Evaluating the acceptance of cloud-based productivity computer solutions in small and medium enterprises.

摘要

Cloud computing has emerged as a new paradigm for on-demand delivery and consumption of shared IT resources over the Internet. Research has predicted that small and medium organizations (SMEs) would be among the earliest adopters of cloud solutions; however, this projection has not materialized. This study set out to investigate if behavior factors from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology could explain the acceptance of cloud-based computing solutions within the context of SMEs. The study found that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence can predict 76% of the behavior intention of decision makers to accept the use of cloud computing. The study highlights the impact of these findings for SMEs, for cloud solutions providers, and for academia. Recommendations are also made for future research.