Shifting Micro-Enterprises into the Cloud: Guidelines for Cloud Service Providers

Abstract

Cloud computing is a driving force in digitalization, and it promises companies benefits such as lower entry costs, greater flexibility/scalability, and cost savings compared to traditional IT solutions. Such benefits can also be valuable for micro-enterprises. However, many of these small businesses do not have access to the necessary know-how and resources to select, implement, and operate cloud technologies. As sources of these technologies, cloud service providers play a crucial role in this context as it is their business strategy that can support and convince micro-enterprises to adopt cloud technologies. As the class of micro-enterprises and the role of cloud service providers has been largely ignored in recent research, we conducted a quantitative study on the cloud computing user behavior of micro-enterprises in Germany. Based on our findings, we derived guidelines and recommendations for cloud service providers concerning the adaptation of their business strategies to adequately address the needs of micro-enterprises.