## 3 Research Design and Conceptual Model
### Research Constructs  
The following factors were identified as the research constructs based on various viewpoints: privacy, governance framework, performance expectancy, information security, and perceived risk. For instance, positivist viewpoints relied on measurement and reason [78]. In the study, it was acknowledged that the effect of people is revealed from measurable or quantifiable activity. The constructs for this study were determined through knowledge and theoretical processes that identified the challenging factors of cloud computing and the government's intention to adopt cloud services. Additionally, the cultural and socioeconomic situation of the region was also considered in identifying the construct determinants for this study. This is consistent with the suggestion that the subjective norms construct may be inadequate in reflecting normative influence on intentions or behaviour [79]. The selection of the constructs in this study was driven by both theoretical and contextual relevance to cloud computing adoption within the public sector; therefore, this study proposed construct variables influencing cloud users' viewpoints and responses towards the challenging factor in government cloud computing adoption. These new constructs were considered to examine their influence on the government's intention to adopt cloud services significantly. The performance expectancy was retained from the UTAUT due to its strong validation in influencing behavioural intention to adopt and use information systems and information technology within the study's contextual objectives and public sector contexts. Additionally, it was to retain its relevance in assessing the critical perceived usefulness in improving governance and recognising the benefits of technology adoption to improve user experience for citizens accessing government services [18; 80]. However, to align the model more precisely with the governmental digital transformation priorities, information security, privacy, governance framework, and perceived risk were added. Their inclusion was based on a critical review of the literature that covers e-government and cloud adoption within the public sector, where trust, regulatory compliance, and governance are identified as pivotal factors influencing technology acceptance in government agencies. Additionally, the cultural and socioeconomic situation of the region was also considered in identifying the construct determinants for this study. The inclusion of information security reflects concerns around data breaches, unauthorised access and general breach of confidentiality, integrity, and the availability of government information within the CSP's environment. These are heightened within the public cloud environment, especially where national data infrastructures are involved and public sector data are sensitive and related to national security, citizens' records, and other critical resources [81; 82]. Furthermore, privacy was introduced as a separate construct,  
Figure 1: Conceptualised model for the study (adapted from the UTAUT model [18]). capturing individual perceptions of how personally identifiable information (PII) is protected, monitored, and possibly misused within a cloud environment. This is highlighted as a key barrier to public cloud adoption in government sectors [17] and observed not just a legal or ethical requirement for cloud providers [83] and the government; instead, it is the foundational element that can significantly influence the behavioural intention of the government to adopt cloud services and identify reliable cloud providers when a public cloud is considered as an option. The governance framework construct was added to address the institutional mechanisms, standards, and socioeconomic issues and structures that facilitate digital transformation in the public sector [84], ensuring that policy, risk management, and compliance obligations are factored into the behavioural intention model to adopt cloud computing in government [67].