Abstract:
Cloud computing is one of the most convenient and flexible online services, which
is widely available on the internet, and enterprises can easily use them relatively
at a greater cost-effectiveness. As a growing number of studies delineate, cloud
computing services are significantly helpful to Micro, Small, and Medium-sized
enterprises (MSMs) to optimize their business performance. However, a notable
reluctance can be observed in the MSM owners in Sri Lanka despite the
redundant cloud services available on the internet. Specifically, many MSM
enterprise owners refuse to adopt cloud HRM applications to handle HR and
administrative tasks in such enterprises. In order to examine this phenomenon,
a qualitative exploratory study was designed cross-sectionally. Data were
collected from nineteen MSM enterprise owners from semi-structured
interviews. Results show that there is little tendency for such owners to adopt
cloud HRM services for their firms. Less reliability of those cloud HRM services,
less affordability, less awareness, absence of exclusively designed cloud
applications for MSMs, and non-urgency to use cloud-based IT applications for
HRM functions in MSM, uncertainty of the business growth due to the prevailing
crisis are the main reasons for the low-tendency to adopt such applications.
Conclusion and future research directions have been stipulated at the end
