Cloud computing : developing a cost estimation model for customers

Cloud computing is an essential part of the digital transformation journey. It offers many benefits to organisations, including the advantages of scalability and agility. Cloud customers see cloud computing as a moving train that every organisation needs to catch. This means that adoption decisions are made quickly in order to keep up with the new trend. Such quick decisions have led to many disappointments for cloud customers and have questioned the cost of the cloud. This is also because there is a lack of criteria or guidelines to help cloud customers get a complete picture of what is required of them before they go to the cloud. From another perspective, as new technologies force changes to the organizational structure and business processes, it is important to understand how cloud computing changes the IT and non-IT departments and how can this be translated into costs. Accordingly, this research uses the total cost of ownership approach and transaction cost theory to develop a customer-centric model to estimate the cost of cloud computing. The Research methodology used the Design Science Research approach. Expert interviews were used to develop the model. The model was then validated using four case studies. The model, named Sunny, identifies many costs that need to be estimated, which will help to make the cloud-based digital transformation journey less cloudy. The costs include Meta Services, Continuous Contract management, Monitoring and ITSM Adjustment. From an academic perspective, this research highlights the management efforts required for cloud computing and how misleading the rapid provision potential of the cloud resources can be. From a business perspective, proper estimation of these costs would help customers make informed decisions and vendors make realistic promises.Cloud Computing ist ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Digitalisierung. Es bietet Unternehmen viele Vorteile, wie Skalierbarkeit und Agilität. Cloud-Kunden sehen Cloud Computing als einen Zug, auf den jedes Unternehmen aufspringen muss. Das bedeutet, dass Einführungsentscheidungen schnell getroffen werden, um mit dem neuen Trend Schritt zu halten. Solche Schnellschüsse haben zu vielen Enttäuschungen bei Cloud-Kunden geführt und die Kosten der Cloud in Frage gestellt. Dies ist auch darauf zurückzuführen, dass es keine Kriterien oder Leitlinien gibt, die den Cloud-Kunden helfen, sich ein vollständiges Bild davon zu machen, was von ihnen erwartet wird, bevor sie in die Cloud gehen. Aus einem anderen Blickwinkel ist es wichtig zu verstehen, wie Cloud Computing IT- und Nicht-IT-Abteilungen verändert und wie sich dies auf die Kosten auswirkt, da neue Technologien Veränderungen in der Organisationsstruktur und den Geschäftsprozessen erzwingen. Dementsprechend werden in dieser Forschungsarbeit der Total Cost of Ownership-Ansatz und die Transaktionskostentheorie verwendet, um ein kundenorientiertes Modell zur Schätzung der Kosten von Cloud Computing zu entwickeln. Die Forschungsmethodik basiert auf dem Design Science Research Ansatz. Zur Entwicklung des Modells wurden Experteninterviews durchgeführt. Anschließend wurde das Modell anhand von vier Fallstudien validiert. Das Modell mit dem Namen Sunny identifiziert viele Kosten, die geschätzt werden müssen, um die Reise zur digitalen Transformation in der Cloud weniger wolkig zu gestalten. Zu diesen Kosten gehören Meta-Services, kontinuierliches Vertragsmanagement, Überwachung und ITSM-Anpassung. Aus akademischer Sicht verdeutlicht diese Forschung, welcher Verwaltungsaufwand für Cloud Computing erforderlich ist und wie irreführend das schnelle Bereitstellungspotenzial von Cloud-Ressourcen sein kann. Aus Unternehmenssicht würde eine korrekte Einschätzung dieser Kosten den Kunden helfen, fundierte Entscheidungen zu treffen, und den Anbietern, realistische Versprechungen zu machen

Factors Affecting Consumers' Attitudes Towards SMS Advertising

This paper aims to investigate the factors that have positive effects on the attitudes of the Palestinian consumers towards SMS advertising. The questionnaire was distributed randomly to 475 students of Islamic University of Gaza (IUG). The results show that Entertainment, relevancy, non-irritation and credibility have significant positive effects on consumers' attitudes towards SMS adverts. Yet, credibility is the strongest factor. However, informativeness doesn’t have a significant effect on the consumers’ attitudes towards SMS advertising. Furthermore, gender affects the consumers’ attitude towards SMS advertising. In fact, Male students are more affected by the SMS adverts. The results can help marketers to effectively design the SMS advertising campaigns. Associations can use the results to develop the interactions with the society and the targeted groups. Keywords: Mobile marketing, SMS advertising, consumers’ attitude, Palestin

The Role of Marketing Intelligence in Achieving Competitive Advantage Case Study: Internet Service Provider Companies in The Gaza Strip

