Drivers vs. Inhibitors - What Clinches Continuous Service Certification Adoption by Cloud Service Providers?

Continuous service certification (CSC) is an innovative way to ensure ongoing security and reliability of cloud services by using (automated) monitoring and auditing techniques. Yet, CSC currently remains underexplored and is still in its early diffusion period, thus we require a deeper understanding about what influences cloud service providers to participate in CSC. In particular, cloud service providers are facing a trade-off between achieving unique advantages and participating in a complex and effortful CSC process. This study derives a theoretical model grounded on the Technology-Organization-Environment Framework and Diffusion of Innovations Theory to explain why cloud service providers might be willing to adopt CSC. To test our model, we surveyed 115 cloud service providers. Our findings reveal that perceived advantages have a significant influence on provider’s adoption intention and that they outweigh perceived inhibitors.