably, the state of the field’s intellectual structure is less clear. We employ a co-citation lens to analyze the development and evolution of subfields across three periods. We rely on Culnan’s (1987) second co-citation study as a point of departure for our analysis. We then extend her work through two additional studies that individually assess the state of subfield development at distinct periods during the field’s history. Over the three periods, we note that the field has experienced change in subfield diversity and cohesion. Culnan’s study exhibits low levels of cohesion and diversity among topics. Our first study shows continued isolation but growth in subfield diversity. This period is indicative of a fragmented adhocracy. Our second study suggests increasing levels of integration despite only a slight reduction in subfield diversity. While we largely only describe the field’s evolution, any assessment of whether this evolution represents a positive or negative trajectory for the field will be subject to interpretation and debate

Ethics and taxation : a cross-national comparison of UK and Turkish firms

This paper investigates responses to tax related ethical issues facing busines

Spillover effects of information leakages in buyer–supplier–supplier triads

Information leakages—the unauthorized sharing of an organization's information with another organization—are a growing concern in today's supply chains, but remain relatively underexplored. Drawing on attribution theory and observational learning, our research investigates inter-organizational information leakages from a network perspective. We assess the spillover effects of opportunistic and inadvertent information leakages between an OFFENDER organization and a VICTIM organization on the relationship between the OFFENDER and a nonpartisan OBSERVER. We consider the roles of integrity- and ability-based trust, as well as operational similarity between the organizations. We conducted scenario-based experiments with 181 sales practitioners recruited via MTurk and supplemented those results with post hoc interviews. Our results show clear spillover effects: The OBSERVER's willingness to share information with the OFFENDER decreases significantly after any type of information leakage between the OFFENDER and the VICTIM, but more so for opportunistic leakages. Integrity-based trust mediates the relationship between intentionality and information sharing willingness. We also find indications of an unexpected collateral damage effect in that to some extent, both trust dimensions decrease in both forms of information leakage. Further, for opportunistic information leakages, the OBSERVER's willingness to share information with the OFFENDER decreases more when OBSERVER and VICTIM are operationally similar.</p