The Swedish banking industry is facing major competition from Financial Technology(FinTech) firms. FinTech firms are leading in the adoption of leading tools and technologies to offer aunique and innovative solution to customers. On the other hand, major Swedish banks are facingchallenges when it comes to the adoption of modern technologies. Cloud computing emerged as a coretechnology that most Swedish banks adopted to compete in the market by offering innovation solutions.However, the adoption of cloud computing presents complex challenges. This study investigates thechallenges faced by the Swedish banking sector in adopting cloud computing solutions and explores thedigital business strategies implemented to address these challenges. This study aims to investigate and analyze the strategies implemented by Swedish banks toovercome challenges associated with the adoption of cloud computing technologies. By examiningfactors influencing cloud adoption, including technological, organizational, and environmental aspects,the study seeks to provide insights into digital business strategies within the Swedish banking sector. The study employed a combination of questionnaires and interviews to collect the data,utilizing a mixed-methods approach that encompasses both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Thequantitative analysis was conducted using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), which quantifies expertopinions on cloud adoption challenges. The qualitative analysis was performed using thematic analysis,which explores the digital business strategies employed by banks to address technological,organizational, and environmental challenges. The findings indicate a consensus among Swedish banking experts on key cloudadoption challenges. Thematic analysis uncovers a diverse range of strategies tailored to addresstechnological, organizational, and environmental challenges, highlighting the complexity of digitaltransformation in the Swedish banking sector. The study concludes that Swedish banks face major challenges in cloud adoption,emphasizing the necessity for a robust digital business strategy to successfully overcome these obstacles.Diverse strategic approaches are observed, tailored to each bank's specific context and needs, indicatingthat there is no single strategy that universally applies to all.Recommendations for future research: To address the limitations of this study and enhance itsfindings, future research should focus on extending the timeframe and enlarging the sample size.Incorporating insights from external experts, including C-level executives, and diversifying the sampleby including a broader range of banks would provide deeper insights into cloud adoption challenges anddigital business strategies within the banking sector.

La computación en nube es una de las tecnologías que están dando forma al mundo actual. En este sentido, las empresas deben hacer uso de esta tecnología para seguir siendo competitivas en un mercado globalizado. Los sectores tradicionales de la industria manufacturera (calzado, muebles, juguetes, entre otros) se caracterizan principalmente por tener un diseño intensivo y un trabajo de fabricación en la producción de nuevos productos de temporada. Este trabajo se realiza a través de software de modelado y fabricación 3D. Este software se conoce habitualmente como “CAD/CAM”. Se basa principalmente en la aplicación de primitivas de modelado y cálculo geométrico. La externalización de procesamiento es el método utilizado para externalizar la carga de procesamiento a la nube. Esta técnica aporta muchas ventajas a los procesos de diseño y fabricación: reducción del coste inicial para pequeñas y medianas empresas que necesitan una gran capacidad de cálculo, infraestructura muy flexible para proporcionar potencia de cálculo ajustable, prestación de servicios informáticos “CAD/CAM” a diseñadores de todo el mundo, etc.. Sin embargo, la externalización del cálculo geométrico a la nube implica varios retos que deben superarse para que la propuesta sea viable. El objetivo de este trabajo es explorar nuevas formas de aprovechar los dispositivos especializados y mejorar las capacidades de las “GPUs” mediante la revisión y comparación de las técnicas de programación paralela disponibles, y proponer la configuración óptima de la arquitectura “Cloud” y el desarrollo de aplicaciones para mejorar el grado de paralelización de los dispositivos de procesamiento especializados, sirviendo de base para su mayor explotación en la nube para pequeñas y medianas empresas. Finalmente, este trabajo muestra los experimentos utilizados para validar la propuesta tanto a nivel de arquitectura de comunicación como de la programación en las "GPU" y aporta unas conclusiones derivadas de esta experimentación.

The emergence of cloud computing is influencing how businesses develop, re-engineer, and implement critical software applications. The cloud requires developers to elevate the importance of compliance with security policies, regulations and internal engineering standards in their software development life cycles. Cloud computing and agile development methodologies are new technologies associated with new approaches in the way computing services are provisioned and development of quality software enhanced. However adoption and use of agile and cloud computing by SMMEs in South Africa is seemingly constrained by a number of technical and non-technical challenges. Using Grounded Theory and case study method this study was aimed at exploring the development of a framework for agile methodologies to promote the adoption and use of cloud computing services by SMMEs in South Africa. Data was collected through survey and in-depth interviews. Open, Axial and Selective coding was used to analyse the data. In tandem with its main objective the study, besides exploring the development of the envisaged framework, also generated and made available valuable propositions and knowledge that SMMEs in South Africa using agile development methodologies can use to work better with cloud computing services in the country without compromising on software quality. The findings of this study and the emerging insights around the development of the framework, which in itself also constitutes an important decision making tool for supporting adoption and use of cloud computing services, are a substantial contribution to knowledge and practice in the ICT field of information systems in South Africa / Information Science / D. Phil. (Information Systems)

