Examining the effectiveness of accounting information system and cybersecurity awareness on cybersecurity performance in Ghana a case study of selected universal banks in the Effutu Municipality

Abstract

Financial institutions continue to increase spending on information system to advance business transactions by systematizing present processes as businesses are changing faster with globalization technology to meet the rapid changes in customer demand. Financial institutions especially banks are considered high-profile target firms for cybercrime and cyber threat. This has led the researcher to investigate the effectiveness of Accounting Information System, cybersecurity awareness on cybersecurity performance. The study is of key importance to the selected universal banks in Effutu Municipality (Winneba) as well as other firms in the same sector. The study designs of the study are exploratory and causal research methods. In addition, quantitative method was applied in data collection and analyses. The study gathered primary data through questionnaires and analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) and Smart PLS. The findings of this study indicate that Accounting Information System used by the selected banks is effective in its operation which provides quality service, quality information, and user satisfaction to enable management in its decision making. Also, employees (staff) had a fair knowledge of cybersecurity-related issues, and that effective Accounting Information System, demographic characteristics, and level of cybersecurity awareness affects the firm's cybersecurity performance. The study concludes that the ability of firms to acquire information system that possesses the required information characteristics and recruit staff with fair knowledge and understanding of cybersecurity influences reducing cybercrime-related attacks on the firm's operations. The researcher recommends that management of the banks should make sure any acquired Accounting Information System possesses required information system characteristics. Also, management should take online and system cyber threats as a priority and constantly organize educative and training programs for its staff on cybersecurity-related issues and finally, consider the demographic characteristics in their recruitment processes especially level of education, working experience in a similar sector, and usage of Accounting Information System when seeking for new staff.