Factors determining the use of cloud computing in enterprise management in the EU (considering the type of economic activity)

Abstract

The use of cloud technology in business provides for many benefits. The use of cloud computing in business management varies greatly across the EU. The answer to the question of what factors influence the level of cloud computing usage in enterprises can be used to boost the utilization of cloud technologies and contribute to their popularization in Poland. This study aims to identify the factors and assess their influence on the level of cloud computing use in enterprise management, considering business activity types. The study is based on secondary data published periodically by the Eurostat. The study uses the r-Pearson correlation analysis. Statistical data for all EU countries for the period 2014-2018 was analyzed. Nine factors were selected for the correlation analysis. After verifying the research hypothesis, it was proven that there is a statistically significant relationship between the extent to which cloud computing is used in enterprises with different types of business activities and the selected factors. It was clearly shown that the percentage of the ICT sector in national GDP has no impact on the use of cloud technologies. Other research hypotheses were confirmed or partially confirmed. A ranking of factors influencing the use of cloud technologies in enterprises, taking into account the type of business activity, was compiled. The obtained results will be useful to theoreticians and practitioners in developing a company's growth strategy and making decisions on modernizing the information structure or company virtualization.