Table Of ContentWalden University
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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
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2017
Exploring Security, Privacy, and Reliability
Strategies to Enable the Adoption of IoT
Daud Alyas Kamin
Walden University
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Walden University
College of Management and Technology
This is to certify that the doctoral study by
Daud Kamin
has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,
and that any and all revisions required by
the review committee have been made.
Review Committee
Dr. Jon McKeeby, Committee Chairperson, Information Technology Faculty
Dr. Bob Duhainy, Committee Member, Information Technology Faculty
Dr. Steven Case, University Reviewer, Information Technology Faculty
Chief Academic Officer
Eric Riedel, Ph.D.
Walden University
2017
Abstract
Exploring Security, Privacy, and Reliability Strategies to Enable the Adoption of IoT
by
Daud A. Kamin
MS, Walden University, 2013
BS, San Diego State University, 2003
Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Information Technology
Walden University
November 2017
Abstract
The Internet of things (IoT) is a technology that will enable machine-to-machine
communication and eventually set the stage for self-driving cars, smart cities, and remote
care for patients. However, some barriers that organizations face prevent them from the
adoption of IoT. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore
strategies that organization information technology (IT) leaders use for security, privacy,
and reliability to enable the adoption of IoT devices. The study population included
organization IT leaders who had knowledge or perceptions of security, privacy, and
reliability strategies to adopt IoT at an organization in the eastern region of the United
States. The diffusion of innovations theory, developed by Rogers, was used as the
conceptual framework for the study. The data collection process included interviews with
organization IT leaders (n = 8) and company documents and procedures (n = 15). Coding
from the interviews and member checking were triangulated with company documents to
produce major themes. Through methodological triangulation, 4 major themes emerged
during my analysis: securing IoT devices is critical for IoT adoption, separating private
and confidential data from analytical data, focusing on customer satisfaction goes beyond
reliability, and using IoT to retrofit products. The findings from this study may benefit
organization IT leaders by enhancing their security, privacy, and reliability practices and
better protect their organization’s data. Improved data security practices may contribute
to social change by reducing risk in security and privacy vulnerabilities while also
contributing to new knowledge and insights that may lead to new discoveries such as a
cure for a disease.
Exploring Security, Privacy, and Reliability Strategies to Enable the Adoption of IoT
by
Daud A. Kamin
MS, Walden University, 2013
BS, San Diego State University, 2003
Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Information Technology
Walden University
November 2017
Dedication
I dedicate this work to my wife Mariam and children (Laila and Eli) for their
unconditional love, support, and motivation while I was a working student and a parent.
This is proof that you can achieve anything if you work hard at it. Do not let failures slow
you down; they are clues set to help you reach your goals. I also want to dedicate this to
my parents, who gave up everything to bring their children to a place where they could
flourish. I will never forget, and I hope this accomplishment makes you proud.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank so many people for their support throughout my studies for their
involvement throughout my studies all these years, including my grade school and high
school teachers who inspired and encouraged me to reach for the sky. I want to thank my
committee chair, Dr. Jon McKeeby, and all of my committee members, Dr. Bob Duhainy
and Dr. Steven Case. This undertaking has challenged me academically, emotionally, and
physically. Thank you, all, for your support, encouragement, and understanding. In
addition, thank you to Walden’s chief academic officer, Dr. Karlyn Barilovits and all of
the other faculty members and classmates at Walden University that I have worked and
studied with these past few years. I want to also thank all of those who participated in this
research for your dedication to my project in the midst of a your day-to-day
responsibilities. Your participation in my study is very much appreciated. Finally, I
especially want to thank my wife and children for putting up with my odd hours and
sleepless nights, missed family nights, dance classes, soccer practices, and general time
together. I love you all. Thank you for your support, understanding, and motivation.
Table of Contents
List of Tables .......................................................................................................................v
Section 1: Foundation of the Study ......................................................................................1
Background of the Problem ...........................................................................................1
Problem Statement .........................................................................................................2
Purpose Statement ..........................................................................................................2
Nature of the Study ........................................................................................................3
Research Question .........................................................................................................4
Interview Questions ................................................................................................ 4
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................5
Definition of Terms........................................................................................................6
Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations ................................................................6
Assumptions ............................................................................................................ 6
Limitations .............................................................................................................. 7
Delimitations ........................................................................................................... 7
Significance of the Study ...............................................................................................8
Contribution to Information Technology Practice .................................................. 8
Implications for Social Change ............................................................................... 9
A Review of the Professional and Academic Literature ................................................9
IoT Defined ........................................................................................................... 10
Organizational Benefits of IoT Adoption ............................................................. 14
IoT Security Issues ................................................................................................ 16
i
IoT Privacy Issues ................................................................................................. 21
IoT Reliability Issues ............................................................................................ 28
Diffusion of Innovations: Five Characteristics ............................................................34
Diffusion of Innovations Theory .......................................................................... 34
Compatibility ........................................................................................................ 36
Relative Advantage ............................................................................................... 39
Trialability............................................................................................................. 44
Observability ......................................................................................................... 49
Complexity ............................................................................................................ 54
Analysis of Related Theories ................................................................................ 58
Limitations of Diffusion of Innovations Theory ................................................... 59
Usage of Diffusion of Innovations Theory in Research ....................................... 60
Transition and Summary ..............................................................................................63
Section 2: The Project ........................................................................................................65
Purpose Statement ........................................................................................................65
Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................66
Participants ...................................................................................................................69
Research Method and Design ......................................................................................72
Method .................................................................................................................. 72
Research Design.................................................................................................... 74
Population and Sampling .............................................................................................78
Ethical Research...........................................................................................................81
ii
Data Collection ............................................................................................................84
Instruments ............................................................................................................ 84
Data Collection Technique ................................................................................... 90
Data Organization Techniques .............................................................................. 93
Data Analysis Technique .............................................................................................94
Reliability and Validity ................................................................................................98
Dependability ...................................................................................................... 100
Credibility ........................................................................................................... 101
Transferability ..................................................................................................... 102
Confirmability ..................................................................................................... 102
Transition and Summary ............................................................................................103
Section 3: Application to Professional Practice and Implications for Change ................105
Overview of Study .....................................................................................................105
Presentation of the Findings.......................................................................................106
Theme 1: Securing IoT Devices is Critical for IoT Adoption ............................ 106
Theme 2: Separating Private and Confidential Data From Analytical Data ....... 114
Theme 3: Focusing on Customer Satisfaction Goes Beyond Reliability ............ 120
Theme 4: Using IoT to Retrofit Products ........................................................... 127
Applications to Professional Practice ........................................................................134
Implications for Social Change ..................................................................................137
Recommendations for Action ....................................................................................139
Recommendations for Further Study .........................................................................141
iii
Description:reliability strategies to adopt IoT at an organization in the eastern region of search features in NVivo to facilitate my findings during data analysis.
