Modeling the factors affecting the adoption of cloud computing in Saudi universities

Abstract

The study aimed to model the factors affecting the cloud computing adoption process in Saudi universities. The study sought to identify the most important adoption factors in educational institutions based on multiple characteristics, namely (TOE) innovation, technology, organization, environmental contexts, and the (DOI) framework, which explains the state of momentum that innovations gain over time. A model was developed that combines the (TOE) framework and the (DOI) theory to capture as many factors as possible influencing the adoption of cloud computing in Saudi universities, and then evaluated it experimentally based on a sample of 93 Saudi university employees, where 25 factors influencing the adoption of cloud computing were discussed. The structure process is: (flexibility, privacy, perceived benefits, security, compatibility, performance, top management support, readiness, cost, size of the educational institution, infrastructure, level of knowledge, competitors and competitive pressure, lack of confidence in the market, organizational support, uncertainty (MAS, masculinity, individual and collective, laws, relative advantage, degree of complexity, appropriateness, testability, acceptability of the result, and observability), where a set of factors were found that may contribute to the adoption of cloud computing in Saudi universities, which are: relative advantages, organizational support, relevance and degree of complexity. Three factors emerged from them: relative advantage as one of the most important elements with a positive impact on adoption, followed by organizational support, and suitability. On the other hand, the degree of complexity emerged as one of the most important elements that may negatively affect the adoption process, according to the study sample.