Name: Faith Elijah A.

Maebano Course & Year: BSCS 3A

Subject: ICE 322 – Professional Elective (Cloud Computing)

Research Article Analysis 2

Adoption and Migration Issues and Challenges

Introduction
Cloud computing has indisputably proven its cost-efficiency and ease of maintenance when
compared to traditional IT systems, and it has witnessed extensive adoption by both businesses and
individuals. However, organizations encounter various issues and hurdles when transitioning from legacy
IT infrastructures to cloud-based systems and embracing this emerging technological trend.
In the context of the article review, three primary articles were available for selection. The initial
article, authored by Seifert, Kuehnel, Sackmann, and Luther, and published in February 2023, is titled
'Hybrid Clouds Arising from Software as a Service Adoption: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Research
Directions.' This study is geared towards identifying economic and technical challenges arising from the
adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) in hybrid cloud environments. The research categorizes the
identified issues into six distinct challenges, including varying SLA standards, the aggregation of Quality
of Service (QoS), economic evaluation of SLA violations, changing contractual commitments, evolving
trust relationships, and uncertainty in technology and business. Furthermore, the researchers delve into
potential solutions and avenues for future research in the realm of hybrid cloud technologies. The second
article, authored by Odun-Ayo, Agbeyangi, and Odeniyi and published on November 1, 2022, delves into
the adoption of cloud computing in selected West African countries. Titled 'A Critical Analysis of Cloud
Computing Adoption in Selected West African Countries,' the research undertakes a comprehensive
investigation into the usage, penetration, adoption, and challenges associated with cloud services in West
Africa. This comprehensive analysis is particularly centered on nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia,
and Sierra Leone, spanning various sectors including technology, education, banking, agriculture,
healthcare, information technology, and government. The research concludes that cloud computing has
gained substantial traction in West Africa, offering numerous opportunities for countries yet to fully
leverage the potential of cloud technology.
The focal point of the article review revolves around 'Probing Determinants Affecting Intention to
Adopt Cloud Technology in E-Government Systems,' authored by Abied, Ibrahim, Kamal, and Alfadli, and
published on November 23, 2022. This study concentrates on the development of an empirical instrument
aimed at identifying and scrutinizing the intentions behind the adoption of cloud computing technology
within e-government systems, particularly within developing countries and Middle Eastern nations, with a
specific focus on Libya (Abied, Ibrahim, Kamal, et al., 2022). The researchers introduce a composite
theoretical model that combines the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) Theory and the
Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory. This comprehensive model facilitates an exploration of various
factors influencing the implementation of cloud-based services in e-government. These factors encompass
the relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trial-ability, security, availability, technology readiness,
top management support, transparency, return on investment, government regulations, and service level
agreements. In addition to their findings, the researchers have devised an instrument to assess the impact
of these factors on decisions related to cloud computing adoption, ensuring that it meets the established
standards for validity and reliability.
This article was selected for analysis due to its timeliness and its distinctive approach to examining
the challenges associated with cloud computing adoption, particularly within the context of e-government
in developing countries. The realization of more efficient public services by governments through the full
utilization of cloud-based services holds significant potential. However, a comprehensive understanding of
the obstacles tied to adopting a new system is paramount to addressing these issues, thereby facilitating a
smoother transition and operation.