The study examines the role of Marketing Intelligence in achieving competitive advantage in internet service provider companies in the Gaza strip. The study population consists of all marketing employees of internet service provider companies in the Gaza strip. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method and utilized both primary and secondary sources for data collection. The researcher retrieved 69 of the 80 distributed questionnaires, forming a recovery percentage of 86.25%. The results of the study show a statistically significant relationship between marketing intelligence with its four components (competitor intelligence, product intelligence, market intelligence, customer intelligence) and achieve competitive advantage. And also the study results showed that there is no statistically significant differences among respondents answers regarding the marketing intelligence, and regarding the competitive advantage in the internet service provider companies in the Gaza strip due to (genderscientific qualification-experience year-job title-income level). The researcher recommends that the internet service provider companies in the Gaza strip should attracting the information from and about the customers, market, services, and competitors in order to achieving the competitive advantage. Moreover, the internet service provider companies in the Gaza strip should benefit from the marketing information in order to, firstly: win the customers through knowing their nature, patterns, attitudes, needs, and the extent of loyalty; secondly: gain the market by determining the opportunities and threats, market size, market trends, technological trends

Emotional Intelligence and Conflict Management Styles among Nurse Managers at Assiut University Hospitals

Nursing is an emotionally charged profession. The competence to manage emotion and interpersonal conflict effectively is essential for nurse managers. The aims of the present study are to determine emotional intelligence and conflict management styles used by nurse managers at Assuit University Hospitals, and examine the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Conflict Management Styles among nurse managers at Assiut University Hospitals. A descriptive design is utilized in the present study. The present study conducted in all units of Assiut University Hospitals,  The present study included all nurses' managers who are working in different departments at the time of the study. Self–administered questionnaire sheet which consist of three parts: 1st part Personal characteristics data as name of the hospital, age, gender, marital status, educational level, and years of experience, 2nd part Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire which consists of seventeen items, and 3rd part Conflict Management Questionnaire which consists of 21 items. Results displayed a  highest mean scores of conflict management styles used by nurse managers was smoothing at main Hospital ,While, at Women Health Hospital was forcing style compared to confrontational conflict management style at Pediatric Hospital. More than half of nurse managers at Assiut University Hospitals had a mild emotional intelligence level. there is a negative correlation between emotional intelligence and avoiding conflict style (-0.080). The study concluded that forcing and smoothing conflict management styles were the most two  used by the nurse managers in handling conflict with their subordinates. Emotional Intelligence level  was mild among studied nurse managers. Emotional intelligence was positively associated with forcing and smoothing conflict management styles that used by nurse managers. The study recommended of applying of conflict management training programs to teach people to step back and consider outcomes including EI from the perspective of team objectives, Keywords: Nurse managers-  Emotional intelligence- conflict- Management- Styles

Effect of Balcony’s Design Parameters on Energy Performance of Residential Buildings

Residential buildings have a critical role in energy consumption, contributing to produce greenhouse gases and creating urban heat island. For this reason, optimizing the building energy usage is avital issue. Balconies can be considered one of the building façade elements that have considerable thermal performance. The main aim of the paper is to assess the contribution of various balcony design parameters on indoor thermal performance and energy consumption of residential buildings.A simulation study was conducted for a residential villa located in hot climate country, Cairo Egypt. Different design parameters were investigated and 6 case studies were compared in order to study the effect of each one on building’s thermal performance. Results show that southwest oriented balcony with wall insulation material and using double clear glazing for window are the most effective parameters on cooling loads of the studied bedroom space in residential villa located in hot climate of Cairo, therefore affecting building energy consumption.Finally, the research highlights the effect of various balcony design parameters on building thermal performance in order to reduce energy consumption in residential buildings

