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Introduction
One of the innovations that information technology (IT) has recently presented is the phenomenon of cloud computing. Cloud computing is the result of advancements in various technologies, including the Internet, hardware, systems management and distributed computing (Buyya et al. , 2011). Armbrust et al. (2009) suggested that cloud computing is a collection of applications using hardware and software systems to deliver services to end users via the Internet. Cloud computing offers a variety of services, such as storage and different modes of use (Leavitt, 2009). Cloud computing enables organizations to deliver support applications and avoid the need to develop their own IT systems (Feuerlicht et al. , 2010).
Due to the growth of cloud computing use, the question arises as to what factors may influence information professionals to adopt new technologies, such as cloud computing, in their organizations. Assuming that using new technologies may improve the functioning of information organizations, this study seeks to explore if information professionals, who often work with technology and use it as an important vehicle in their workplace, are familiar with technological innovations and whether they are ready to use them in their workplaces. As the phenomenon of cloud computing is relatively new, there are not many surveys that focus on it and, furthermore, no one has so far focussed on the attitudes of information professionals towards cloud computing. The research may contribute to an understanding of the variables that influence attitudes towards cloud computing and may lead to further inquiry in this field.
The current study uses the well-known technology acceptance model (TAM), a theory for explaining individuals' behaviours towards technology (Davis, 1989; Venkatesh, 2000), as well as personal characteristics, such as cognitive appraisal and openness to new experiences, as theoretical bases from which we can predict factors which may influence information professionals adopting cloud computing in their workplaces. The objectives of this study are to learn the following: the extent to which the TAM explains information professionals' attitudes towards cloud computing, and the extent to which personal characteristics, such as cognitive appraisal and openness to experiences, explain the intention of information professionals to use cloud computing.
Theoretical background
Cloud computing
Researchers have divided cloud computing into three layers: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service...