Improving an organisations existing information technology policy to increase security

This study aims to examine the concepts and implementation of Good Corporate Governance (GCG) in Islamic banking in Indonesia. Corporate governance represents the principles of management that have actually existed in the history of human civilization and have been practiced since the first time there was a company. This research is a field research that is sharpened by literature. This research is descriptive in nature, seeks to examine GCG policies and find ideas for strengthening regulations in fulfilling sharia aspects and describing the implementation of GCG in Islamic banking in Indonesia. The method used in data analysis is a qualitative method, namely by presenting in the form of descriptions and concepts. The data obtained were analyzed by descriptive analysis techniques with deductive logic. The results of this research prove that the implementation of GCG on BMI has been implemented quite well, BSM is very good, and BNI Syariah is good. The management performance of Islamic banks, namely the implementation of GCG, consists of Transparency (Openness), Accountability, Responsibility, Professionalism, Independence, and Fairness, also committed with Sharia Compliance. GCG can form an Islamic work culture. Then a periodic and continuous assessment is carried out and strived to be carried out properly in accordance with regulations. The assessment shows that the implementation of GCG in BMI, BSM, and BNI Syariah is in accordance with the rules covering three aspects of governance; governance structure, governance process and governance outcome. The author's research focuses more on the concept and implementation of GCG in Islamic banking

There has been substantial water resources development for agriculture in India but the emphasis has been mainly on the technical side - the building of the necessary institutions required for effective management of the resource has received little attention. Many believe that water resource management in India is heading for a crisis unless the institutions and related policies are rapidly transformed. In this light, the study examines key features of water institutions in India, applying new institutional economics fundamentals, as well as management theories of good governance. The study uses a survey of 29 water institutions and 450 farm households conducted across three states in India which face water scarcity and have attempted to address it through institutional efforts and innovations. The findings indicate and help identify important characteristics of institutional design for creating better institutions. Findings indicate that derived from new institutional economics fundamentals, the stress on features such as clear objectives, good interaction, adaptiveness, appropriateness of scale, and compliance ability are very important for institutional performance. They reduce transaction cost and promote cooperative solutions, which are key contributions of good institutions. Delivery of good governance by effective institutionalization of technical, organizational, and political rationalities are also very important. This requires empowerment of bodies such as the general body, chairman, managing committee and secretary in the institutions. The results bring out some significant associations and ways for enhancing institutional performance in water resource management in India.

The type of research used in this study is explanation research with a quantitative approach. Samples were obtained by random sampling. Data collection techniques use questionnaire, data types are primary data and secondary data. The primary data was then analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis as an analytical tool using the SPSS 24.0 application. The results of this study are tax awareness has a significant effect on taxpayer compliance, while fines sanctions do not have a positive effect on taxpayer compliance, and the tax authorities' attitude has a positive effect on taxpayer compliance. Where Adjusted R Square of 0.256 shows that 25.6% of tax awareness, fines and attitudes of tax authorities to taxpayer compliance while 74.4% are explained in other factors not examined in this study.

Cloud computing is next generation of Internet technology and data centers. As such, Information security (IS) has become one of the most essential issues of data center security on the cloud computing, but we cannot rely solely on single solution to support all of the necessary features of IS. Therefore, we need to a new information security service model, called Security Operation Center (SOC). It can support online interactions and remote monitoring via network operations in data centers. The SOC is required to integrate related IS technologies based on security policies. In this paper, we propose the service level agreement (SLA) strategy for designing the SOC platform to meet the IS requirements of any organization in cloud computing. Therefore, the main purposes of this paper are to propose the framework of SLA strategy and the integration technology for designing an SOC platform. The SOC platform with SLA is to handle and supervise all the security service processes under different levels of cloud security enforcements according to data center scales, business properties, and existing IS functions. Consequently, the SLA strategy and integrating technology of IS can be the reference model for designing a proposed SOC platform in data centers on the cloud computing.

IntroductionInformation security policy (ISP) compliance of employees has a profound impact on organization. In the context of information technology innovation and information systems upgrade, employees’ information security behavior is one of the most crucial elements in the information security management of organizations. Based on the two-dimensional model of challenge−hindrance stressor theory and affective events theory, this study explores the mediating effects of emotions on the relationship between challenge information security stress and ISP compliance.MethodsA field quasi-experimental method was used in this study. Materials include the Challenge Information Security Stress Scale, Information System Security Policy Compliance Scale, and Emotions Scale, which were used to form the two-stage questionnaire surveys. Data of 217 employees from three Chinese companies in Shanghai and Beijing that had passed certifications for information security management system (GB/t22080-2008/ISO/IEC 27001:2005) were collected. Bootstrapping method for multiple mediation models and the Process 3.0 plug-in of SPSS 20.0 were used for data analysis.ResultsThe findings indicate that challenge information security stress has a positive effect on ISP compliance. Challenge information security stress has a positive effect on positive emotions and a negative effect on negative emotions. Positive emotions have mediating effect between challenge information security stress and ISP compliance, but negative emotions have no mediating effect.ConclusionThe research results expand the research scope of challenging stress in the two-dimensional model of challenge−hindrance stressor theory in the context of organizational information security. The findings reveal the mediating effect of positive emotions in challenge information security stress and ISP compliance relationship, which provides empirical support for the application of positive psychology in the field of management.

Time to Dust Off Your Compliance Policies

In many ways, technology policy as a ‘visible hand’ in the technology market often exerts significant economic effects on firms’ investing behaviors regarding research and development (R&D) and technology transaction. In addition, proper management of technology is critical to the foundation of national and organizational competitiveness. With the ongoing rivalry between mainland China and Taiwan, national security is always a significant policy concern for all parties. Technology Protection Act (TPA) has recently been brought about by Taiwan government to better the environment of technology development and strengthen national security. An institutional perspective is taken in this paper in analyzing its potential effects on industry development. As time is one of the essential elements in understanding the characteristics of market development, both technology and industry policy makers need to have in mind the dynamic nature of technology market while crafting the framework of policies. In this paper, efforts have been made to develop an integrative model based on Technology Life Cycle (TLC) and Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) to address its potential impact on the institutional environment and thereby on both demand and supply behavior of technology market participants. Suggestions are formulated for policy makers. Key words: Technology market, life cycle, transaction cost economics, governance, institutional theory.

This thesis examines the legislative and regulatory reforms contained in Republic Act No. 10361, more popularly known as Batas Kasambahay, in order to determine if it is capable of expanding the rights and improving the working conditions of an estimated 2 million-strong domestic work sector in the Philippines. The global status of domestic workers is analysed first to demonstrate the widespread practice of excluding domestic workers from the scope of many country’s national protective labour law regimes. This practice exposes domestic workers to many types of abuse and exploitation at the hands of their employers. It also underscores the very low regard for domestic work, which many believe as a type of ‘unproductive work’ because it involves tasks that are traditionally performed by female members of the household and are customarily unremunerated. The thesis shows that domestic work in the Philippines had similar status to that of domestic workers globally: largely excluded from coverage by labour regimes, deeply entrenched in the informal economy, predominantly performed by women and commonly by migrants from rural areas of the Philippines to the cities, vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, and a target for human trafficking. In order to address the many problems and inherent vulnerabilities faced by domestic workers worldwide, the International Labour Organization (ILO) published the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189). The Philippines is the first country in Asia to ratify Convention 189 in 2012, and Republic Act No. 10361 was enacted the following year. These two significant instruments and saw the introduction of the most sweeping reforms in the way domestic workers are regulated and protected in the country. Prior to the analysis of the Batas Kasambahay, the thesis analyses protective labour laws contained in the Philippine Labor Code and Civil Code. The research finds that the level of rights and entitlements afforded to domestic workers were much lower than those for other workers in the private sector. There is also sufficient evidence which suggests that these laws, albeit inadequate, were largely ignored. Ensuring compliance with these low minimum standards was problematic because of the weak enforcement tools due to lack of adequate funding. The thesis demonstrates the inadequacy of the old laws to protect domestic workers especially in the areas of wages, working hours, and social security membership. The analysis of these now defunct laws provides a useful yardstick to analyse and assess improvements in the employment conditions enacted in the new law. Republic Act No. 10361 contains new and improved workplace rights and entitlements that have the capacity to effect meaningful change in the lives of all domestic workers in the country. Whilst the new law complies with most of the provisions contained in ILO Convention 189, this research identifies a number of areas for improvement and recommends actions for the Philippine government to take to further strengthen the protections available to domestic workers. Finally, in evaluating the compliance and enforcement mechanisms contained in the Batas Kasambahay, the research establishes that the law relies too heavily on civil penalties and recommends the use of more persuasive approaches to promote compliance with the provisions of the new law. There is the added problem that the enforcement mechanisms applicable to other workers are the vehicles for enforcing the new law and the thesis identifies serious deficiencies in these enforcement mechanisms and makes further law reform recommendations aimed at assisting domestic workers to receive fair employment conditions and have decent work.