Die Sicherheit und Zuverlässigkeit von Anwendungen, welche schutzwürdige Daten verarbeiten, lässt sich durch die geschützte Verlagerung in die Cloud mit einer Kombination aus zielgrößenabhängiger Datenkodierung, kontinuierlicher mehrfacher Dienstauswahl, dienstabhängiger optimierter Datenverteilung und kodierungsabhängiger Algorithmen deutlich erhöhen und anwenderseitig kontrollieren. Die Kombination der Verfahren zu einer anwendungsintegrierten Stealth-Schutzschicht ist eine notwendige Grundlage für die Konstruktion sicherer Anwendungen mit zusicherbaren Sicherheitseigenschaften im Rahmen eines darauf angepassten Softwareentwicklungsprozesses. / The security and reliability of applications processing sensitive data can be significantly increased and controlled by the user by a combination of techniques. These encompass a targeted data coding, continuous multiple service selection, service-specific optimal data distribution and coding-specific algorithms. The combination of the techniques towards an application-integrated stealth protection layer is a necessary precondition for the construction of safe applications with guaranteeable safety properties in the context of a custom software development process.

Cloud computing based technology is becoming increasingly popular as a way to deliver quality education to community colleges, universities and other organizations. At the same time, compared with other industries, colleges have been slow on implementing and sustaining cloud computing services on an institutional level because of budget constraints facing many large community colleges, in addition to other obstacles. Faced with this challenge, key stakeholders are increasingly realizing the need to focus on service quality as a measure to improve their competitive position in today's highly competitive environment. Considering the amount of study done with cloud computing in education, very little has been done in examining the needs and the satisfactions of the instructor customer. The purpose of this study was to examine the expectations and perceptions of instructors’ usage of cloud computing based technology on overall quality of service (QoS). An extension and adaptation of the SERVQUAL model tailored to the higher education environment was introduced for this study. Using the established service quality (SERVQUAL) dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy), the study investigated the relationship between instructors’ views (perception and expectation) and overall service quality received on their use of cloud computing based technology. A total of 301 online instructors at large Texas community colleges completed a Web-based survey containing previously validated and adapted items. The participants in this study completed four parts of the survey instruments that were used to measure service quality of academic cloud computing technology: Service Quality Expectations, Service Quality Perceptions, Perceived Service Quality and Demographic. The survey questions were answered using a seven-point Likert scale and the survey results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The results indicated that the difference between instructors’ perception and expectation affected their perceived service quality of cloud computing based systems. The differences between the expectation and perception on all five SERVQUAL dimensions load to the instructors’ perceived service quality; gender but not age, income or education has significant effect on instructors’ overall perceived service quality. The results of the study create an awareness of instructors’ needs and offer useful feedback to college administrators and institutional planners in their efforts to improve service quality of educational technology initiative in higher education.

On March 2011 a destructive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami along with nuclear explosions struck northeastern Japan; killing thousands of people, halting industry and crippling infrastructure. A large manufacturing company operating outside of Japan received the news in the middle of the night. Within a few hours of the tsunami hitting Japan, this manufacturer’s logistics team ran global materials management reports to communicate the precise status of the products originating from Japan to their entire global network of facilities. With this quick and far reaching communication the manufacturer was able to launch a successful contingency plan. Alternative suppliers, already existing as part of their global network, were evaluated and used to mitigate Japan’s disruptive impact. The resiliency of this manufacturer’s trusted network of supply chain trading partners allowed for minimum disruptions, saving countless money and maintaining continuity for its end-to-end supply chain. This manufacturer was part of a cloud-based supply chain that provided the catalyst to quickly shift its resources to allay the impact of no longer being able to receive product from Japan. Today's supply chains are global and complex networks of enterprises that aim to deliver products in the right quantity, in the right place, and at the right time in an increasingly volatile and unpredictable environment. To cope with internal and external supply chain instability and disruptions, supply chains need to be resilient to survive. A supply chain's ability to collaboratively share information with its supply chain partners is one of the most important factors that enhance a supply chain’s resilience. Cloud based supply chain management (SCM) creates a platform that enables collaborative information sharing that helps to identify, monitor and reduce supply chain risks, vulnerabilities and disruptions. However, supply chain academics and practitioners are at its infancy in understanding the capabilities of cloud based supply chains and its impact on resiliency. The goal of this dissertation is to explore how cloud based SCM make supply chains more resilient to disruptions. To achieve this goal the present research addresses the following fundamental research question: What is the impact of cloud based supply chain management (SCM) on supply chain resilience? To address this research question, this dissertation is comprised of three separate but interrelated essays. The first essay uses the systematically literature review (SLR) method to provide clear definitions of supporting constructs of supply chain resiliency (SCRES), classify the capabilities of SCRES, and identify existing research gaps and future SCRES research ideas. The second essay applies resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities as the theoretical lens to investigate the role of cloud based SCM in establishing SCRES. The second essay develops a theory-driven, conceptual model to illustrate and explain the relationships among cloud based SCM, SCRES, and the supply chain capabilities identified in the first essay. The third essay uses systems dynamics theory to develop two novel casual loop diagrams (CLD) and its equivalent systems dynamics (SD) models to quantitatively analyze the impact of cloud based information sharing on supply chain performance. A hospital supply chain is used as an illustrative example to show the positive impact on performance. Lead-time, inventory spend, and customer service levels are the comparative performance metrics used in this essay and are consistent with the findings of essays 1 and 2. One CLD and its equivalent SD model represent a traditional on-premise hospital supply chain information sharing platform and the other represent a cloud based hospital information sharing platform. The SD models simulate and compare the performance of the traditional and cloud based hospital supply chain platforms.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The main objective of this study was to identify and quantify the issues in implementing cloud computing by small and medium business in Pretoria. The empirical data were collected using an online self-administrated questionnaire. The respondents were taken using a mere random sampling of 120 SMEs in Pretoria. A total of 102 usable responses was obtained. A quantitative approach was applied.

