Leveraging Cloud Computing for Enterprise Agility: Empirical Evidence from High-Tech SMEs in the Post-Pandemic Era

• Adaan Ahsun

  Covenant University

  Author

The post-pandemic business environment has intensified the need for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to cultivate organizational agility, yet the mechanisms through which cloud computing enables such agility remain insufficiently theorized and empirically validated, particularly within high-tech sectors. This study addresses this gap by developing and testing a predictive framework that models cloud-enabled agility as a multidimensional capability rather than a simple adoption outcome. Drawing on survey data from 347 high-tech SMEs and employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) combined with machine learning-based feature importance analysis, the research identifies resource fluidity, external environment support, and strategic adaptability as the strongest predictors of agility performance. The integrated model achieves 89.4% classification accuracy in distinguishing high-agility from low-agility firms, substantially outperforming traditional technology-adoption models. The findings demonstrate that cloud computing’s contribution to agility is mediated by dynamic capability development, with cost-effectiveness playing a less prominent role than expected. The study contributes a validated framework for assessing cloud-enabled agility and offers actionable guidance for SME managers and policymakers seeking to leverage cloud investments for competitive resilience in volatile markets.

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Copyright (c) 2026 Adaan Ahsun (Author)

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