Abstract
The rapid advancement of technology and the abundance of data have completely changed the competitive landscape for organizations. Organizations cannot survive without continuous innovation, agility, and adapting quickly to unexpected disruptions. Most importantly, they must ensure that data, which has become a prime and critical asset for all organizations is securely protected. Information technology (IT) plays a pivotal dual role in influencing how organizations create value through innovation as well as combating cybersecurity threats, especially in times of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is one unexpected event that disrupted the global workforce, forcing most organizations to adopt remote working practices. Notwithstanding the challenges, IT enabled firms to continue their operations while creating value through their products and services. However, the transition to remote working comes with its cybersecurity challenges, as organizations have to deal with security threats from both inside and outside an organization��s IT network. Given the interrelated role of IT capability in ensuring both cybersecurity and driving innovation, this dissertation seeks to empirically investigate the impact of IT capability on cybersecurity and innovation in remote work environments. The first essay explores the effect of IT capability on cybersecurity in remote work environments. The findings contribute to theory by extending the IT capability literature to remote work environments, while practically informing managers on the nature of the IT infrastructure setup to ensure cybersecurity in organizations. The second essay explores the effect of IT capability on innovation to contribute to a better understanding of the right IT infrastructure composition needed to drive innovation in remote work environments.