Summary
E-Government and Cloud Computing
E-Government, or electronic government (e-Gov), refers to the application of Information and
Communication technologies to deliver government services and streamline administrative operations,
enhancing government-stakeholder relationships. However, there are several challenges, including IT
infrastructure, financial constraints, trust in emerging technologies, and corruption, that hinder e-
government implementation. Consequently, cloud computing (CC) is strongly recommended as a cost-
effective alternative to traditional ICT services, providing global, on-demand, and easily accessible network
resources, reducing the reliance on on-premises data centers and IT hardware and software (Odun-Ayo et
al., 2022).
TOE and DOI
The Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) framework serves as a crucial theoretical
guide for exploring the adoption and integration of various IT-related innovations, particularly in different
contexts of IT innovation, such as cloud computing. On the other hand, the Theory of Innovation Diffusion
(DOI) focuses on elucidating the factors that influence the decision-making process surrounding innovation,
addressing questions like 'how' innovations are created, 'why' they are adopted or rejected, and 'at what rate'
they should be embraced. While previous studies have typically applied either the TOE framework or the
DOI theory when examining the implementation of new technologies at the organizational level, this study
suggests that combining both approaches enhances our understanding of technology adoption. The DOI
model emphasizes specific variables within categories, while the TOE framework aids in selecting relevant
categories for identifying influential factors, making a merger of the two models beneficial in gaining a
comprehensive perspective on technology adoption.
Proposed Model
This model consists of four aspects, according to which cloud technology adoption in e-
governments will be influenced. These aspects comprise organizational, technological, environmental, and
innovation-related elements. Using the TOE, the factors were divided into two categories: organization and
environment. Furthermore, in applying the DOI theory to develop the initial research model, 14 factors in
total emerged from the literature. The following table summarizes categories each factor belongs to, as well
as its description and hypothesis.
Innovation Characteristics
Factors Description Hypothesis
Relative Advantage It is associated with lowering Relative advantage positively
costs, enhancing responsiveness affects the intention to adopt
to business requirements, and cloud computing for e-
improving efficiency and government in Libya.
mobility. It highlights the
innovative value for adopters,
surpassing the previous state.
Complexity Relates to the intricacy of Complexity negatively effects on
technology, including challenges Libya’s decision to adopt cloud
related to obtaining, computing.
comprehending, and utilizing the
required equipment.
Compatibility Signifies the extent to which an Compatibility is a positive
innovation aligns with the user's influence on Libya’s decision to
current practices, processes, and adopt cloud computing.
technical specifications.
Trial-ability It allows the organization to Trial-ability positively affects
undergo and try cloud solutions Libya’s decision to adopt cloud
before actual adoption. computing.

Observability The extent to which the Observability positively affects

outcomes of cloud services are Libya’s decision to adopt cloud
visible to others, thereby computing.
increasing the likelihood of their
embracing the new innovation.
Technology Dimension
Factors Description Hypothesis
Security Security involves safeguarding Security negative affects Libya’s
data, services, and data centers to decision to adopt cloud
prevent unauthorized access, computing.
breaches, and data loss. It
encompasses measures and
protocols to protect sensitive
information and maintain the
confidentiality, integrity, and
availability of digital assets.
Security measures are crucial in
ensuring the safe and
uninterrupted operation of
information systems.
Availability It pertains to the ability to Availability positively affects
guarantee that individuals can Libya’s decision to adopt cloud
access any information resource computing.
whenever they require it. It
focuses on minimizing
downtime, disruptions, and
ensuring that services and data
are consistently accessible to
users. High availability is a
fundamental aspect of
maintaining the reliability and
performance of IT systems,
preventing service outages, and
delivering a seamless user
experience.

Organizational Dimension
Factors Description Hypothesis
Technology Readiness Refers to an organization's level Technology readiness positively
of preparedness concerning its IT affects Libya’s decision to adopt
infrastructure, IT knowledge, cloud computing.
dependable internet connectivity,
ample bandwidth, and fast
internet speeds.

Top management Support Involves leading resource Top management support

allocation, process significantly effects on Libya’s
reengineering, and service decision to adopt cloud
integration. computing.
Transparency Contributes to reducing resource Transparency positively affects
mismanagement and introducing the intention on Libya’s decision
accountability. It includes to adopt cloud computing.
providing real-time and delayed
data related to applications and
customer data, granting them
adequate insight into incidents
involving their assets hosted in
cloud environments.
Return on Investment It necessitates that the innovation Return on Investment positively
should lead to savings or reduced affects Libya’s decision to adopt
capital expenditures while cloud computing.
lowering operational costs.

