Organisational GDPR Investments and Impacts

The aim of this empirical multi-case study is to understand the GDPR investments and impacts of the organisations. Among these, the measuring experiences related to GDPR and information security (Isec), and the future expectations are examined. Several interesting findings were recognised, which also enabled further suggestions. First, an understanding of the organisations’ investments and their impact is built by gathering information about the actions that organisations made to fulfil the GDPR requirements. In the second phase, it is deemed necessary to examine how organisations experience the measures and evaluation of GDPR development and progress, in order to understand how respondents, end up evaluating the impact of their investments. In the third phase it is considered necessary to consider the future development of GDPR and the challenges and opportunities it brings to organisations, in order to understand how the experiences so far affect preparations for the future. The final phase of evaluation focuses on finding out what impact the GDPR has had on organisations. On the one hand, it is possible that the total investment in the GDPR may also correlate with the development of the organisational Isec maturity, because GDPR has brought more resources and visibility to the organisation’s Isec, and operations have become more systematic. On the other hand, organisations with an already high level of Isec maturity and organisations operating in a regulatory-focused industry may accept the GDPR-based Isec investments more easily. If GDPR is tightly integrated with both the organisation’s information security and the business functions under the responsibility of executive management, it may support the organisation’s business and information security development. This research serves GDPR authorities, organisational executives, persons in charge of GDPR/information security/cybersecurity, service providers and academia.