Determinants for applying enterprise architecture to cloud computing adoption in the public sector

Abstract

Leading private sector firms stand to leverage the power of digital platforms to build economies of scale through market externalities. They utilize innovative technologies, such as cloud computing and enterprise architecture. However, the public sector has not been able to capitalize on platform capabilities despite the availability of the same technologies. The literature provides evidence suggesting that enterprise architecture and cloud computing are components of digital platforms. Nevertheless, no empirical evidence exists that shows how the domains influence each other. This dissertation identifies the determinants for organizational intention to apply enterprise architecture (EA) to cloud computing in the public sector. The dissertation converges the existing factors from TOE studies into a single classification model through two closely related essays. The first essay deployed the Delphi technique to identify and rank factors that link the adoption of enterprise architecture to cloud computing. The research then classified the consensus from 41 cumulative surveys of experts based in Botswana and South Korea. The classification method used cohesion analysis and TOE framework to propose a factor classification model. The second essay re-categorized the findings of the first essay using the TOE framework adopted from research on the assimilation of e-Government. We focused the TOE model from essay one to analyze organizational intention to apply EA to cloud computing. The research used a Likert scale-based questionnaire with adjusted measurement items to survey IT managers and IT decision-makers from developing countries. We received 113 valid responses were from 29 countries using the online Google Form tool. We used smartPLS 3 to test the model structural integrity and test the proposed hypothesis. The results indicate a significant effect of ICT expertise, regulatory environment, and competitive environment on the organizational intention to apply EA to cloud computing in developing countries. Contrary to our hypotheses, the base model results did not show a significant effect on ICT infrastructure, Extent of coordination, and Organisational compatibility. However, further analysis of the moderating effects showed that high EA maturity increases the effect of ICT expertise and ICT infrastructure on organizational intention. Additionally, low e-Government Maturity increases the effect of the Regulatory environment. In contrast, high e-Government maturity enhances the effects of ICT expertise on organizational intention. The conclusion demonstrates that public sector organizations engaged in Digital Transformation activities should prioritize innovative programs that are responsive to their environment. The study shows that formulating programs to measure the maturity level of EA and e-Government would provide developing countries with valuable metrics to formulate proper public sector innovation strategies. Using experts from developed and developing countries, we revealed that the status of enterprise architecture affects the intention to adopt cloud computing in the public sector. Digital transformation does not only require expertise to manage change in technology but also necessitates strategies for skills development, regulatory environment, and competitive environment.