This research is performed in order to test the influence of variabel taxpayer awareness service tax authorities and tax penalties on tax compliance in Bogor Pratama Tax Office. The population in this study is the Individual Taxpayer and Agency Income Tax 21, 22 , 23, 24, 25, 26, Value Added Tax, Sales Tax and Luxury Goods Tax on Land and Building Bogor Pratama Tax Office, with a total population of 183.506 taxpayers. Sampling was carried out using probability sampling methods, sampling methods can be determined the total sample 99,87 rounded to 100. Primary data collection method used is a survey method using questionnaires media. The data analysis technique used in this study is multiple regression analysis techniques. Based on the analysis conducted, it could be concluded that the taxpayer awareness, service tax authorities, and tax penalties have the effect of partially and simultaneously on tax compliance in Bogor Pratama Tax Office. Keywords : Taxpayers Awareness, service tax authorities, tax penalties and tax compliance.

A developing economy such as that of the Philippines faces the challenge of how to create an enabling environment for economic growth and development. The policy development process leads to the creation of that environment, but how does one nudge forward the policy development process? Why are some reforms adopted while others face stiff resistance? The policy development process is not a disembodied phenomenon but is nested in an effectively functional institutional setting. There can be no effective policy development process if institutions supporting and implementing it are ineffective or dysfunctional. Many factors may explain the acceptance of or resistance to reforms, suchas the message content of the proposed reform or package of reforms, the relative impacts on various sectors of the economy, the identity of gainers and losers, the presence of a broad coalition of support or lack of it, and many others. This chapter maintains that acceptance of or resistance to reforms, or even of the whole policy development process, may be influenced by the presence and active participation of institutions supporting the process. Both the content (message) of the reform and the medium used for acceptance of the reform are equally important. In this chapter the ‘medium’ referred to is the set of institutions that help or motivate the policy development process. A distinction can be made between institutions supporting the policy devel-opment process and institutions implementing it. Typical discussions would focus on the important role of implementing institutions in the development agenda. The recent experience of fast-growing ASEAN countries such as Malaysia and Thailand shows that it is not sufficient to have the right development policies; it is equally, if not more important, to have effective (implementing) institutions. A combination of efficient policies, enlightened and strong leadership and competent institutions is indispensable to growth and development. For instance, a country may enact a competition law in support of the market economy that establishes a framework for promoting the competitive process and economic efficiency, but it will need an effective operational structure to enforce that competition law. Implementing institutions,whether formal or informal, are thus the means through which authority is exercised in the management of resources of the state. However, the other type of institution, the supporting institution, also hasa unique role in the policy development process and in creating the enabling environment for well functioning markets. This chapter discusses the critical role that supporting institutions, such as independent review institutions and coordinating institutions, can play in moving forward the policy development process. It is common to identify inputs to the policy-making process as if these were given. However, this chapter considers how such inputs are produced and suggests a strategy to improve their production and dissemination to policy makers. The paper uses the experience with current reform efforts of the Philippines in public expenditure management to illustrate the strategic role of supporting institutions in producing and providing important inputs to key policy makers for decision making and thus, in nudging forward the policy development process. The chapter discusses not only the instruments for moving forward thepolicy development process (e.g. the supporting institutions) but also the process of moving it forward. Implicitly, the chapter acknowledges the limitations of focusing exclusively on what policy reforms are needed or on what institutional arrangements would bring about the policy development process, and indicates the need to understand the policy development process itself. It is important to grasp how policy reforms are formulated, reviewed or amended and presented to the public and finally, to decision makers at the executive level, or if needed, to legislators. The end goal of the policy development process is a reformed environment, but sometimes the discourse on this process says very little, if at all, about how to shift from a pre-reformed situation to the reformed situation, that is, the dynamics of moving to a new paradigm. To put in proper context the challenges in the Philippines’ policy development process, the next section provides a bird’s eye view of the current situation.

