Organizational Architecture, Resilience, and Cyberattacks

This study develops a unique model of organizational resilience architecture with an emphasis on the ways in which organizations respond to cyber-attacks. The model elucidates the dynamics and approaches through which organizations mobilize and utilize expertise and resources to combat the effects of cyber-attackson normal business operations. Drawing on recent cases of cyber-attacks against organizations, the study identifies a host of strategic and tactical responses victims usedto aid recoveryand return to daily activities. The responses are grouped into three stages to demonstrate the steps that organizations can take to enhance their resilience: Stage 1 focuses on proactive environmental scanning and locating potential threatsand attacks, Stage 2 emphasizes neutralizing threats and attacks,and Stage 3 focuses on re-designing, upgrading and updating human, technological and financial resources. On this basis, the study sheds light on levels of organizational resilience and strategies for organizational design in withstanding cyber-attacks and security breaches. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.