Issues and challenges: cloud computing e-Government in developing countries

Cloud computing has become essential for IT resources that can be delivered as a service over the Internet. Many e-government services that are used worldwide provide communities with relatively complex applications and services. Governments are still facing many challenges in their implementation of e-government services in general, including Saudi Arabia, such as poor IT infrastructure, lack of finance, and insufficient data security. This research paper investigates the challenges of e-government cloud service models in developing countries. This paper finds that governments in developing countries are influenced by how the top management deals with the attention to the adoption of cloud computing. Further, organisational readiness levels of technologies, such as IT infrastructure, internet availability and social trust of the adoption of new technology as cloud computing, still present limitations for e-government cloud services adoption. Based on the findings of the critical review, this paper identifies the issues and challenges affecting the adoption of cloud computing in e- government such as IT infrastructure, internet availability, and trust adopted new technologies thereby highlighting benefits of cloud computing-based e-government services. Furthermore, we propose recommendations for developing IT systems focused on trust when adopting cloud computing in e-government services (CCEGov)

A Literature Review on Cloud Computing Adoption Issues in Enterprises

Part 3: Creating Value through ApplicationsInternational audienceCloud computing has received increasing interest from enterprises since its inception. With its innovative information technology (IT) services delivery model, cloud computing could add technical and strategic business value to enterprises. However, cloud computing poses highly concerning internal (e.g., Top management and experience) and external issues (e.g., regulations and standards). This paper presents a systematic literature review to explore the current key issues related to cloud computing adoption. This is achieved by reviewing 51 articles published about cloud computing adoption. Using the grounded theory approach, articles are classified into eight main categories: internal, external, evaluation, proof of concept, adoption decision, implementation and integration, IT governance, and confirmation. Then, the eight categories are divided into two abstract categories: cloud computing adoption factors and processes, where the former affects the latter. The results of this review indicate that enterprises face serious issues before they decide to adopt cloud computing. Based on the findings, the paper provides a future information systems (IS) research agenda to explore the previously under-investigated areas regarding cloud computing adoption factors and processes. This paper calls for further theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions to the research area of cloud computing adoption by enterprises

Security and Privacy Concerns for Australian SMEs Cloud Adoption

Cloud Computing has become increasingly important for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises because of its cost-effective benefits. However, the adoption of Cloud Computing over the recent years raised challenging issues with regard to privacy and security. In this study, we explored and presented the findings of the influence of privacy and security on Cloud adoption by SMEs. Based on a survey of SMEs across Australia, we analysed the data using structural equation modelling. We found that Cloud privacy and Cloud security are major concerns for SMEs to adopt Cloud computing. The study findings are useful for IT practitioners and regulatory bodies to understand how SMEs consider privacy and security issues for Cloud adoption

Cloud Computing Adoption: A Cross-Continent Overview of Challenges

Cloud computing continues to dominate information and  communication technology (ICT) strategies globally through the provision of remote access to computing resources via the internet. With its inherent pay-per usage model, flexibility,  scalability and other features, cloud computing is also set to transform economic activities around the world. This paper  analyses and compares the challenges facing the adoption of cloud computing from a geo-regional context; Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. An institutional theory perspective is used as framework for analysis. Findings from Norway in Europe and Nigeria in sub-Saharan Africa show that there are several challenges to cloud computing adoption in both places that are similar but impact on adoption decisions in different ways. For instance, the key adoption issues used as bases for comparison in Norway viz.  security, privacy and trust, cost, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), government policies and regulations, and loss of control over data can all inhibit or pose as hindrances to cloud computing adoption. Contrarily, in Nigeria, these issues are not seen as inhibiting cloud computing adoption. Furthermore, the findings show the profound effect of normative and coercive pressures in Norway that can impact negatively on adoption decisions and theabsence of such pressures in Nigeria which seem to have a  positive influence on adoption at present.Keywords: Cloud Computing; Adoption; Europe; Sub-saharan Africa; Institutional Theor

Cloud computing adoption in regional councils

Cloud computing is becoming increasingly important in information technology as an enabler for improved productivity, efficiency and cost reduction; and is expected to offer benefits for public sector organisations. Cloud computing has the potential to improve the reliability and scalability of information technology systems, which allows organisations such as regional municipal governments to focus more on their core business and strategy. Research about the use of cloud computing in the public sector in general is limited. There is a lack of exploratory studies that provide an in-depth and holistic investigation of the factors perceived to influence the adoption of cloud computing. There are no empirical studies about the factors that are perceived to influence the adoption of cloud computing in reference to Australia. This research aimed at exploring perceptions of the potential for value creation from cloud computing in regional councils, to identify factors that are likely to influence adoption of cloud computing including factors that need to be considered when planning to adopt cloud, anticipated benefits of cloud adoption, and challenges and issues that faced cloud adoption. This research aimed to improve understandings related to the factors that influence cloud computing adoption decision making in regional municipal governments. The research employed a mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative). In-depth interviews of Australian councils’ IT managers were conducted with the aim of providing insights into the factors that are perceived likely to influence adoption of cloud computing including factors that need to be considered when planning to adopt cloud, anticipated benefits of cloud adoption, and challenges and issues that faced cloud adoption. Survey data from 480 IT staff across 47 local government councils were collected to confirm the findings of the exploratory stage. The factors that were examined included: compatibility, complexity, cost, security concern, top management support, organisation size, government regulation, and information intensity. The findings of this research are expected to assist in making investment decisions on cloud computing adoption

