Mitigating Computer Misuse at Work

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Recommended: Role of information security policy

Computer misuse is a ubiquitous behaviour in many organizations. It has a serious influence on system security which should be considered by every organization. Inappropriate use of computer in workplace is increasing every year and this deviant behaviour has a negative influence on both organizations and employees (Bock, Park & Zhang, 2010). D’Arcy, Hovav and Galletta (2009) mention that 50%-75% security issues have been found from the inside of an enterprise, and a majority of internal threats are relating to individual’s unsafe operation on computer. Therefore, it is necessary for organizations to optimize system security by implementing a rational measure to moderate individual’s unsafe behaviour on computer in workplace. Employees, who play a key role in security protection, need to be helped increase compliance on information security policy. This essay will discuss which is a more effective approach, reward (encouraging employees comply with security policy and normatively use computer in workplace) or punishment (preventing misuse and insecure operation), though analysing the impact of each mechanism and employees’ reaction to draw a conclusion that punishment is a more effective way than reward to moderate employees’ misuse and unsafe behaviour regarding computer use at work.

Admittedly, reward should be a more acceptable policy than punishment for employees. Employees would keep performing well in their work after being rewarded (Patel & Conklin, 2012). According to Gardner and Quigleym (2010), employees, who have been rewarded in their job, will be aroused to have a higher compliance on the purpose of their work. Appropriate reward is directly relating to employees’ working satisfaction. They will be more satisfied an...

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...rganisations. European Journal of Information Systems, 18,106–125

Liao, Q., Luo, X., Gurung, A., & Li, L. (2009). Workplace management and employee misuse: Does punishment matter? The Journal of Computer Information Systems, 50(20), 49-59

Myyry, L., Siponen, M., Pahnila, S., Vartiainen, T., & Vance, A. (2009). What levels of moral reasoning and values explain adherence to information security rules? An empirical study. European Journal of Information Systems, 18, 126-139

Patel, P., & Conklin, B. (2012). Perceived labor productivity in small firms—the effects of high-performance work systems and group culture through employee retention. Theory and Practice, 36(2), 205-235

Spitzmuller, C., & Stanton, J.M. (2006). Examining employee compliance with organizational surveillance and monitoring. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 79, 245–272

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