## 4 Results and Discussion
### Discussion  
This study identified a range of challenges hindering IoT adoption in the Silicon Mountain technology ecosystem. The challenges were categorized into the following areas:  
1. Standardization and Financial Resources: issues related to the lack of standardized protocols and financial constraints. 2. Labor Shortage in the Industry: the shortage of skilled labor in the field. 3. Educational and Knowledge Challenges: inadequate educational curricula and knowledge gaps. 4. Market Challenges: difficulties related to market adoption and commercial practices. 5. Government Policies: issues arising from governmental policies and regulatory frameworks. 6. Security and Data Privacy Challenges: concerns about data security and privacy. 7. Labor and Power Supply: challenges related to the availability of reliable power and labor. This study found that market challenges significantly impact the adoption of the IoT within the Silicon Mountain technology ecosystem. Key market challenges identified include the ongoing socio-economic crises in the country, difficulties in establishing cooperation with local distribution networks, and the high cost of marketing IoT solutions, which \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Main Challenges to IoT Adoption** & **Mean** & **Rank** \\ \hline Standardization and financial resources & 3.779 & 1 st \\ \hline Labor shortage in the industry & 3.760 & 2 nd \\ \hline Educational and knowledge challenges & 3.702 & 3 rd \\ \hline Market challenges & 3.662 & 4 th \\ \hline Government policies & 3.628 & 5 th \\ \hline Security and data privacy challenges & 3.399 & 6 th \\ \hline Labor and power supply & 3.274 & 7 th \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 9: Mean scores and ranking of factors affecting IoT adoption in the Silicon Mountain technology ecosystem. many start-ups cannot afford. These issues were highlighted by a high mean score of 3.662, indicating that they are considered very serious challenges. Another significant challenge identified was data privacy and security concerns. The proliferation of IoT devices results in the generation, collection, and sharing of vast amounts of data. These data often include sensitive personal information, raising significant concerns around data privacy, including unauthorized access, data breaches, surveillance and tracking, data access and control, etc. In addition, security is also a critical concern for IoT systems due to the sheer number of connected devices, which increases the potential attack surface for cyberattacks. Inadequate security mechanisms can result in severe consequences, such as data breaches, loss of control over critical systems, and the manipulation of physical devices. This study identified security and data privacy as a significant challenge affecting IoT adoption. The results reveal that data security and user privacy are major concerns in IoT applications due to the extensive amount of data shared across platforms, increasing user vulnerability. This aligns with [PERSON]'s study in Nigeria [15], which identified fraud, cyber attacks, privacy issues, and security concerns as critical challenges in IoT implementation. The primary security risk of the IoT is linked to its greatest advantage: the connection of physical objects to a global network [57]. Although the IoT has tremendous potential to drive innovation across various sectors in the Silicon Mountain ecosystem, the technical challenges of data privacy and security remain significant barriers to widespread adoption. Before the advent of the IoT, security breaches were primarily concerned with data theft and manipulation of physical entities. However, the IoT introduces the potential for direct control of these physical entities, many of which are part of critical infrastructure. Without adequate security measures, malware such as viruses and ransomware could easily spread through interconnected IoT networks, leading to potentially catastrophic global consequences.