Cloud computing adoption in higher education: An integrated theoretical model

Several studies were carried out earlier to investigate the determinants affecting cloud computing adoption at the individual level. However, the question of what impacts the cloud computing adoption at the organizational level is still not yet fully answered. Therefore, this research develops an integrated theoretical model to explore the factors affecting cloud computing adoption at higher education institutions (HEIs). The developed theoretical model is based on the integration of four well-established models, including the technology-organizational-environmental (TOE) framework, the fit viability model (FVM), the diffusion of innovations (DOI), and the institutional theory (INST). The partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach is used to validate the developed model based on survey data collected from 205 academics and IT staff. The results pointed out that 58.9% of the variance in cloud computing adoption is explained by the FVM and the INST theory factors. The validation of the developed theoretical model provides empirical evidence concerning what affects the HEIs to adopt cloud computing services. The findings of this research are believed to assist the top management in HEIs in strategizing cloud computing adoption by identifying the critical factors in their institutions.