Cloud computing: A comparison of adoption issues between UK and sub-Saharan Africa SMEs

Abstract

Cloud computing can provide remote access to computing resources via the internet. This paper analyses and compares the adoption of cloud computing by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United Kingdom (UK) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SS-Africa). A cloud adoption model theoretically grounded in the Technological, Organisational, and Environmental (TOE) framework is used. Findings from this study show that there are several exciters and inhibitors to cloud computing adoption decisions in both UK and SS-Africa that are similar or dissimilar. For instance, findings from this paper show that the issue of security, privacy and trust which is an uncertainty that users highly depend on can be viewed as influencing cloud adoption in both places whereas other issues like fear of data loss; another uncertainty, can be viewed as inhibiting cloud adoption in the UK and exciting or enabling it in SS-Africa. Furthermore, the findings show that these exciters and inhibitors are perceived by the users to interact associatively with each other to influence adoption. These findings will be of interest to policy makers and entrepreneurs interested in developing IS/ICT infrastructure.