Review of the environmental and organisational implications of cloud computing: final report.

Cloud computing – where elastic computing resources are delivered over the Internet by external service providers – is generating significant interest within HE and FE. In the cloud computing business model, organisations or individuals contract with a cloud computing service provider on a pay-per-use basis to access data centres, application software or web services from any location. This provides an elasticity of provision which the customer can scale up or down to meet demand. This form of utility computing potentially opens up a new paradigm in the provision of IT to support administrative and educational functions within HE and FE. Further, the economies of scale and increasingly energy efficient data centre technologies which underpin cloud services means that cloud solutions may also have a positive impact on carbon footprints. In response to the growing interest in cloud computing within UK HE and FE, JISC commissioned the University of Strathclyde to undertake a Review of the Environmental and Organisational Implications of Cloud Computing in Higher and Further Education [19]

Mapping the e-business profile and trends in cost management in the UK construction industry

The advancement of e-business applications and IT infrastructure has had massive impact on construction business processes over the last decade. The added effects of globalisation coupled with global economic recession have forced businesses to implement e-business applications within their organisations. It is clear in all industries, that e-business technologies have become a key strategic vehicle in improving performance. In Construction, e-business applications complement most of the business functions and have removed geographical boundaries resulting in a global construction market with increased competition, increased collaboration and have helped reducing the fragmentation of the industry. However, even though the successes are inevitable, it is scrutinized that the advancement is still constrained within the industry. Thus there is a need to undertake an analysis of current construction e-business usage and attitude of construction professionals towards e-business trends to ensure a productive and beneficial implementation of construction e-business tools within organisations. This study acknowledged the niche for research into current e-business usage in UK construction organisations and aimed to determine and map the use of ICT in construction cost management activities, and explore the attitudes of professionals towards e-business approaches. Initially a comprehensive literature review was carried out together with an online web search to identify what ICT and software packages are being used for construction cost management activities. Results from this review aided in developing the research questionnaire and a detailed an online structured survey was carried out using the chartered quantity surveying organisations within the UK. This paper presents the findings of the survey and discusses the ICT usage within construction organisations for cost management activities and the attitude of construction professionals towards BIM and construction e-business trends

Climate Resilient & Equitable Water Systems Capital Scan

Climate change is affecting water supply, water management and the health of communities in U.S. cities. Changes in the timing, frequency and intensity of precipitation are placing stress on the built and natural systems that provide fresh water, manage storm water, and treat wastewater. Droughts are shrinking the water supply; heavy rainfall overburdens storm water systems, causing flooding in homes and neighborhoods. Low-income people and communities of color are often the most vulnerable to climate change, living in low-lying areas and lacking the resources to adapt and cope with challenges associated with these patterns.The cumulative impact of climate change on water resources not only leads to a reduction in water quality and the destruction of homes and property, but it can also be a threat to public health, force relocation of communities and cause economic harm.The vision of Kresge's Environment Program is to help communities build resilience in the face of climate change. We believe that cities are central to action on climate change and equity must be a fundamental part of our work in climate adaptation, climate mitigation and building social cohesion

Análisis de riesgo mediante el método de simulación de Montecarlo aplicado a la inversión pública en el sector educativo peruano: el caso del departamento de Puno

In general terms, governments invest economic and financial resources to improve educational services in different areas and contexts. For this purpose, they implement projects of different types (infrastructure and services) in the education sector. The objective of this research is to offer a risk analysis in investment projects in the education sector in Puno. The study is based on the application of the Montecarlo simulation method through the computer software Risk Simulator and Crystal Ball. The results indicate that, for the public investment project in the education sector, the probability that the VANS is greater than zero [p (VANS>0)] is 67.10 %, consequently the probability of non-viability of the investment project public is 32.9 %; and the probability that the TIRS is greater than the social discount rate [p (TIRS>8 %)] is 67.10 %. It can be concluded, based on the outcomes found, it is advisable to apply risk analysis using the Montecarlo method in public investment projects in the education sector to decide the economic and social viability of the project.Los Estados en general invierten recursos económicos y financieros con la finalidad de mejorar los servicios educativos en los diferentes ámbitos y contextos. Para este propósito ejecutan proyectos de distintos tipos (infraestructura y de servicios). El objetivo de esta pesquisa es ofrecer un análisis de riesgo en los proyectos de inversión en el sector educación en el departamento de Puno. El estudio se basa en la aplicación del método de simulación de Montecarlo mediante el programa informático Risk Simulator y Crystal Ball. Los resultados indican que, para el proyecto de inversión pública en el sector educación, la probabilidad de que el VANS sea mayor que cero [p (VANS>0)] es de 67,10 %; consecuentemente, la probabilidad de no viabilidad del proyecto de inversión pública es de 32,9 %; y la probabilidad de que la TIRS sea mayor que la tasa social de descuento [p (TIRS>8 %)] es del 67,10 %. Finalmente, se puede concluir que, con base en los hallazgos encontrados, es recomendable aplicar el análisis de riesgo utilizando el método de Montecarlo en proyectos de inversión pública en el sector educación para decidir la viabilidad económica y social del proyecto

EGovernance implementation model: Case study of the federal government agencies of Pakistan

Copyright @ 2013 EMCIS.This study examines the eGovernance potential to bring about structural changes in the way in which government agencies operate, interact and communicate internally and externally with its citizens. Public sector needs to adopt eGovernance that is focused on the citizen satisfaction. In many developed countries, the types and quality of public services provided by a Government to its citizens have evolved over time, due to their change in thinking regarding the role of Government, from being a traditional government to that of being a modern service provider. Thus, this study will focus on the complaint management information systems of the selected federal government agencies in Pakistan. Authors were able to derive the implementation model of eGovernance only after doing analysis of all of the data obtained from questionnaires, interviews and observations at the federal government level in Pakistan. Authors found that the overall outcome of the validation process indicated that the model is highly satisfactory to improve the overall eGovernance system to provide modern services to its citizens