An evaluation of the impact of using biometrics technology for security applications in immigration departments in airports: A case study of John F Kennedy International Airport
Abstract
Security is a major issue in organizations today. . In today’s entrepreneurial world organizations have adopted different applications that require different level of security assessments and security measures. The organization should consider the fact that a security risk will vary between the external and internal applications hence these applications must be carefully reviewed in order to determine the prospective risks and ways of pre cautioning against the risk. Security monitoring activities are a major element in the organizations security plan in order to prevent loss as a result of the security threats. Organizations have to consider the ways in which the threats compromise data and information in order to determine the most effective monitoring activities. Internal threats occur within the organization by people having access to data and information in the organization. Such threats include sabotage, errors and omissions, hacking, unauthorized access among others which jeopardizes accuracy, confidentiality and d integrity of data and information. Security against these threats could be achieved through event security monitoring and state security monitoring. Event security monitoring involves taking records of information that entails activities and analyze information that has been recorded to ensure they are correct; an organization must therefore take into consideration the applications to be used and the minimum level of security that can be used which will still enable full functionality. These activities should focus on several perspectives of the applications or systems in place that is, basing on the perspective of the operating system, from the perspective of the network operating procedures, from the view of application processing and also the view of database management system. The organization should never operate under the assumption that there will be no adverse events or actions.
There has therefore been a need to make sure those new methods of curbing the security of security applications. One area that threats and attacks can bear detrimental impact is in airports. A better security implementation that can be implemented here is the use of biometrics in security applications that are used in airports; this paper will look at how biometrics can be implemented insecurity applications in airports.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Security is an important aspect of many organizations today. With computer networks expanding and computing accessible to many, there has been a need to take information assets and their security important. It is no longer only important to have strong passwords and firewalls in an organization alone, there is a need to ensure that the people accessing applications are authorized to do so. Biometrics technology, if implemented well, promises to curb security in applications. This research paper will assess the impact that thus security measure has in airports and particularly JFK international airport.
1.2 Research objectives
This paper will be guided by the following objectives:
1. To find out the extent of the use of biometrics applications in JKI
2. To investigate the potential benefits of the implementation of biometrics in security applications in the immigration department processes in JFK
3. To assess the impact of integrating biometrics in immigration department security applications in JFK
1.3 Interest reason
The researcher anticipates that the findings of the study will provide useful information for policy makers and planners so as to identify the impact that biometrics technology has in security applications in airports. This will enhance their ability to ensure the airports and immigration departments remain secure through accurate and effective use security measures like biometrics. The findings of this study will inform the security managers at JFK on how best they are using biometrics as a tool for gaining secure working environment. The study is further expected to contribute to the building of knowledge reserve for future researchers as well as provide a reference point for future scholars.
1.4 Project deliverables
There will be a detailed critical analysis of the use of biometrics in airports and especially in immigration departments. The analysis will help understand better the impact and the use of biometrics in immigration departments. There will also be a literature review which will help to understand the research that has been done in the past in security. The report will also be a report on the advantages and the challenges that will be experienced when implementing the technology. The research will also give the advantages of biometrics compared to other security measures that are implemented. There will also be a structured analysis of the various methods that will be used to undertake the security implementation of the biometrics integration.
Research Design and Methodology
This chapter discusses the research design, target population, describes the research instruments, sample and sampling procedures, data collection procedures and concludes by description of data analysis procedures.
Research Design
A research design is a combination of issues relating to decisions regarding the purpose of the study, its location and the type to which it is manifested. This study intends to adopt a case study design, which is deemed appropriate as it will provide information on the institution under study. According to Kerlinger (1978) research designs are invented to enable answer the research questions validly, objectively and accurately. The researcher chose this research design because it is convenient especially regarding the kind of information to be collected. It is sensitive and requires some kind of specificity.
3.2 Target Population
The population of any study refers to the group of people or subjects who are similar in one or more ways and which forms the subjects of the study in a particular study. The study will take a case of JFK. The population will comprise of the IT manager, the security manager, CIO, Immigration department manager, the immigration department employees, and the line employees.
Description of Research Instruments
Both primary and secondary data will be collected during this study. The main research instruments that will be used are the questionnaire and interview schedules. Data will be collected by use of both open and closed ended questions. The questionnaire will consist of items to answer the research questions, which will have both multiple choice and structured questions. The study will employ the interview schedules to solicit for more information from the respondents. According to Mugenda (2003), interview schedule guard against confusion because questions can be clarified at the time of data collection. This study therefore will employ the respondent’s type of interview where the interviewer retains control throughout the process.
The Questionnaire
Questionnaires will be used because it is an appropriate method of collecting responses from a busy group of respondents prior to quantitative analysis. The questionnaires’ questions will be carefully designed so as not to be leading. This is due to the fact that if worded correctly, questionnaires, it requires less skills and sensitivity to administer than sense structured or in-depth interviews.
Interview schedule
According to Kerlinger (1979) this is the presentation of stimuli in an oral manner and replies a mode of responses through verbal or oral means. The interviewer will ask the person being interviewed in a face-to-face manner. Interviewee may ask questions and the interviewer responds. The interviewer initiates the interview and collects the information to facilitate direct or indirect oral investigation. The interviewer collects information personally from the source. This method will be suitable for intensive investigation through cross - examination of people with relevant information as in the case of the current study where we need to get facts on the ground. It will be carried out in a structured manner that is use of predetermined questions.
3.4 Description of the Sample and Sampling Procedures
The sample size is better decided at planning stage together with the sample design. The sample size that is required is dependent upon the estimated levels of precision required. To minimize the standards error requires a larger sample size. The researcher will adopt the Kerlinger (1993) argument that 30% of the target population is able to reflect the results of the target population. This implies that a sample of about 70 respondents will be included in the sample. The researcher will chose this sample size of 30% of the target population basing on the resources and time available to the researcher. Patton (2002) argues that the sample size depends on what one wants to know, the purpose of the inquiry, what is at stake, what will be useful, what will have credibility and what can be done with available time and resources.
Sampling Procedure
Convenience sampling technique will be used to select the respondents who are in management positions because of their busy schedules of the day at the period of study. Stratified sampling will be used to select the other respondents and this will be basing on the fact that it ensures that different groups of a population are adequately represented in the sample so as to increase reliability when estimating parameters. It uses available information on the population to divide into groups such that the elements within each group and more alike and elements in the population as a whole. Considerably reduces the cost of execution.
References
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