CLOUD COMPUTING ADOPTION IN SAUDI ARABIA HIGHER EDUCATION: A QUANTITATIVE STADY BASED ON TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL (TAM)

Abstract

Cloud computing has led to a huge shift in ideas and applications related to IT services. This is especially true in regard to infrastructure solutions that organizations rely on to facilitate their operations, as many businesses have found their way into this new system. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the factors that determine cloud computing adoption by faculty members at King Abdulaziz University based on the theory of TAM. The data was collected from 273 participants utilizing a survey that was developed for exploring the relationship between perceived ease of use; perceived usefulness; perceived security; perceived benefit; perceived accessibility of the information technology system; and cloud computing adoption in Saudi Arabia higher education. The statistical data obtained from this study showed that the perceived accessibility of Cloud Computing was positively correlated with Cloud Computing adoption. The relationship between these two variables was significant, r = .25, p < .001. Thereby concluding that “perceived accessibility” will have the greatest influence on Cloud Computing adoption. However, a significant relationship between perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived security, perceived benefit, and cloud computing adoption was not identified. All of the selected demographic variables proved to be insignificant predictors of the cloud computing adoption by faculty members, with the exception of age (t (272) = -2.06, p = .04). The younger the faculty members were, the more likely they would adopt cloud computing (β = -.10). In accordance to these results, a number of recommendations and proposals have been forwarded with the hope of applying them in order to promote the adoption of cloud computing, and to elevate the consciousness of cloud computing technology amongst faculty members, researchers, and decision makers in Saudi Arabia.