Toward an intellectual capital cyber security theory: insights from Lebanon

Purpose Intellectual capital (IC) cyber security is a priority in all organizations. Because of the dearth in IC cyber security (ICCS) research theories and the constant call to theory building, this study proposes a theory of ICCS drawing upon tested empirical data of information systems security (ISS) theory in Lebanon. Design/methodology/approach After a pilot test, the authors tested the newly developed ISS theory using a field study consisting of 187 respondents, representing many industries, thus contributing to generalizability. ISS theory is used as a proxy for the development of ICCS theory. Findings Based on a review of the literature from the past three decades in the information systems (IS) discipline and a discovery of the partial yet significant relevance of ISS literature to ICCS, this study succinctly summarized the antecedents and independent variables impacting security compliance behavior, putting the variables into one comprehensive yet parsimonious theoretical model. This study shows the theoretical and practical relevancy of ISS theory to ICCS theory building. Practical implications This paper highlights the importance of ISS compliance in the context of ICCS, especially in the area of spoken knowledge in environments containing Internet-based security devices. Originality/value This research article is original, as it presents the theory of ICCS, which was developed by drawing upon a comprehensive literature review of the IS discipline and finding the bridges between the security of both IS and IC.