Understanding Intentions to Switch Toward Cloud Computing at Firms' Level

Abstract

This research aims to study intentions to switch toward cloud computing at firms' level. As a new way to deploy information technologies (IT) within firms, switching toward cloud computing remains a hard decision that depends on several contextual factors. While several studies have focused mainly on technological aspects, this research adopts a multidimensional perspective by combining the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework with a two-factor theory perspective. Doing so, the authors attempt to propose a research model that can be useful to deeply understand how firms perform when thinking about switching toward cloud-based solutions. A multiple-case study within five Tunisian firms has been conducted to contextualize the research model and give it more explanation power. The Tunisian context should be interesting, as cloud computing adoption is a new topic that is not sufficiently studied in developing countries, particularly in those characterized by an economy in transition. Data have been collected by semi-structured interviews and coded using the Nvivo software. The analysis of interviews content shows that the expected switching benefits and risks play a mediating role between TOE factors and intentions to switch toward cloud computing. Indeed, the authors found some different results within cases revealing the dual effects of technology, organization, and environment factors on intentions by generating different expected switching benefits and risks. In light of these results, some recommendations are proposed to decision makers in this area.

Determinants of switching intention to cloud computing in large enterprises

“…Several studies have used TOE framework to investigate the adoption of cloud computing (Alshamaila et al, 2013;Borgman et al, 2013;Gangwar et al, 2015;Hachicha and Mezghani, 2018;Hsu and Lin, 2016;Martins et al, 2016;Oliveira et al, 2014). Low et al (2011) investigated the factors affecting the adoption of public cloud computing by firms.…”

“…Since most existing enterprises have currently implemented client/server EISs, it is important to gain an understanding of switching behavior rather than adoption. However, a few studies on cloud computing have addressed the switching issues (Chang and Hsu, 2019;Hachicha and Mezghani, 2018;Park and Ryoo, 2013). In the above-mentioned studies, their studied systems are public clouds but not private clouds.…”

What drives organizations to switch to cloud ERP systems? The impacts of enablers and inhibitors

“…In other words, the two factors could simultaneously influence employees' work motivations. Recently, two-factor theory has been used to investigate the adoption and acceptance of cloud computing (Hachicha and Mezghani, 2018;Lee et al, 2013;Park and Ryoo, 2013), knowledge management systems (Kang, 2018), and mobile-based services (Wu et al, 2019;Liu et al, 2011). Motivators refer to the factors that motivate users to adopt a product and services, while demotivators refer to the factors that inhibit users from adopting them (Cenfetelli and Schwarz, 2011).…”

“…In order to fill this gap, this study uses two-factor theory to investigate the effects of switching benefits and costs on switching intention. Certain IS studies applied two-factor theory to investigate two categories of factors that influence system adoption (Hachicha and Mezghani, 2018;Kang, 2018;Wu et al, 2019;Park and Ryoo, 2013). Thus, we characterize the factors as motivators (i.e.…”

“…switching costs). However, switching benefits and costs are too generic, so two-factor theory must be strengthened with other models or external variables (Hachicha and Mezghani, 2018). Because technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework is suitable for studying cloud computing adoption from technological, organizational, and environmental perspectives (Gangwar et al, 2015;Gutierrez et al, 2015;Senyo and Effah, 2016), this study integrates two-factor theory with TOE framework.…”