Development of Cloud-Based Knowledge Management as a Service Model

The purposes of this study were to develop and validate the efficiency of Cloud-based Knowledge Management as a Service model, to compare the usability of Cloud-based and non Cloud-based services, to investigate the return on investments (ROI), and to survey the opinions of users in organizations who experienced the Cloud-based Knowledge Management as a Service model. The research was conducted by developing, implementing, and evaluating the Cloud-based Knowledge Management as a Service model. The samples were 30 chief executives of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who responsible for knowledge management in the organizations. They were selected by a purposive sampling method. Data were analyzed by using a t-test statistic. The results revealed that the experts evaluated the developed model at an “acceptable” level. After refining the model according to the expert’s opinion and the Black-Box testing technique was used to evaluate the model, the efficiency of the model was considered at a “good” level. There was a significant difference between the usability of Cloud-based and non Cloud-based services both in theoretical and practical areas at the level of .01. The scores of developed Cloud-based service was higher than the scores of non Cloud-based service. The return on investment (ROI) was estimated by the samples found that there was a significant difference between the Cloud-based and non Cloud-based services at the level of .01. The samples rated ROI of the developed Cloud-based service higher than the non Cloud-based service. The samples also pointed out their opinions toward the developed model at an “acceptable” level