Cloud Computing Perceived Importance in the Middle Eastern Firms: The Cases of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates from the Operational Level

Abstract

Firms need cloud computing adoption for strategic and competitive goals, generating business value, and at last gaining competitive advantage. This study reviews the literature regarding cloud computing and IT governance, and presents a research model along with its hypotheses formulation to examine the factors impacting cloud computing perceived importance in several Arab firms, specifically Jordan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates by using the integration of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) model and Technology-Organizational-Environmental (TOE) framework as adapted from [1]. 329 returned surveys from top, middle-level IT managers, and IT employees from the operational level of the studied firms were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique. The study found relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, organizational readiness, top management commitment, and training and education as important variables for impacting cloud computing adoption using perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness as mediating variables. The model explained 61%, 63%, and 74% of cloud computing adoption for perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived importance respectively.