Risk
Perception, Trust and Credibility: A Case in Internet Banking
Abstract:
With the expanding use of the Internet information systems security
has become a more important issue than ever. Organisations are introducing
new security measures in order to protect their systems and as well
as their customers. The overall aim of this research is to understand
how risk perception, trust and credibility relate to each other and
how and why all of these concepts are related with information systems
security. In this research risk is defined as perception rather than
by quantitative methods.
My argument is
that information security is less important when individuals deal
with a trustworthy and credible institution. To develop this argument
I have adapted and interpreted cultural theory and risk communication
model that originate from social sciences. Based on these models I
developed and further modified a trust analysis framework. This framework
is used as a theoretical base for the collection and analysis of data
of both the case study and the survey. The case study focuses on an
international bank in the U.K. The research methodology adopts an
interpretive approach as the mode of inquiry. The case study addresses
the issues on the social and organisational aspects of the implementation
of Internet banking product. The application of the theoretical framework
contributes to understanding change in risk perception, and the issues
of trust and credibility during project implementation by linking
data to the theory. A survey with the bank 's customers is conducted
to obtain complimentary empirical evidence to understand better how
trust and credibility relate to information systems security. The
dissertation concludes that the users of an information system perceive
risks based on trust and credibility they assign to the supplier of
information and disregard the security measures taken by that supplier.