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)

Cloud computing in government organizations: towards a new comprehensive model

Cloud computing is a new information technology paradigm, one which has been adopted in many different sectors. Many developing countries are working on improving e-government to provide services to their citizens that are integrated and effective. Therefore, the Saudi government has made improving e-government a high priority. The aim of this study is to explore significant factors affecting the adoption of cloud computing in e-government services in Saudi Arabia as a case study. After identifying these factors, we propose a new comprehensive model for the Adoption of Cloud Computing in Saudi G-GOVernment (ACCE-GOV) that has been adopted from the Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory. This research model examines factors of technological context (compatibility, complexity, service quality, security, and relative advantages), organisational context (top management support, organisation size, and technology readiness), environmental context (regulations and competitive pressures), and social context (awareness, trust, and attitude) in regard to the adoption of cloud computing. Ultimately, this study enhances the decision-making of the Saudi government through understanding and highlighting the most important factors that influence the adoption of cloud computing in an e-government context. This is a position paper, reporting on the work in progress. The findings of this study will be useful for the researchers who considers suitability of different methodological approaches for cloud computing adoption and evaluation

Terrorism in Australia: Myth or reality? A psychometric study into the Western Australian public\u27s perception of terrorism

Terrorism is not a new concept as terrorist individuals and organisations since time immemorial have used the threat of violence or actual violence to generate fear in individuals, organisations and governments alike. Fear is a powerful weapon and it is used in order to gain political, ideological or religious objectives. The attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon on the 11th September 2001 (9/11) highlighted the dangers of the inadequate intelligence, border security and immigration practices that led to this event. The attacks were a security wake up call not only for the United States of America but for the entire world. The 9/11 attacks and other more recent terrorist attacks such as the Bali (12th October 2002 & 1st October 2005), Madrid (11th March 2004) and London (7th July 2005) bombings have sent security shockwaves around the world, as governments scramble to ensure that their own anti-terrorism security strategies are adequate to meet this new threat. The Federal Australian government undertook a range of security reviews and participated in a number of regional forums, bilateral pacts and international counter terrorism aid partnerships. Domestically, Australia also enhanced its capacity to respond to a possible terrorism event through multiple security enhancements across key areas including border security, defence and intelligence based agencies. In partnership with these new security initiatives a national public counter terrorism campaign was implemented in December 2002. Due to the unprecedented nature of these terrorist events, there has been little specific research into how terrorist events have impacted on the Australian public or how the public\u27s social psychometric risk perception of terrorism contrasts with other known risks. This study\u27s purpose was to address this shortfall in knowledge, by examining key social and security changes in Australian society post 9/11. The study used a number of primary and secondary data sources, a literature review and a research survey to address the study\u27s research questions. The research survey was based on a Likert scale devised to measure the public\u27s psychometric risk perceptions of terrorism. This research compared terrorism to other similar risks and found it ranked second highest in terms of dread risk and midrange in terms of familiarity risk. The study recommended changes to current first response management practices and reinforced that there was an ongoing need for research into public risk perception and public awareness safety campaigns. It is only through an understanding of the public\u27s reactions to risk that policy and decision-makers can promote and implement effective health, safety and security reforms that will be of benefit to both industry and the general community alike

Media convergence, obscenity law and the Internet

Digitization and innovation in technology has resulted in a climate of media convergence. Media convergence occurs when elements of previously distinctly separate media forms co-mingle to create new capabilities. Although there is no such thing as complete convergence as of yet, there is probably the closest thing to a purely converged medium. Any user is able to access a variety of text, hypertext, graphic, audio and video files online. However, it is also because of media convergence that makes the Internet difficult to regulate. Laws that were proposed to provide some form of legal control to the access of online content have been met with strong opposition. This thesis will discuss the elements of media convergence and the Internet, difficulties in creating laws for a convergent medium, and examine potential solutions, independent of government action, that could help provide some form of control in the currently anarchical realm of cyberspace