Environmental Dimension
Factors Description Hypothesis
Government Regulation It refers to the primary measures The government regulations
introduced by the government to negatively affect Libya’s
facilitate the increased adoption
 of cloud computing for decision to adopt cloud
information system innovation, computing
including the implementation of
regulations to safeguard
businesses using cloud-based
services.
Service-Level Agreement Comprises of the precise services Service level agreement
or nonfunctional criteria positively affects Libya’s
provided by cloud service decision to adopt cloud
providers for distribution to their computing.
clientele.
Trust Mediator Effects
Description Hypothesis
Trust is an expression of how users view the Trust has a significant influence and mediates the
favorable attributes of a technology. Therefore, the relationship between the intention to adopt cloud
study delved into understanding how trust in cloud computing and the technological dimension.
technology acts as an intermediary factor between
its technological features and user adoption. Trust
plays a pivotal role in the adoption of new
technological innovations, impacting them both
directly and indirectly, and this research seeks to
provide a more holistic and inclusive interpretation
for the two integrated theoretical models, taking
into account both direct and indirect effects.
Table 1. Details on the factors and the relative hypothesis developed by the researchers.
Research Design
The study employed a positivist approach to formulate hypotheses and statistically validate them,
aiming to evaluate a proposed approach for the adoption of cloud computing. Additionally, the study used
a nonrandom purposive sampling method to ensure the expertise and trustworthiness of the informants in
the pilot study. The researchers developed an instrument to assess IT professionals' perspectives on cloud
computing adoption in e-government services. The instrument is designed based on theoretical constructs,
cloud computing characteristics, and e-government context. It includes 14 dimensions related to the
diffusion of innovation, organizational contexts, technological, and environmental factors. A pilot study
was conducted involving 38 IT professionals working in e-government departments in Libya. The
questionnaire had two sections, A and B, with Section A collecting demographic data and Section B
measuring 14 constructs related to cloud computing adoption using a five-point Likert scale, followed by
an evaluation of content validity, construct validity, and reliability, supported by ethical approval from two
institutions. In this research, validity is emphasized as the measure of how well the instrument aligns with
the intended purpose, while reliability pertains to the consistency of results without measurement errors. To
ensure content validity, experts reviewed the questionnaire, and a reliability test was conducted using SPSS
and PLS-SEM to assess the instrument's internal consistency at both initial and modified levels. This
rigorous approach was employed to evaluate the appropriateness and reliability of the research instrument.
Result and Discussion
The study used Smart PLS 4.0 software to evaluate the measurement models, with a primary focus
on assessing the reliability and construct validity, which is defined as the agreement between constructs and
their indicators and is crucial for theory development and evaluation, involving two phases to validate the
measurement model. Furthermore, the proposed measurement model using composite reliability (CR), item
loadings, and average variance (AVE), and most items demonstrated satisfactory reliability with loadings
of at least 0.7, but some items measuring the "Intention to Adopt Cloud Computing" construct had loadings
below the threshold. The PLS algorithm was iterated for items with external loadings below 0.7, and this
process led to the removal of ten items to enhance the CR and AVE values. Subsequently, nine inadequate
items with external loadings less than 0.70 were eliminated, leaving only items surpassing the required
threshold.
In order to ensure that the questionnaire items aligned with the study's objectives and to assess the
research model, an exploratory factor analysis was performed, focusing on the outer factor loading before
proceeding to evaluate the external model. The study also evaluated the internal consistency reliability of
the constructs using composite reliability, which assessed the consistency of a construct's indicators, with
acceptable values falling between 0.60 and 0.90, ensuring the indicators effectively measure their respective
constructs. The AVE values for all constructs are above the minimum threshold of 0.5, indicating that the
proposed measurement model's convergent validity remains intact. Discriminant validity, based on Hulland
et al.'s theory, as cited by the researchers, was assessed for the measurement model, and it was considered
achieved when the square root of the AVE value exceeded the correlations between the calculated measure
and other measures in the model, which was confirmed by the findings in this study.
Conclusion
The study acknowledges that while CC presents significant opportunities for resource development
in governments, especially in developing countries like Libya, there are various challenges such as cost,
trust, transparency, and limited IT infrastructure, making adoption a complex process. The research aims to
provide a theoretical model for understanding the factors influencing initial CC adoption in the Libyan e-
government, focusing on factors not extensively addressed in previous literature. The study also describes
the development and validation of an instrument for assessing the impact of these factors on government
agencies' decisions to adopt cloud computing. The instrument's validity and reliability were ensured through
a series of stages, including expert evaluation and pilot testing. The study highlights the instrument's
suitability for obtaining data for full-scale studies. The final model is expected to shed light on how these
factors affect stakeholders' intent to adopt cloud computing in the Libyan e-government and provide
valuable insights for IT professionals, service providers, and decision-makers in the sector. The study aims
to contribute to the body of knowledge on effective IT adoption strategies in developing countries and offers
a context-specific model that may be applicable to other sectors. The ultimate goal is to promote the use of
cloud computing technology in the Libyan government and similar contexts, addressing a gap in the existing
literature.

