Cranfield Defence and Security

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Browsing Cranfield Defence and Security by Author "Abdullah, Ahmed"

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    Antecedents of Cybersecurity Implementation: A Study of the Cyber-Preparedness of U.K. Social Enterprises
    (IEEE, 2020-06-10) White, Gareth R. T.; Allen, Robert Anthony; Samuel, Anthony; Abdullah, Ahmed; Thomas, Robert J.
    The cybersecurity of organizations is a subject of perennial concern as they are subject to mounting threats in an increasingly digitalized world. While commercial and charitable organizations have been the objects of cybersecurity research, social enterprises (SEs) have remained unexplored. As SEs have become increasingly important features of social and economic development, so their prominence as potential targets of cybercrime also increases. In order to address this knowledge gap, this article examines the factors that influence the cyber-preparedness of SEs in the U.K. Through the use of semistructured interviews with SE owner-managers, these factors are found to comprise the characteristics of the enterprise, the characteristics of the enterprise management, resource constraints, experience of cyberattacks, usage of IT, and awareness of cybersecurity schemes and resources. These insights provide valuable guidance for SE owner-managers, SE support agencies, and policy-makers when considering the cybersecurity of SEs. These findings are of immediate concern to SEs but also to other organizations that are engaged in partnerships with them as SEs may afford “gateway” opportunities to those with malicious intent.
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    University-Industry collaboration through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in the UK: an extension of Activity Theory
    (The International Journal of Management, 2019-10-31) White, Gareth R. T.; Abdullah, Ahmed; Cicmil, Svetlana; Allen, Robert Anthony; Thomas, Robert
    The mechanisms for stimulating innovation are perennial subjects of concern. Despite the recognition of their importance they remain troublesome undertakings for individual organisations and national economies. The literature has only recently begun to recognise the importance of the micro-relations that exist between individuals and their effect upon the efficacy of these mechanisms. However, the intricacies of these micro-relationships remain underexplored. Through an extended period of immersion of around two years in each of three organisations this study identifies the nature of the tensions that beset the micro-relations between individuals in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in the United Kingdom. The research proffers an extension to the Activity Framework in order to explicitly recognise the dimension of ‘Tacit Skills’.
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