Cloud Computing Inhibitors Among Small and Medium Enterprises
Mathias Mujinga · 2020
Cloud computing is an emerging information technology (IT) paradigm which undoubtedly has received significant attention from different spheres of influence. The cloud computing concept entails the provisioning of computing resources from remote locations to individuals or organizations over the internet at anytime. The technology is associated with several benefits but the reduction in capital and operational expenditure is the major one. The importance of IT innovations to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the role of SMEs in economic growth have been demonstrated empirically. However, literature indicate that SMEs in developing economies are not taking the advantages of emerging technologies like cloud computing to improve operational excellence within their organizations. An in-depth review of academic publications, technical reports, and industry white papers on cloud computing has confirmed security and privacy is-sues as some of the key inhibitors to cloud computing adoption among SMEs. This is probably because the customer data is released to remote locations, which are invisible, and data is accessed over the internet, which is already over-whelmed with malicious attackers. This study explores the reasons for the lack of cloud computing adoption among SMEs in developing economies. When the rea-sons for this lag are identified, cloud computing service providers, technology policy makers, entrepreneurs and SMEs executives will be provided with the opportunity to develop appropriate solutions and strategies that will specifically meet the needs of SMEs in developing economies. This will promote and accelerate the acceptance rate of cloud services. When SMEs utilize cloud computing as an IT strategy, business growth becomes inevitable and the country's economic growth is witnessed.