## 3 Research Design and Conceptual Model
### Conceptual Model  
The conceptual model presented in this section was based on the theories and models for technology adoption. This study develops the measurement items for the identified constructs by adapting from existing studies. With regard to other outlined technology acceptance models and theories, [PERSON], [PERSON] [18] established that the UTAUT outperformed these models by explaining 70% of the variance in behavioural intention and 50% in technology acceptance. Furthermore, the UTAUT has been extensively used for technology acceptance and behavioural intention [76]. Therefore, the study assumed that the UTAUT had significant predictive capability with constructs matching the factors and constructs related to the government's intention to adopt cloud computing, which is proposed in this study. This study adapts the UTAUT to incorporate constructs relating to the factors that affect government intention to adopt cloud services.  
Thus, the study adapted the UTAUT to examine the identified challenging factors of cloud computing to the government's behavioural intention to adopt it. In a study to investigate the factors influencing the behaviour intention of acceptance and use of digital technology to tackle COVID-19, [PERSON], [PERSON] [76] modified the UTAUT for COVID-19 digital tracking technology (CDTT) acceptance and use in developing country contexts. Their study indicated that performance expectancy strongly impacts the intention to accept and use technology. As applied to this study, the UTAUT and model were adapted to hold that the independent variables (privacy, governance framework, performance expectancy, and information security) would influence or explain the dependent variables (government intention) while being moderated by perceived risk because the government's intention to adopt cloud services would depend on the influence of the factors identified. Moreover, the variable constructs from the UTAUT have been observed to influence intentions to use and accept technology.  
This study proposed a conceptual research model in Figure 1, based on the UTAUT model with adapted variables (factors) such as privacy, governance framework, information security, and associated perceived moderator risk due to its comprehensive ability to model technology adoption, such as cloud computing, in a structured and institutional public sector environment. Furthermore, looking at the research questions and objectives, which required multi-dimensional constructs and the dynamic nature of the public sector socioeconomic and regional environment. The UTAUT offered the necessary structural foundation to capture behavioural intention and public sector technology adoption support. The model's adaptability also allowed for the contextual adaptation of variables, making it robust yet flexible enough for the specific demands of this study. By adapting the UTAUT with a governance and risk-oriented approach to security challenges, this study offers a model that is both empirically grounded and policy-aware, better suited to the realities of cloud computing adoption in the government sector.  
The research model enables the research to adapt these new constructs in line with [PERSON] and [PERSON]'s [77] recommendation that constructs from other disciplines could be tested within the UTAUT model. Also, [PERSON], [PERSON] [73] recommended further work to identify and test additional boundary conditions of the model to understand technology adoption and usage behaviour better.