Information Security and the Psychological Contract: A Trust Perspective

Posted: 25 Oct 2007

Date Written: April 7, 2006

Abstract

The role of knowledge workers within organizations has changed dramatically over the past decade, and promises to continue changing over the next. Organizations require knowledge workers at increasingly lower levels of authority to have access to sensitive information. At the same time, rapid changes in organizational structures find many of these knowledge workers facing uncertain job stability. In fact, many organizations have outsourced key business functions, meaning that knowledge workers may not even have primary loyalty to the organization(s) they are supporting. These challenges to the psychological contract between organizations and their employees are an information security issue. How can organizations instill a sense of information security amongst knowledge workers in the face of these conflicting phenomena? The CIA (confidentiality, integrity, availability) approach to data security provides a solid technical starting point, but fails to address the organizational and ethical issues faced when dealing with knowledge workers, who can easily compromise proprietary information. A principles-based approach can help foster an internal awareness of security, but is difficult for employees to buy into if they feel alienated in today's fast-changing organization. Of course, organizations must be diligent in evaluating the character of the employees and contractors they employ. But beyond that, organizations must realize that they bear primary responsibility for fostering a culture that encourages, even demands, principled interactions between its constituents, including employees, contractors, customers, and vendors. It is incumbent on the IS department to understand and convey this message to other areas of the organization.

Keywords: psychological contract, trust, information security, organizational culture, knowledge workers

JEL Classification: J20, J50, M54, M12, M14

Suggested Citation

Wenger, Mitchell R., Information Security and the Psychological Contract: A Trust Perspective (April 7, 2006). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1024273

Mitchell R. Wenger (Contact Author)

University of Mississippi ( email )

200 Conner Hall
Patterson School of Accountancy
University, MS 38677
United States
662-915-5755 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.olemiss.edu

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Abstract Views
758
PlumX Metrics