THE CHANGING FACE OF POLICING: LOCAL ISSUES IN NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

The thesis reviews the changes which have taken place in policing England and Wales between 1950 and 1998 with particular reference to foui* key themes: community policmg, crime preverition, victims of crime and quality ofservice. It contributes to ah understanding of how policing has developed during a period of significant social change and explores the rationale which has underpinned legislative development and policy making at national and force levels whilst identifying the significance of these changes within a local city environment. The development of the key themes at national level is considered within the local policing environment of the south-west of England. This has been undertaken with particular reference to the way in which they have influenced the direction of policing within Devon and Cornwall and, in particular, how aspects of their implementation have been perceived by both police officers and sections of the public within the largest urban area of the two counties, the city of Plymouth. Much of the detailed research within the city has concentrated upon the area of Stonehouse, forming part of the St Peter ward; an area which has been identified as one of the most socially and economically deprived locations in England. Through personal interviews, telephone and postal questionnaires, and an insider's ethnographic perspective, the study is brought into local focus. This allows critical analysis of the key themes in terms of their local development against the national perspective.Faculty of Human Science

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Attrition in Youth Care Workers

This exploratory quantitative study was conducted to determine the relationship between job satisfaction and attrition among current and former youth care workers in a group home setting. Participants (N = 35) included 14 current employees and 21 former employees from the Sheriffs Youth Programs of Minnesota Agency that completed a job satisfaction survey. The survey results show a significant correlation among current and former youth care worker\u27s perceptions in relation to job satisfaction. Specifically, the current and former youth care workers both identified training as the most important characteristic to their job satisfaction. Additionally, former employees identified supervision issues as a key attribute to attrition within the workplace. These findings may offer assistance to employers and employees in determining factors contributed to job satisfaction and voluntary turnover in this field. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed

Information and communication technology adoption among small and medium enterprises in the northern region of Malaysia

Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still have not fully utilized the information and communications technology (ICT) tools to their fullest potential. Hence, there is a need to determine the factors that contribute to ICT adoption among SMEs. This study was undertaken to examine the variables that contribute to the ICT adoption among the SMEs in Malaysia by examining the relationships between relative advantage, security, compatibility, complexity, cost and environmental pressure (normative, mimetic and coercive) and JCT adoption. Additionally, government support was examined as a moderator. The triangulation theory approach, which integrates technology-organization­ environment, diffusion of innovation and the institutional theory was used to explain the relationships between the variables. A total of 183 owners-managers of SMEs, representing a response rate of 47.6 percent, participated in this study. The data was collected via self­ administered questionnaires, and PLS-SEM was used to analyze them and test the hypotheses. Statistical results indicated that relative advantage and security are positively related while complexity is negatively related to ICT adoption. Conversely, compatibility, cost and environmental pressure (normative, mimetic and coercive) are not related to ICT adoption. Moreover, the moderating test result reveals that government support only moderates the relationship between security, compatibility, complexity and cost, and ICT adoption. Conversely, no empirical support is found for the moderating effect of government support on the relationship between relative advantage and environmental pressure, and ICT adoption. The major theoretical contribution of this research is that it examines environmental pressure as a multidimensional independent variable. Besides that, the study also examines the role of government support as a moderating variable. This study also provides some suggestions to SMEs, policy-makers, ICT support system developers and vendors on ways to improve existing plan and policies for encouraging ICT adoption among SMEs. Finally, recommendations for future research are discussed

Cultural Responses to volcanic hazards on Mt Merapi, Indonesia

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Adapting information operations to a changing world: Future options for the United States government

In 1998, the Department of Defense in the United States released the first of a series of seminal policies on Information Operations (IO). Entitled Joint Publication 3-13, this instruction laid out for the first time, in an unclassified format, how the American military forces could utilise this particular element of power. As a relative newly defined activity, this publication proposed to revolutionise the manner in which warfare, diplomacy, business and a number of other areas are conducted. However, this radical transformation in the United States government with regard to IQ has not occurred over the last decade and a significant gap exists in the capability of the federal bureaucracy to support operations in this arena. While strategic policy and doctrine have been developed and promulgated, in most cases only by the Department of Defense, the actual conduct of IO activities and campaigns across the United States, are normally performed at a much more tactical level. This delta between theory and reality exists because the interagency organisations are often unwilling or unable to make the transformational changes that are needed to best utilise information as an element of power. In this research, the author has developed definitions and models that articulate not only why this delta exists, but also specific strategies for utilising IO in a manner by the United States federal organisations that best optimises the inherent capabilities of this element of power. Specific recommendations are noted below, and will be laid out in greater detail throughout the paper : Develop an Academic Theoretical Construct for IO; Understand that Different Approaches and Processes are Needed to Support IO; Establish an International IO Standards Effort & Meeting the IO Training Needs