In 2011 one-third of South African organisations did not intend to adopt cloud computing services because IT decision-maker lacked understanding of the related concepts and benefits (Goldstuck, 2011). This research develops a media-oriented model to examine the adoption of these services in South Africa. The model uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) and innovation diffusion theory (IDT) to develop variables that are considered determinants of adoption including trialability, complexity of understanding, perceived risk, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness.An electronic survey was sent to 107 IT decision-makers. Over 80% of the respondents were C-suite executives. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) method was chosen to depict and test the proposed model. PLS is superior to normal regression models and is a second generation technique. The data analysis included evaluating and modifying the model, assessing the new measurement model, testing the hypotheses of the model structure and presenting the structural model.The research found that media, experts and word of mouth mitigate perceived risks including bandwidth, connectivity and power. Furthermore, trialability and perceived usefulness were affected by social influence, as well as influencing adoption. The results enable service providers and marketers to develop product roadmaps and pinpoint media messages. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

With the development of the broadband and the digital technology, different medium could integrate and converge together and the boundaries become dimmer and dimmer. For example, Chunghwa Telecom¡¦s (CHT) Multimedia On Demand service crossed the boundary and entered the digital visual industry in March, 2004. CHT¡¦s MOD is based on the television and through ADSL to offer the digital interactive TV service, making broadband from the study to the living room. Above the service platform, it could not only transmit the visual message, but also the voice and data messages. This kind of business model will be the operational target of the broadband suppliers in the future. However, there are some problems on the promotional pace of CHT¡¦s MOD mow. Based on the results of the earlier researches, the reason why the interactive visual service could not promote successfully is the government and companies put too much emphases on the technical infrastructure, but they all neglect the market situation and the customers¡¦ usages. But, in order to popularize one kind of new media technology, understanding the conditions of the target audiences accurately is the most important mission. Therefore, this research will take CHT¡¦s MOD as an example to understand the key factors which will influence the target audiences to accept the new media technology. And we will see the viewpoints of users. This research will take the Technology Acceptance Model as the main framework and combine the innovation characteristics, such as the compatibility, Trialability and observability. Moreover, we also take subject norm, network externality and new media technology self ¡Vefficacy into account. Through our survey and analysis, we could also prove the originate TAM again and our extended model is more explicative than the originated one. As TAM says, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use will influence the behavioral intention to use directly. And perceived usefulness is the most powerful variable in the model. Other variables will influence the perceived usefulness or perceived ease of use. For instance, subjective norm and network externality have the positive and remarkable effect on perceived usefulness. And new media technology self ¡Vefficacy has the direct effects on the perceived ease of use. On the other hand, among the innovation characteristics, the compatibility and observability have the direct effects on the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, but trialability doesn¡¦t. That says, the more compatibility and observability are, the stronger perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are. From the outcome of this research, we could understand the key factors of affecting the behavioral intention to accept CHT¡¦s MOD. And it could be the reference for the operators. Furthermore, all variables included in this research will affect the behavioral intention intensely. When we talk about such kind of information system with entertainments, the motivational variables could be considered.