Which Factors Improve Organizational Cyber Resilience?

In the face of an increasing number of cyber incidents, cyber resilience has become paramount for organizations. However, a one-size-fits-all approach appears to be ineffective and suggests that cyber resilience is not sufficiently developed in some organizations. Drawing on contingency theory and neo-institutional theory, we explore a contingent perspective of cyber resilience. Using a mixed-method approach – focus groups, interviews, and a survey, we identify four factors when combined that enhance cyber resilience capability: coercive pressures positively influence top leadership support for cyber resilience, and digital intensity boosts professionalization of staff and adoption of security standards (normative pressures). Normative pressures and leadership support directly enhance cyber resilience capability. Our findings highlight essential factors of contingent cyber resilience, which can be leveraged to improve cyber resilience maturity in future research and practice.