Analysis
E-government offers numerous opportunities for developed countries, including more efficient
Malodia et al., (2021) governance delivery. However, it presents significant challenges for developing
nations. As highlighted by), over 60% of government projects fall short of their intended outcomes, with
35% being total failures and 50% achieving some objectives but still lacking in many aspects. Therefore,
it's crucial for governments in developing countries to recognize and address the complexities associated
with effectively implementing e-government initiatives (Glyptis et al., 2020)
 In recent times, e-governments worldwide have strategically adopted cloud computing to address
infrastructure challenges and achieve cost savings (Mohammed et al., 2020; Singh et al., 2020). This shift
to cloud computing has become an attractive solution for improving service provision. Governments
increasingly turn to cloud services to enhance service quality, increase efficiency, promote transparency,
and reduce expenses (Abied, Ibrahim, & Kamal, 2022)
The article under review, titled 'Probing Determinants Affecting Intention to Adopt Cloud
Technology in E-Government Systems,' authored by Abied, Ibrahim, Kamal, and Alfadli and published in
November 2022, represents a comprehensive and insightful examination of the factors influencing the
adoption of cloud computing technology within e-government systems. The study primarily focuses on the
context of developing countries, with particular attention to Libya. To delve into the complexities of cloud
technology adoption within e-government, the researchers employ a composite theoretical model, merging
the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) Theory and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory.
This study holds substantial significance due to its timely exploration of the challenges associated
with the adoption of cloud computing in e-government, especially within the context of developing nations.
Cloud computing is perceived as a cost-effective alternative to traditional IT services, promising more
efficient public services. However, the research underscores the critical need for understanding the potential
obstacles and intricacies of implementing this technology to ensure a smooth transition and operational
success.
Abied et al.'s (2022) study introduces a novel perspective for assessing the factors influencing the
adoption of cloud computing in e-government systems. Moreover, it serves as a foundational resource for
a more profound exploration of the challenges faced by cloud-based e-government systems in
underdeveloped Middle Eastern countries. The researchers' innovative approach of combining two models,
the TOE Theory and the DOI Theory, offers the potential for broader applicability in other studies or further
refinement through the utilization of different theoretical combinations. Furthermore, their meticulous
research documentation ensures clarity, transparency, and ease of comprehension, which is vital in the
understanding of their methodology.
The article's contribution extends beyond its primary focus on cloud computing adoption; it also
provides valuable context and insights into e-government and cloud computing, emphasizing the potential
for cost-effective enhancements in government services. The comprehensive model presented in the study
dissects various aspects, encompassing organizational, technological, environmental, and innovation-
related elements, categorizing factors into organization and environment domains. The detailed summary
table, listing the 14 factors emerging from the literature, enhances clarity.
The study's objectives are effectively met by the utilization of questionnaires as a research
instrument. The researchers underwent rigorous scrutiny to ensure the validity and reliability of this
instrument, involving a pilot study with IT professionals from Libyan e-government departments.
Furthermore, the research meticulously adhered to ethical and methodological standards throughout its
execution, instilling confidence in the integrity and robustness of its findings.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the examined article, 'Probing Determinants Affecting Intention to Adopt Cloud
Technology in E-Government Systems' by Abied, Ibrahim, Kamal, and Alfadli, represents a timely and
comprehensive exploration of the complexities associated with the adoption of cloud computing technology
in e-government systems, with a particular emphasis on developing countries, notably Libya. This research
contributes significantly to our understanding of the challenges faced by governments in embracing cloud
technology and its potential to enhance public services. By merging the Technology-Organization-
Environment (TOE) Theory and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory, the study introduces a novel
perspective, offering not only valuable insights but also the possibility of broader applicability to other
studies in the field.
Furthermore, the analysis underscores the critical need for developing nations to recognize and
address the intricacies and challenges associated with implementing e-government initiatives effectively.
With more than half of government projects falling short of their intended outcomes, the research reinforces
the importance of understanding the obstacles and intricacies of technological adoption, particularly within
the context of developing countries. It emphasizes the significance of cloud computing as a cost-effective
alternative for e-governments worldwide, promoting more efficient public services.
The comprehensive model presented in the article, which dissects various aspects related to cloud
technology adoption in e-government, contributes to a clearer understanding of this complex landscape.
Finally, the meticulous research methodology, including the utilization of questionnaires, pilot studies, and
adherence to ethical standards, adds to the article's credibility and underscores its potential to provide
valuable data for full-scale studies.
In essence, the research fills a crucial gap in the existing literature and provides a valuable context
for government decision-makers, IT professionals, and service providers seeking to enhance service
delivery through the strategic adoption of cloud computing. The ultimate goal is to promote the use of cloud
computing technology in governments like Libya and similar contexts, thereby facilitating a smoother
transition and operational success in the ever-evolving landscape of e-government.

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