Rania Fahim El-Gazzar

A Literature Review on Cloud Computing Adoption Issues in Enterprises

Cloud 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.

Understanding cloud computing adoption issues

An exploratory ranking-type Delphi study and follow-up interviews were conducted.Important cloud computing adoption issues are identified, categorized and ranked.Three subpanels top-ranked issues from security, strategy and legal categories.A framework of inhibitors and drivers for cloud computing adoption is proposed.Recommendations to assist decision-makers in cloud computing adoption are proposed. This research paper reports on a Delphi study focusing on the most important issues enterprises are confronted with when making cloud computing (CC) adoption decisions. We had 34 experts from different domain backgrounds participated in a Delphi panel. The panelists were IT and CC specialists representing a heterogeneous group of clients, providers and academics, divided into three subpanels. The Delphi procedure comprised three stages: brainstorming, narrowing down and ranking. The panelists identified 55 issues of concerns in the first stage, which were analyzed and grouped into 10 categories: security, strategy, legal and ethical, IT governance, migration, culture, business, awareness, availability and impact. The top 18 issues for each subpanel were ranked, and a moderate intrapanel consensus was obtained. Additionally, 16 follow-up interviews were conducted with the experts to get a deeper understanding of the issues and why certain issues were more significant than others. The findings indicate that security, strategy and legal and ethical issues are the most important. The discussion resulted in highlighting certain inhibitors and drivers for CC adoption into a framework. The paper is concluded with key recommendations with focus on change management, competence and maturity to inform decision-makers in CC adoption decisions.

Understanding the Dilemma of the Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Alexandria, Egypt: Could ICT Improve the System?

Waste management is one of the significant activities for preserving the environment from pollution that has impact on society mirrored on people’s health. This study approaches the topic of waste management using interpretive qualitative case study method to understand problems in the Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) system in Alexandria city, the second largest city in Egypt. Alexandria has been facing a problematic situation with regard to MSWM, which is worth paying attention to. Furthermore, we explore opportunities for benefiting from Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve the MSWM system in Alexandria.

Smart Cities, Sustainable Cities, or Both? - A Critical Review and Synthesis of Success and Failure Factors.

As the majority of world population will be living in cities by 2050, it became a necessity for societies to build cities that are capable of meeting the needs of current and future generations in a smart way. There have been initiatives toward smart/sustainable cities that had succeeded, and others had failed. Being sustainable and smart had been used in a quite confusing way. In this paper, we attempt to understand related concepts, such as smart, sustainable, sustainable development, and sustainability. Then, we analyse five examples of existing initiatives of smart/sustainable cities to understand the factors behind their success or failure, by applying SMART criteria as a managerial perspective on those initiatives. Finally, we conclude the paper with key implications and possibilities for future research.

The Start of a Journey to the Cloud in the Developing World: A Case Study of Egypt

Cloud computing (CC) is becoming a global market trend that all businesses, sooner or later, will go for. Moving to the cloud is a long journey for developing countries that became aware of its importance to their economic development. Egypt started this journey with collective efforts from all stakeholders (i.e., Government institutes, national and international cloud providers, private businesses, and training institutes) to draw the roadmap for CC adoption in Egypt. CC adoption in Egypt is influenced by some enabling and inhibiting factors. These factors are explored by conducting an exploratory case study. The findings of this study are analyzed by utilizing concepts from the neo-institutional theory (i.e., Isomorphic pressures and strategic responses to institutional processes). The findings indicate that factors enable or inhibit CC adoption in Egypt are variously associated to CC per se, limitations in developing countries in general, and Egyptian context in specific.

Cloud Computing Adoption Factors and Processes for Enterprises

Cloud computing has received an increasing interest from enterprises since its inception. With its innovative Information Technology (IT) services delivery model, cloud computing could add technical and strategic business values to enterprises. However, it poses highly concerning, internal and external, issues. This paper presents a systematic literature review to explore cloud computing adoption processes in the context of enterprise users and the factors that affect these processes. This is achieved by reviewing 37 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, and confirmation. This is concluded in two abstract categories: cloud adoption factors and cloud adoption processes whereas the former affect the latter. The results of this review indicate that there are serious issues need to be tackled before enterprises decide to adopt cloud computing. Based on the findings of this review, the paper provides future Information Systems (IS) research directions toward the previously under-investigated areas regarding the phenomenon. This involved the call for further theoretical and in-depth empirical contributions to the area of cloud computing adoption by enterprises.