{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T19:37:35Z","timestamp":1781379455653,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":87,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,2]],"date-time":"2021-04-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1617321600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":91,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Social Science Fund of China","award":["17BGL198"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["17BGL198"]}]},{"name":"National Social Science Fund of China","award":["20FGLB070"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["20FGLB070"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Complexity"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>To survive in a competitive environment, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have had to adapt to the digital environment in order to adjust to customer needs globally, particularly in the post\u2010COVID\u201019 world. The advantages of cloud computing (e.g., flexibility, scalability, and low entry cost) provide opportunities for SMEs with a restricted budget and limited resources. To understand how SMEs adopt cloud computing in a complex digital environment, this study examines how antecedents combine with each other to explain the high adoption of cloud computing. From the perspectives of holism and set theory, we draw on complexity and configuration theories, present a conceptual model including seven antecedents based on the technology\u2010organization\u2010environment framework, and conduct an asymmetric fuzzy\u2010set qualitative comparative analysis. Through an empirical study with 123 Chinese companies, we identify nine combinations (configurations) of determinant antecedents that lead to the high adoption of cloud computing. The results show that none of the factors are indispensable to explain a high adoption on their own; instead, they are insufficient but necessary parts of the causal combinations that explain a high adoption. This study contributes to the literature on cloud computing adoption by extending current knowledge on how antecedents combine to increase the adoption and identify specific patterns of SMEs for whom these factors are essential and greatly influence their adoption.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1155\/2021\/5591446","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,2]],"date-time":"2021-04-02T23:35:05Z","timestamp":1617406505000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Understanding the Complex Adoption Behavior of Cloud Services by SMEs Based on Complexity Theory: A Fuzzy Sets Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)"],"prefix":"10.1155","volume":"2021","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4384-1187","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ge","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4295-7690","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Weijie","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8696-4446","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yikai","family":"Liang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_10_1_2","first-page":"24","article-title":"The new cloud computing paradigm: the way to IT seen as a utility","volume":"6","author":"Rodr\u00edguez-Monroy C.","year":"2012","journal-title":"Latin American and Caribbean Journal of Engineering Education"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1721654.1721672"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.future.2008.12.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2330667.2330685"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/02635571111161262"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2009.09.004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/APJML-03-2014-0040"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_8_2","article-title":"Digital identity: transforming GCC economies","volume":"16","author":"Ali","year":"2015","journal-title":"Innovation"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.accinf.2015.11.004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0972150917741187"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12525-012-0120-4"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3846\/jbem.2019.9856"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_13_2","article-title":"The comparative method: moving beyond qualitative and quantitative strategies","volume":"67","author":"Ragin C. C.","year":"1987","journal-title":"Social Forces"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.6028\/NIST.SP.800-145"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3837\/tiis.2016.01.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_16_2","volume-title":"Above the Clouds: A Berkeley View of Cloud Computing","author":"Armbrust M.","year":"2009"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_17_2","unstructured":"SayaS. PeeL. G. andKankanhalliA. The impact of institutional influences on perceived technological characteristics and real options in cloud computing adoption Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems December 2010 Saint Louis MI USA."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eswa.2011.05.039"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"AlkhaterN. WaltersR. andWillsG. An investigation of factors influencing an organisation\u2019s intention to adopt cloud computing Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Society (i-Society 2014) November 2014 London UK 337\u2013338 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1109\/i-Society.2014.7009071 2-s2.0-84923169152.","DOI":"10.1109\/i-Society.2014.7009071"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/0144929X.2010.489118"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.24924\/ijise\/2013.04\/v1.iss1\/30.41"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2013.07.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.im.2014.03.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2013.09.004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2014.04.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"AlkhaterN. WillsG. andWaltersR. Factors influencing an organisation\u2019s intention to adopt cloud computing in Saudi Arabia Proceedings of the 2014 IEEE 6th International Conference on Cloud Computing Technology and Science December 2015 Singapore.","DOI":"10.1109\/CloudCom.2014.95"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2014.12.022"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10586-015-0490-4"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/jeim-02-2014-0017"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0539018415609174"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10257-015-0300-9"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/EL-09-2013-0163"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4018\/jgim.2016070104"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0266666916671985"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2015.11.010"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2016.03.049"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_37_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17517575.2017.1355484"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10796-017-9739-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2017\/2536040"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/IMDS-11-2015-0468"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2017.06.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techfore.2018.05.020"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2019.02.009"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/bf02371446"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2017.10.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2016.04.018"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/jeim-09-2014-0094"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_48_2","first-page":"312","article-title":"Literature review of information technology adoption models at firm level","volume":"1","author":"Oliveira T.","year":"2011","journal-title":"Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_49_2","first-page":"94","article-title":"Determinants of the adoption of enterprise resource planning within the technology-organization-environment framework: Taiwan\u2019s communications industry","volume":"48","author":"Pan M. J.","year":"2008","journal-title":"Data Processor for Better Business Education"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17705\/1cais.02614"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techfore.2010.03.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/tem.2007.912806"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_53_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.1110.0404"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2012.12.003"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/2095101"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.im.2017.08.004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2010.05.008"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17705\/1jais.00217"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2012.07.032"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.1100.0295"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2013.01.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_62_2","volume-title":"Diffusion of Innovations","author":"Rogers E. M.","year":"1983"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_63_2","article-title":"Cloud computing adoption by SMEs in the north east of England: a multi-perspective framework","volume":"26","author":"Alshamaila Y.","year":"2004","journal-title":"Journal of Enterprise Information Management"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/jeim-01-2015-0001"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.1040.0015"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dss.2011.07.007"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/msp.2010.938751"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_68_2","unstructured":"LiN. The security of cloud computing system enabled by trusted computing technology Proceedings of the 2010 2nd International Conference on Signal Processing Systems July 2011 Dalian China IEEE."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_69_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/ejis.2012.16"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_70_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2005.12.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_71_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1467-0895(03)00026-5"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_72_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.1050.0045"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_73_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/02635571011087428"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_74_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/palgrave.ejis.3000475"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_75_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mcm.2010.03.037"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_76_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jom.2009.11.005"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_77_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/palgrave.jibs.8400373"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_78_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/itp-01-2018-0047"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_79_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1851175.1851179"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_80_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12525-012-0119-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_81_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2016.08.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_82_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/isj.12094"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_83_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102128"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_84_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/JSIT-04-2017-0025"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_85_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"FuH. P. ChangT. H. ChangT. S. andLiuL. C. Factor analysis on enterprises adopting cloud computing Proceedings of the International Conference on Communications September 2016 Shanghai China.","DOI":"10.2991\/cimns-16.2016.84"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_86_2","unstructured":"MacCallumR. Model specification: procedures strategies and related issues 1995."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_87_2","volume-title":"Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling","author":"Sarstedt M.","year":"2017"}],"container-title":["Complexity"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/downloads.hindawi.com\/journals\/complexity\/2021\/5591446.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/downloads.hindawi.com\/journals\/complexity\/2021\/5591446.xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1155\/2021\/5591446","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,9]],"date-time":"2024-08-09T22:14:47Z","timestamp":1723241687000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1155\/2021\/5591446"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Lei","family":"Xie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"references-count":87,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1155\/2021\/5591446"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1155\/2021\/5591446","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1076-2787","1099-0526"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1076-2787","type":"print"},{"value":"1099-0526","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2021-01-13","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2021-03-19","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2021-04-02","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"5591446"}}