2023 HDR Curtin round - Firms' sustainability and risk-taking in a time of digital era

Curtin University, Australia

Updated: over 1 year ago
Location: Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

Status: Open

Applications open: 8/07/2022
Applications close: 18/08/2022

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About this scholarship

The growing cybersecurity issues have drawn firms’ attention and awareness to their operating business model in a digital era. Although the current literature explored the effect of cybersecurity on firms’ performance and management behaviours (Berkman et al. 2018; Frank, Grenier and Pyzoha 2019), the understanding of firms’ cybersecurity awareness and performance is still limited. Firms’ cybersecurity (or information security) enhances their information protection which in turn leads firms to avoid cybersecurity breaches (Higgs et al. 2016; Kwon, Ulmer and Wang 2013). The enhanced cybersecurity awareness leads firms to prevent potential cybersecurity consciously; thus, firms may have a lower risk compared to others because they are less likely to have high stock price volatility and damage to business goodwill and market confidence.


Prior studies also find that CSR activities are associated with firms’ risk (Jo and Na 2012; Albuquerque, Koskinen and Zhang 2019). It is worth noting that CSR plays an essential role in the relationship between firms’ cybersecurity awareness and risk-taking since firms with better governance scores are highly likely aware of the importance of cybersecurity in their operation method. Thereby, firms' CSR score (especially the governance score) might strengthen the relationship between firms’ cybersecurity awareness and risk-taking. According to the legitimacy theory, there is a “social contract” between firms and society that firms continually attempt to achieve society’s expectations to ensure their good status of legitimacy in the society to maintain their existence. Firms with enhanced cybersecurity awareness not only ensure their detection of cybersecurity breaches but also protect their customers’ privacy and benefits. Firms have less likelihood to increase their risk exposure from failure to meet society's expectations. Therefore, firms’ CSR engagement might affect the relationship between risk- cybersecurity awareness.  


As discussed above, this research project will expand the understanding of the role of CSR on the relationship between firms’ cybersecurity awareness and risk-taking. As this project has covered the concept of cybersecurity awareness and CSR and firms’ risk-taking, it has important implications for managers, investors and policymakers.
References:
Albuquerque, Rui, Yrjö Koskinen, and Chendi Zhang. 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Risk: Theory and Empirical Evidence." Management Science 65 (10): 4451-4469. 
Berkman, Henk, Jonathan Jona, Gladys Lee, and Naomi Soderstrom. 2018. "Cybersecurity Awareness and Market Valuations." Journal of Accounting and Public Policy 37 (6): 508-526. 
Frank, Michele L, Jonathan H Grenier, and Jonathan S Pyzoha. 2019. "How Disclosing a Prior Cyberattack Influences the Efficacy of Cybersecurity Risk Management Reporting and Independent Assurance." Journal of Information Systems 33 (3): 183-200. 
Higgs, Julia L, Robert E Pinsker, Thomas J Smith, and George R Young. 2016. "The Relationship between Board-Level Technology Committees and Reported Security Breaches." Journal of Information Systems 30 (3): 79-98. 
Jo, Hoje, and Haejung Na. 2012. "Does Csr Reduce Firm Risk? Evidence from Controversial Industry Sectors." Journal of business ethics 110 (4): 441-456. 
Kwon, Juhee, Jackie Rees Ulmer, and Tawei Wang. 2013. "The Association between Top Management Involvement and Compensation and Information Security Breaches." Journal of Information Systems 27 (1): 219-236. 


  • Future Students

  • Faculty of Business and Law

  • Higher Degree by Research

  • Australian Citizen
  • Australian Permanent Resident
  • New Zealand Citizen
  • Permanent Humanitarian Visa
  • International Student

  • Merit Based

The annual scholarship package (stipend and tuition fees) is approx. $60,000 - $70,000 p.a.

 

Successful HDR applicants for admission will receive a 100% fee offset for up to 4 years, stipend scholarships, valued at $28,854 p.a. for up to a maximum of 3.5 years, are determined via a competitive selection process. Applicants will be notified of the scholarship outcome in November 2022. 

 

For detailed information, visit: Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships | Curtin University, Perth, Australia.


Scholarship Details

1


All applicable HDR courses


A potential applicant meeting following criteria stands high chance of an enrollment with scholarships:


• Have good communication skills demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations.
• Have completed a bachelor degree preferably in a related area of study such as Finance or Accounting or Economics.
• Have (ongoing) honours in a related field or Postgraduate degree by research in a related area of study from an English speaking country.
• Have an overall score of 6.5 in IELTS test.
• Have well-developed understanding of econometrics.
• Have some working knowledge of computer programming languages such as Python.
• Have some working knowledge of econometric software such as Stata, Matlab, SAS.
• Study on campus and full time. 


Application process

If this project excites you, and your research skills and experience are a good fit for this specific project, you should contact the Project Lead (listed below in the enquires section) via the Expression of Interest (EOI) form.


Enrolment Requirements

Eligible to enrol in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2023


Enquiries

To enquire about this project opportunity that includes a scholarship application, contact the Project lead, Dr Chen Zheng via the EOI form above.



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