Information security policy compliance: Investigating the role of intrinsic motivation towards policy compliance in the organisation

Abstract

Recent behavioral research in information security has focused on increasing employees' motivation to enhance the security performance in an organization. This empirical study investigated employees' information security policy (ISP) compliance intentions using self-determination theory (SDT). Relevant hypotheses were developed to test the proposed research model. Data obtained via a survey (N=3D407) from a Fortune 600 organization in Saudi Arabia provides empirical support for the model. The results confirmed that autonomy, competence and the concept of relatedness all positively affect employees' intentions to comply. The variable 'perceived value congruence' had a negative effect on ISP compliance intentions, and the perceived legitimacy construct did not affect employees' intentions. In general, the findings of this study suggest that SDT has value in research into employees' ISP compliance intentions.