Power and practice in information systems security research

This paper examines the domination of information systems security research by a nonintellectualist tradition. Based on an in-depth examination of the published research literature in this area, we show how a symbolic system of practical logic prevails across this field. We compare the symbolic systems present in the information systems security research literature and that of the general information systems research literature. This comparison demonstrates that research practices in information systems security are, in key ways, opposite to the research practices in the general field of information systems. An understanding of these cultural values helps to recognize avenues to improve future research practices in the information systems security field, with implications for improving research practices in the information systems field as a whole.