IT Security and Espoused Cultural Values: A Comparative Analysis of Pakistan and the United States.

Information technology (IT) security research has investigated how users perceive and address IT security threats differently based on their cultural backgrounds and espoused cultural values. We extend prior research, grounded in Protection Motivation Theory (Rogers 1975), that has examined how espoused cultural values influence the relationship between perceived coping efficacy and coping behaviors. Our research model includes two infrequently studied cultural dimensions: indulgence vs. restraint (Hofstede 2022) and survival vs. self-expression (Inglehart-Welzel 2005). The model will be tested using survey data from mid-level managers in the US and Pakistan. The study offers a more nuanced understanding of the impact of cultural factors on the adoption and implementation of IT security measures in diverse organizational contexts. It further contributes to practice by offering guidance to organizations who must design security training and other intervention strategies to modify employee security behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]