Title: Analysis of the dominant enterprise information assurance mechanisms

Authors: Shafqat Hameed, Atta Badii, Craig Hawker

Addresses: Newport Business School, University of Wales, Newport, Allt-Yr-Yn Campus, Allt-Yr-Yn Avenue, Newport, NP20 5DA, UK. ' School of System Engineering, University of Reading, White Knights Campus, Reading, RG6 6AY, UK. ' Northampton Business School, University of Northampton, Park Campus, Northampton, NN2 7AL, UK

Abstract: This study analyses current information assurance mechanisms employed by the target group of businesses. The questionnaire responses indicate that 47% of respondents do perceive backup methodologies as important, with a total of 70% of respondents having some backup methodology already in place. The respondents perceived the loss of data to have a significant effect upon the ability of their business to function. Only 14% of respondents indicated that loss of data on computer systems would not affect their business at all, with 54% of respondents indicating that there would be a major effect on their ability to operate. Respondents who had experienced data loss were more likely to have backup methodologies in place (53%) than respondents that had not experienced data loss (18%). There is a significant level of empirical data from this research to suggest a strong association between the existence of backup methodologies and company size.

Keywords: backup methodologies; data loss; risk perception; information assurance; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; computer systems; business functionality; company size; dominant enterprises; technology adoption; value chain management; ICT; information technology; communications technology; culture; socio-technical aspects.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVCM.2010.031805

International Journal of Value Chain Management, 2010 Vol.4 No.1/2, pp.120 - 141

Published online: 24 Feb 2010 *

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