Exploring determinants of cloud computing adoption in the rural public sector: Evidence from Ghana

The significance of rural areas within the general framework of improving public sector service delivery and resource allocation through digital transformation cannot be overemphasized. The implementation of cloud computing which aims to bridge the digital divide in public financial management faces numerous challenges which mat vary across different environment settings, notwithstanding its inherent advantages. This study investigates the determinants of cloud computing within rural regions of Ghana, employing the integration of Diffusion of Innovation theory and Technology-Organization-Environment as the theoretical framework. The research utilised a quantitative approach, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling to analyse data gathered from 88 participants engaged in the utilisation of cloud computing systems of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies of Ghana. The results demonstrate that relative advantage, security concerns, complexity, and help desk support significantly influence the adoption of cloud computing in rural regions of Ghana. The findings indicate that the exogenous constructs namely relative advantage, security concerns, complexity, and help desk support moderately explain 32.5% of the variance in the adoption of cloud computing. The study offer recommendations for policymakers, donor organisations, system designers, and practitioners aiming to enhance cloud computing initiatives in the public sector under rural environment. This study contributes to the literature by extending the integration of TOE framework and DOI theory to the environment of cloud computing adoption in the rural public sector. Nonetheless, the study is constrained by its reliance on quantitative data. Future studies could mitigate these limitations by utilising a mixed-method and incorporating mediating factors that may explain adoption patterns in rural contexts.