MAPPING THE COMMODIFICATION OF RELIGION IN PHILOSOPHICAL-ETHICAL DISCOURSE

This work examines the philosophical-ethical debate regarding the commodification of religion amidst the duality of views regarding the commodification of faith that are developing, both from a negative and positive perspective. In the process, the author conducted a literature review of works about the commodification of religion from various perspectives, leading them to a philosophical-ethical analysis to obtain valid and reliable information. In the end, the author found two significant views regarding the commodification of religion in ethical philosophical discourse. First, some see the commodification of belief as a negative thing, thus positioning it as a process that has a secular nuance, is synonymous with capitalism, and must be avoided. Instead, it is feared that the commodification of religion will have the impact of dimming and disappearing the spiritual and social power of faith as a determinant of socio-religious action, as happens in traditional societies. However, on the other hand, some groups see it from a positive perspective, placing the commodification of religion as part of the process of adapting religion to modernity, which inevitably must be passed if religion is to survive in today's transmodern era, which is filled with consumerist desires or extraordinary consumerism. Instead, these groups see that consumerism does not significantly influence religious spirituality. Instead, it will expand the reach of religion and all its attributes at the global level. Abstrak: Tulisan ini mengkaji perdebatan etika filsafat mengenai komodifikasi agama di tengah dualitas pandangan komodifikasi agama yang berkembang, baik dari sudut pandang negatif maupun positif. Dalam prosesnya, penulis melakukan tinjauan pustaka terhadap karya-karya tentang komodifikasi agama dari berbagai sudut pandang, menganalisis etika filsafat untuk memperoleh informasi yang valid dan dapat dipercaya. Penulis menemukan dua pandangan signifikan mengenai komodifikasi agama dalam wacana etika filsafat.Pertama, ada yang memandang bahwa komodifikasi agama sebagai hal yang negatif sehingga memposisikannya sebagai proses yang bernuansa sekuler, identik dengan kapitalisme, dan harus dihindari. Sebaliknya, komodifikasi agama dikhawatirkan akan berdampak meredupkan dan menghilangkan kekuatan spiritual dan sosial agama sebagai penentu tindakan sosial keagamaan, seperti yang terjadi pada masyarakat tradisional. Namun di sisi lain, sebagian kalangan melihatnya dari sudut pandang positif, dengan menempatkan komodifikasi agama sebagai bagian dari proses adaptasi agama terhadap modernitas, yang mau tidak mau harus dilalui jika agama ingin bertahan diera transmodern saat ini yang penuh dengan tuntutan dengan keinginan konsumeris atau konsumerisme yang luar biasa. Sebaliknya, kelompok tersebut menilai konsumerisme tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap spiritualitas keagamaan. Sebaliknya, hal ini akan memperluas jangkauan agama dan segala atributnya di tingkat global. Kata kunci: Komoditas, Spiritualitas, Kapitalisme, Budaya Konsumen, Modernita

EDUKASI PENTINGNYA ASUPAN ZAT GIZI MIKRO PADA IBU HAMIL UNTUK MENCEGAH STUNTING DI KABUPATEN BOGOR

Abstrak: Asupan zat gizi mikro pada ibu hamil sangat penting untuk dipenuhi, karena perannya sangat diperlukan untuk menunjang pertumbuhan dan perkembangan janin, serta untuk mencegah stunting pada anak. Namun masih terdapat masalah kekurangan zat gizi mikro dan asupan zat gizi mikro yang rendah. Oleh karena itu dibutuhkan edukasi tentang pentingnya asupan zat gizi mikro bagi ibu hamil sebagai upaya pencegahan stunting . Melalui kegiatan edukasi tersebut diharapkan pengetahuan ibu hamil tersebut meningkat, sehingga pada akhirnya dapat mencegah anemia dan berdampak positif pada kesehatan ibu dan bayi. Kegiatan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat ini dilakukan pada 13 ibu hamil di Posyandu Subrada, Desa Sinarsari, Kecamatan Dramaga, Kabupaten Bogor. Kegiatan yang dirancang berupa kegiatan edukasi dengan media poster. Materi edukasi yang diberikan mencakup manfaat zat gizi mikro, rekomendasi asupan zat gizi mikro, sumber zat gizi mikro, dan defisiensi zat gizi mikro. Ibu hamil mengalami peningkatan pengetahuan setelah dilakukan edukasi dengan peningkatan nilai rata-rata nilai pre dan post-test dari 65,38 menjadi 71,15. Diharapkan dengan kegiatan yang sudah dilakukan dapat terjadi perbaikan asupan zat gizi mikro pada ibu hamil. Abstract: Intake of micronutrients in pregnant women is very important to fulfill because it is very necessary to support the growth and development of the fetus, as well as to prevent stunting in children. However, there are still problems of micronutrient deficiency and low intake of micronutrients. Therefore education is needed about the importance of the intake of micronutrients for pregnant women to prevent stunting. Through these educational activities, it is hoped that the knowledge of pregnant women will increase so that in the end they can prevent anemia and have a positive impact on the health of mothers and babies. This Community Service activity was carried out for 13 pregnant women at Posyandu Subrada, Sinarsari Village, Dramaga District, Bogor. Activities designed in the form of educational activities with media posters. The educational materials provided cover the benefits of micronutrients, recommendations for micronutrient intake, sources of micronutrients, and deficiencies of micronutrients. Pregnant women experienced an increase in knowledge after being educated with an increase in the average pre and post-test scores from 65.38 to 71.15. It is hoped that the activities that have been carried out can improve the intake of micronutrients in pregnant women.