Cloud Migration: A Case Study of Migrating an Enterprise IT System to IaaS

This case study illustrates the potential benefits and risks associated with the migration of an IT system in the oil & gas industry from an in-house data center to Amazon EC2 from a broad variety of stakeholder perspectives across the enterprise, thus transcending the typical, yet narrow, financial and technical analysis offered by providers. Our results show that the system infrastructure in the case study would have cost 37% less over 5 years on EC2, and using cloud computing could have potentially eliminated 21% of the support calls for this system. These findings seem significant enough to call for a migration of the system to the cloud but our stakeholder impact analysis revealed that there are significant risks associated with this. Whilst the benefits of using the cloud are attractive, we argue that it is important that enterprise decision-makers consider the overall organizational implications of the changes brought about with cloud computing to avoid implementing local optimizations at the cost of organization-wide performance.Comment: Submitted to IEEE CLOUD 201

CYBER-VICTIMIZATION AND DELINQUENCY: A GENERAL STRAIN PERSPECTIVE

This study examines juvenile delinquency and cyber-victimization from a general strain perspective. General strain theory provides a model where strain is experienced through the (1) loss of something valued, (2) the presentation of noxious stimuli, or (3) the inability to achieve valued goals. As a coping mechanism for strain, some juveniles react through criminal or delinquent behavior. This thesis predicts that cyber-victimization increases the likelihood of physical fighting, weapon-carrying, and truancy at school. Using the 2013 National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement, the hypotheses are analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models that include other known correlates of delinquency. Marginal support is found for cyber-victimization increasing the likelihood of truancy from school. Although the overall results do not support the hypotheses, several other factors display significant relationships with delinquent outcomes. A discussion of the results, limitations, and recommendations for future research is provided in light of these findings

Marktorientierung und Anstellungsverhältnisse in der Aktivierungsindustrie: Fallstudie zu Großbritannien und Deutschland

In diesem Beitrag beschreiben wir »Aktivierung« als staatlich finanzierte Industrie mit einem großen Personalbestand. Wir untersuchen die Beispiele Großbritannien und Deutschland, wo die wichtigsten Akteure die öffentlichen Arbeitsämter sind. Gemeint sind damit insbesondere die Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA) und das Jobcentre Plus (JCP), welche selber Arbeitsvermittlung betreiben sowie Weiterbildung und Beratung für Erwerbslose an externe Unternehmen auslagern. Als weitere wichtige Akteure sind große Anbieter wie die deutschen Sozialverbände und die nationalen karitativen Verbände Großbritanniens zu nennen, aber auch Konzerne wie A4e, Maximus oder Ingeus. In vielen Ländern expandierte die Aktivierungsindustrie zusammen mit den steigenden finanziellen Mitteln für Aktivierungsprogramme. Auch veränderte sie sich durch die Einführung eines Preiswettbewerbs unter den Anbietern. Wie zahlreiche andere Bereiche der Sozialpolitik hängt »Aktivierung« maßgeblich von den Beschäftigten der unteren Stufen der Bürokratie (»street-level bureaucracy«, Lødemel/Trickey 2000) ab. Wie aber sieht die Entwicklung der Arbeitsbeziehungen in diesem Sektor aus

Responsibility Modeling for the Sociotechnical Risk Analysis of Coalitions of Systems

Society is challenging systems engineers by demanding ever more complex and integrated systems. With the rise of cloud computing and systems-of-systems (including cyber-physical systems) we are entering an era where mission critical services and applications will be dependent upon 'coalitions-of-systems'. Coalitions-of-systems (CoS) are a class of system similar to systems-of-systems but they differ in that they interact to further overlapping self-interests rather than an overarching mission. Assessing the sociotechnical risks associated with CoS is an open research question of societal importance as existing risk analysis techniques typically focus on the technical aspects of systems and ignore risks associated with coalition partners reneging on responsibilities or leaving the coalition. We demonstrate that a responsibility modeling based risk analysis approach enables the identification of sociotechnical risks associated with CoS. The approach identifies hazards and associated risks that may arise when relying upon a coalition of human/organizational/technical agents to provision a service or application. Through a case study of a proposed cloud IT infrastructure migration we show how the technique identifies vulnerabilities that may arise because of human, organizational or technical agents failing to discharge responsibilities.Comment: Submitted for consideration for the IEEE SMC2011 conferenc

Team-working, Restructuring and Skills in UK and Sweden

■ This article investigates the connection between team-working, workplace learning and skills and industrial relations in six manufacturing plants in the Swedish and UK steel and metal sectors. The forms and processes of team-working observed do not conform to a stereotyped dichotomy between Swedish autonomous work organization and more hierarchical UK traditions. Our findings demonstrate the importance of product markets, sectoral effects and management processes, and the role of strategies as well as institutional structures

Company-level Strategies for Raising Basic Skills: A Comparison of Corus Netherlands and UK

■ This article reports findings from a study of the factors that shape workplace training practices and influence workers' participation. A comparison of basic skills training in steel production facilities in the Netherlands and the UK reveals that institutional frameworks matter but also that management attitudes and union activities influence training arrangements and set conditions for participation. Participation in training depends on these conditions as well as on personal characteristics of workers

A new CH carbonaceous chondrite from Acfer, Algeria

A single stone weighing 1456 g was found in November 2002 in the Acfer area, Algeria. Oxygen isotope, chondrules-matrix ratio as well as other petrographic features point to a classification as CH carbonaceous chondrite