Push and Pull Between the Public and Professional

Kabupaten Gunungkidul has problems associated with drought and poverty. Two main issues even become typical feature to describe the condition of Gunungkidul. As an implication of current economic condition, clean water compliance efforts for the poor is one of the policy which should be prioritized by the local Government of Gunungkidul. This research aims to analyze local government policies that have been made in fulfilling the need of clean water for the poor; and to find the optimal policy and the policy priorities fulfillment of clean water for the poor in Gunungkidul. Analysis of clean water fulfillment policy for the poor were conducted using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model. Within the framework of the planning model with AHP method, to expand access to clean water for the poor in Gunungkidul,five optimal policy choices are made, namely: the facilitation of appropriate technology, construction of water facilities, institutional enforcement, providing assistance or subsidies, and local scale water management

Information security is strongly dependent on access control models and cryptographic techniques. These are well established areas of research and practice in the enforcement of technical information security policies but are not capable of supporting development of comprehensive information security within organizations. Therefore, there is a need to study upper level issues to establish organizational models for specifying security enforcement mechanisms and coordinating policies. This paper proposes a model for dealing with high level information security policies. The core is to enforce a continuous refinement of information security requirements aiming at formally deriving technical security policies from high level security objectives. This refinement is carried out by in formation security harmonization functions. Contribution of this paper is on the specification of a notation for expressing information security requirements and on the specification of a mechanism to formulate harmonization functions.

Despite the promising application of cloud computing within government organisations, determining the barriers to the successful implementation of cloud computing remains a major challenge. Often, government organisations face formidable barriers to fully adopting cloud computing functions. These barriers include organisational culture issues, a weak application of service-level agreements (SLAs), compliance issues, interoperability and integration issues, the lack of an organisational strategy, cost calculation methods, cloud service availability, and cloud data security and privacy, as well as insufficient trust in providers. Tackling these barriers while meeting the specifications of government cloud computing involves architectural requirements and mechanisms. In addition, the nature of cloud ecosystem operation and its alignment with appropriate strategies are known to be complex, also considering the growing desire for governance solutions. Although researchers and organisations have recognised cloud computing obstacles prior to the cloud implementation stage, fewer efforts have been made to investigate cloud barriers in-depth during and after cloud implementation projects or when introducing governance solutions. This might partly be attributable to inadequate enterprise requirements for addressing cloud barriers, the complexity of government cloud specifications, and the lack of involvement by cloud stakeholders, such as providers and consumers. Thus, the aim of this dissertation is to develop a governance method consisting of the generation and testing of architectural requirements to overcome dominant cloud barriers and improve cloud computing functionalities in the implementation stage. To achieve this, the roles of related cloud providers and consumers have been investigated. The study was guided by activities of The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) Architecture Development Method (ADM) to design related architectural requirements that would provide best practices for the development of the governance method. Using a sequential, exploratory mixed method, multiple qualitative case studies on the role of cloud providers were conducted to explore which and how architectural requirements are suitable and applicable for addressing the identified cloud barriers. Afterwards, a quantitative survey study was performed to examine and validate the findings from the qualitative phase and to discover the role of cloud consumers in tackling cloud barriers. The utilisation of dual perspectives, from cloud providers and consumers, to design and measure the suitability and applicability of the architectural requirements is a substantial theoretical contribution in the field of enterprise information systems and cloud governance. Both cloud providers and consumers in the selected research context balanced their roles in the composition of cloud ecosystem projects, reducing complexity and enabling cooperative solutions for handling cloud barriers with different levels of emphasis and prioritisation. The results of this thesis provide significant guidance in eliciting architectural requirements as well as in their successful contribution to addressing the 10 identified cloud barriers in the selected context. Seeking a cloud provider’s perspective through multiple case studies resulted in 24 confirmed, newly emerged architectural requirements and 48 sub-requirements for best practices to support Information Technology (IT) managers and practitioners during the implementation of government cloud projects. From the point of view of the cloud service consumer, statistical evidence showed that the architectural requirements proved to be relevant and applicable and resulted in the validation of only eight important cloud constructs with a scale of 36 architectural requirements. The results at the governance level also produced a clear method that can enhance the realisation of value when business/IT strategies and EA governance practices both take place in cloud projects. The governance method also consists of a set of architectural requirements to support managing and controlling cloud computing implementation projects with related stakeholders and change management initiatives. The architectural requirements have been modelled via the ArchiMate 3.0 modelling language as unique and beneficial contributions for the enhancement of enterprise architecture practices. This thesis thereby introduces a novel cloud governance method with clear mechanisms and practices to serve as crucial resources for related organisations, decision-makers, business practitioners and researchers.

Global governance: a challenge for common foreign and security policy and European security and defense policy BARBAR A DELCOURT AN D ERI C REMACLE