The case for cloud service trustmarks and assurance-as-a-service

Cloud computing represents a significant economic opportunity for Europe. However, this growth is threatened by adoption barriers largely related to trust. This position paper examines trust and confidence issues in cloud computing and advances a case for addressing them through the implementation of a novel trustmark scheme for cloud service providers. The proposed trustmark would be both active and dynamic featuring multi-modal information about the performance of the underlying cloud service. The trustmarks would be informed by live performance data from the cloud service provider, or ideally an independent third-party accountability and assurance service that would communicate up-to-date information relating to service performance and dependability. By combining assurance measures with a remediation scheme, cloud service providers could both signal dependability to customers and the wider marketplace and provide customers, auditors and regulators with a mechanism for determining accountability in the event of failure or non-compliance. As a result, the trustmarks would convey to consumers of cloud services and other stakeholders that strong assurance and accountability measures are in place for the service in question and thereby address trust and confidence issues in cloud computing

Data Security in Cloud Storage

Cloud Computing is a generic term for delivering hosted services over the Internet. It follows a pay-per-use approach. Cloud Computing offers numerous benefits for the enterprises, however, there are also many issues, as with any new paradigm or technology. One of the main issues relate to the security and confidentiality of customer data in terms of its location, relocation, availability and security. From the consumer’s perspective, cloud computing security concerns, especially data security, remain the primary inhibitor for adoption of cloud computing services. This reports outlines the Cloud technology overview, brief explains the delivery and deployment models for data storage security, analysis on data security and discusses the issues relating to data in the Cloud computing across all stages of data life cycle

Adoption of Cloud Computing in the SMEs: An exploration of the issues and challenges for adoption of Cloud Computing by SMEs in Bangladesh in the context of “Digital Bangladesh”

Cloud Computing is one of the most recent sophisticated technologies which can play a pivotal role in small and medium sized enterprises primarily because it may offer ICT resources to small businesses without large up-front costs nor expensive investment in specialist staff. This technology, however, is not presently used extensively in SMEs in Bangladesh owing to numerous causes and issues, which provide barriers to its adoption. The importance of SMEs in Bangladeshi economic and social development is crucial. The aim of this research is: • to investigate and to identify issues that explain the challenges of adoption of Cloud Computing by SMEs in Bangladesh; • to place these issues in an academic context by developing and proposing a conceptual framework for understanding drivers and barriers to Cloud Computing adoption and • to explore directions for Bangladeshi SMEs to adopt Cloud Computing within the framework of Bangladesh’s government policies for “Digital Bangladesh”. The “Digital Bangladesh” policy is a set of proposals for making the country digital by bringing the nation’s economy under the umbrella of ICT-related technologies. This policy does not simply mean the comprehensive use of computers in businesses but a modernisation of thinking about the use of advanced digital technologies in an effective way in business, education, and job creation by connecting citizens, businesses, government and ICT specialists. Targets for Digital Bangladesh is to achieve an increase in the country’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 10% by 2021 and to double the GDP contribution of SME sectors from 23% to 40%. Development of ICT use in Bangladeshi SMEs – in a variety of business sectors is, thus, fairly central to the Digital Bangladesh policy. This research has used primarily qualitative research methods, whereby data has been collected by conducting interviews with a sample of purposefully selected people from various SME sectors in different metropolitan centres in Bangladesh. In order to investigate and understand the nature of the issues confronting SMEs, this study sought to identify some potential solutions that may lead to Cloud Computing adoption within Bangladeshi SMEs within the Digital Bangladesh policy. Nine different types of SMEs were chosen to participate in this exploration. By using thematic analysis, the collected data are analysed and matched against the proposed framework for identifying drivers and barriers to Cloud Computing adoption. The observed issues were categorized into ‘internal’, ‘external’ and ‘technological’ contexts. This research contributes to the body of knowledge concerning Cloud Computing and its potential use in business contexts by providing a wide-ranging review of the literature that is directed upon identifying issues that challenging the Cloud Computing adoption. This research further developed two other frameworks addressing the drivers (incentives) and barriers to adoption of Cloud Computing especially in smaller businesses. In addition, an integrated but novel conceptual framework was developed to enable Bangladeshi SMEs and Bangladeshi ICT specialists to understand better the issues that may explain the challenges, thus far, of Cloud Computing adoption by SMEs. A realistic roadmap was developed to assist Bangladeshi SMEs to adopt Cloud Computing solutions in order to minimise the current gaps between theory and practice