From awareness to action: The role of cybersecurity awareness in investment behaviour among SME retailers
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2025-07-09
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en
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This study investigates the influence of cybersecurity awareness on the investment behaviour in cybersecurity measures of Dutch SME retailers. This research is relevant given the significant public investment in cybersecurity awareness campaigns. The study integrates the core constructs of Technology Acceptance Model , namely Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PeoU), as a measure of cybersecurity awareness, with the NIST Framework as an instrument to measure investment level. The retail sector is becoming more dependent on digital infrastructure, making it important to understand the determinants of willingness to invest in cybersecurity measures.
Using a survey completed by SME retailers, this relationship was analysed through OLS regressions. The results show that PU and PEoU are positively related to the level of investment.
This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence that awareness, when internalised as both useful and easy to apply, supports digital resilience in unregulated sectors such as retail. The study offers relevant and timely insight into the role of awareness as a strategic condition for cybersecurity resilience in SMEs. The findings support the hypothesis that cybersecurity awareness among SME retailers is positively associated with investment willingness.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen