An Action Research Case Study Concerning Deaf and Hard of Hearing Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare Cybersecurity Consulting Organizations

Abstract

The U.S. hospital Ransomware attacks during COVID-19 have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity workers and expertise in healthcare. These attacks are increasing when the US is experiencing a considerable cybersecurity workforce shortage. As everyone becomes increasingly hyper-connected and cybercrime intensifies in both scale and complexity, the need for experts in the field is dire. Innovative organizations realize that they need to tap into new employment talent populations that have historically been overlooked, especially deaf and hard of hearing. This action research study explores a management consulting intervention at an organization with an unfriendly culture for employees with disabilities but in need of workers with cybersecurity expertise.