Attitudes Towards Cloud Computing Adoption in Emerging Economies

Abstract

Cloud computing is perceived to be the trend of the future as software and hardware turn into the new utility. This study aims to investigate the attitudes of IT professionals and decision makers in emerging economies towards cloud computing. The study also investigates the opportunities and concerns which IT professionals and decision makers have regarding adopting cloud computing in their organizations. This study was carried out in Jordan and the researchers used semi-structured interviews as a research methodology. The theoretical foundation for this research is found in the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. The findings suggest that IT professionals and decision makers in Jordan have positive attitudes towards cloud computing and the adoption rate is increasing at a rapid pace. Relative advantage in terms of cost reduction is a major adoption driver, while compatibility with organizations policies and culture is a major concern. The findings also suggest that government and small to medium-sized enterprises are the major adopters and large enterprises are lagging behind.