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Abstract: This paper seeks to determine the cloud computing services utilized by NGOs in Gweru as well as identify reasons (which
might be management related, worker related, company related or economic related) that influence the utilization or non-utilization of
cloud computing services. To elicit data, the researchers used questionnaires and interviews. Results from the survey indicate that the
most widely used cloud computing services are social networks (97%), Google docs (94%) and Gmail (86%). Major concerns raised by
the respondents include the absence of a budget supporting ICT initiatives, indecisiveness towards adopting cloud computing due to
security related concerns, to lack of technical and management oriented support, use of outdated hardware and software and lack of
information on compliance requirements. The study winds off by proffering recommendations to tackle the raised concerns.
against research done in other countries to establish which 3.2 Cloud Computing applications being utilized
computing services were preferred by NGOs in general and
identify factors that affect the utilization of cloud computing The most common cloud computing application(s) being
services by organizations specifically NGOs. used by NGOs in Gweru are the social networking which
include Facebook, Twitter and MySpace as cited by 97% of
2. Methodology the respondents, followed by Google docs and Gmail where
94% and 86% of the respondents are using the applications
The philosophical assumption of the research was based on respectively.
positivism whilst the inductive approach was used to
establish the NGOs conceptualization of cloud computing
Cloudcomputingapplicationsused
with deductive and abductive approaches used to validate byNGOsinGweru
97%
94%
findings. The descripto-explanatory research design was 86%
78%
used to carry out the research. The descriptive part sought to 75%
provide an accurate profile of the NGOs under the study by 53%
determining the cloud computing services available to them, 42%
their use patterns and build a profile of factors that influence
19%
the utilization and non-utilization of cloud services by the 13%
NGOs. Based on the research objectives, the explanatory
part of the research tested the following variables (a) cloud
computing services accessed and utilized (independent)
against the NGOs (dependent) and (b) factors influencing
utilization and non-utilization of cloud services
(independent) against cloud computing services accessed
and utilized (dependent) in a bid to understand the utilization
process.
Figure 1: Cloud Computing Applications Utilized by the
Gweru District has a total of 55 Non-Governmental NGOs
Organizations. All the users within the 55 registered NGOs
constituted the study population. For the purpose of this 3.3 Factors influencing utilization of cloud services by
research participants were randomly selected. An exhaustive the NGOs
alphabetical list of all IT users within each organization was
generated. Within each stratum (organization) simple When asked on their concerns with regard to utilization of
random sampling using the random number tables was used cloud services, 55% of the respondents indicated that they
to select study participants. The sample size power were not utilizing cloud computing services for varied
calculation statistical package for descriptive studies was reasons which include lack of ICT staff, lack of budgets to
used to calculate the sample size for this research. Using a implement cloud computing, difficulty in measuring return
5% significance level and assuming a prevalence of 30% for on investment, security concerns, lack of management
utilization of cloud computing services by NGOs, a sample support and use of outdated software and hardware. The
size of 61 study participants was calculated. After having major issues raised by the respondents were the absence of a
adjusted for 5% attrition, a sample size of 64 study budget supporting ICT initiatives in this case cloud
participants was reached. A proportional sample size by computing, indecisiveness towards adopting the technology
service delivery area was then calculated so as to get a because of security related concerns, use of outdated
representative sample. hardware and software to implement cloud computing, lack
of information on compliance requirements, difficulty in
measuring return on investment (ROI) and lack of both
3. 3. Results
technical and management oriented support.
3.1 Demographic Information
the targeted respondents to include rural and small towns in Author Profile
Zimbabwe to improve representation.
Tinashe Gwendolyn Zhou holds a Post Graduate
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