This mixed-methods study focused on the internal human factors responsible for data breaches that could cause adverse impacts on organizations. Based on the Swiss cheese theory, the study was designed to examine preventative measures that managers could implement to minimize potential data breaches resulting from internal employees' behaviors. The purpose of this study was to provide insight to managers about developing strategies that could prevent data breaches from cyber-threats by focusing on the specific internal human factors responsible for data breaches, the root causes, and the preventive measures that could minimize threats from internal employees. Data were collected from 10 managers and 12 employees from the business sector, and 5 government managers in Ivory Coast, Africa. The mixed methodology focused on the why and who using the phenomenological approach, consisting of a survey, face-to-face interviews using open-ended questions, and a questionnaire to extract the experiences and perceptions of the participants about preventing the adverse consequences from cyber-threats. The results indicated the importance of top managers to be committed to a coordinated, continuous effort throughout the organization to ensure cyber security awareness, training, and compliance of security policies and procedures, as well as implementing and upgrading software designed to detect and prevent data breaches both internally and externally. The findings of this study could contribute to social change by educating managers about preventing data breaches who in turn may implement information accessibility without retribution. Protecting confidential data is a major concern because one data breach could impact many people as well as jeopardize the viability of the entire organization.

Efforts in the marketing sciences can be distinguished between the analysis of individual customers and the examination of portfolios of customers, giving scarce theoretical guidance concerning the strategic allocation of promotional investments. Yet, strategic asset allocation is considered in financial economics theory to be the most important set of investment decisions. The problem addressed in this study was the application of strategic asset allocation theory from financial economics to marketing science with the aim of improving the financial results of investment in direct marketing promotions. This research investigated the components of efficient marketing portfolio construction which include multiattribute numerical optimization, stochastic Brownian motion, peer index tracking schemes, and data mining methods to formulate unique investable asset classes. Three outcomes resulted from this study on optimal diversification: (a) reduced saturative promotional activities balancing inefficient advertising cost and enterprise revenue objectives to achieve an investment equilibrium state; (b) the use of utility theory to assist in the lexicographic ordering of goal priorities; and (c) the solution approach to a multiperiod linear goal program with stochastic extensions. A performance test using a large archival set of customer data illustrated the benefits of efficient portfolio construction. The test asset allocation resulted in significantly more reward than that of the benchmark case. The results of this grounded theory study may be of interest to marketing researchers, operations research practitioners, and functional marketing executives. The social change implication is increased efficiency in allocation of large advertising budgets resulting in improved corporate performance.