Le Cloud Computing est de plus en plus reconnu comme une nouvelle façon d'utiliser, à la demande, les services de calcul, de stockage et de réseau d'une manière transparente et efficace. Dans cette thèse, nous abordons le problème d'ordonnancement de workflows sur les infrastructures distribuées hétérogènes du Cloud Computing. Les approches d'ordonnancement de workflows existantes dans le Cloud se concentrent principalement sur l'optimisation biobjectif du makespan et du coût. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons des algorithmes d'ordonnancement de workflows basés sur des métaheuristiques. Nos algorithmes sont capables de gérer plus de deux métriques de QoS (Quality of Service), notamment, le makespan, le coût, la fiabilité, la disponibilité et l'énergie dans le cas de ressources physiques. En outre, ils traitent plusieurs contraintes selon les exigences spécifiées dans le SLA (Service Level Agreement). Nos algorithmes ont été évalués par simulation en utilisant (1) comme applications: des workflows synthétiques et des workflows scientifiques issues du monde réel ayant des structures différentes; (2) et comme ressources Cloud: les caractéristiques des services de Amazon EC2. Les résultats obtenus montrent l'efficacité de nos algorithmes pour le traitement de plusieurs QoS. Nos algorithmes génèrent une ou plusieurs solutions dont certaines surpassent la solution de l'heuristique HEFT sur toutes les QoS considérées, y compris le makespan pour lequel HEFT est censé donner de bons résultats. / Cloud Computing is increasingly recognized as a new way to use on-demand, computing, storage and network services in a transparent and efficient way. In this thesis, we address the problem of workflows scheduling on distributed heterogeneous infrastructure of Cloud Computing. The existing workflows scheduling approaches mainly focus on the bi-objective optimization of the makespan and the cost. In this thesis, we propose news workflows scheduling algorithms based on metaheuristics. Our algorithms are able to handle more than two QoS (Quality of Service) metrics, namely, makespan, cost, reliability, availability and energy in the case of physical resources. In addition, they address several constraints according to the specified requirements in the SLA (Service Level Agreement). Our algorithms have been evaluated by simulations. We used (1) synthetic workflows and real world scientific workflows having different structures, for our applications; and (2) the features of Amazon EC2 services for our Cloud. The obtained results show the effectiveness of our algorithms when dealing multiple QoS metrics. Our algorithms produce one or more solutions which some of them outperform the solution produced by HEFT heuristic over all the QoS considered, including the makespan for which HEFT is supposed to give good results.

Le développement orienté-service et le cloud computing offrent beaucoup d'opportunités au développement et au déploiement d'applications. En effet, le développement orienté-service permet de composer des fonctionnalités issues de services distribués, développés par différentes organisations. D'un autre côté, le cloud computing permet de provisionner des environnements évolutifs (en fonction du besoin en ressources) de développement et de déploiement, à la demande. Dans ce travail de recherche, nous proposons et décrivons une méthode de provisonnement automatique d'applications métier, orientées-service sur le cloud. Nous avons appelé cette méthode MADONA (Method for AutomateD prOvisioning of service-oriented busiNess Applications). MADONA couvre le cycle de vie de provisionnement d'applications et est basée sur un orchestrateur de services pour la gestion de la configuration, du déploiement, et de la composition de services métier.Dans ce travail, nous visons à réduire les connaissances techniques nécessaires au provisionnement d'applications métier. Pour ce faire, nous apportons trois contributions majeures. Premièrement, l'automatisation de ce provisionnement. En effet, les phases de MADONA sont complètement automatisées. L'utilisateur n'intervient que pour exprimer son besoin et pour utiliser l'application métier automatiquement générée (par la composition de services métier) et déployée sur une IaaS présélectionnée. Deuxièmement, l'enrichissement de la description des services par des concepts liés aux relations d'un service. En effet, les langages de description de services décrivent le plus souvent ces derniers comme des entités isolées et ne considèrent pas les relations entre services. Nous avons défini dans ce travail les relations de composition qui décrivent pour chaque service métier les services nécessaires à son bon fonctionnement, et les services avec lesquels il peut être composé.Troisièmement, nous permettons à l'utilisateur d'exprimer son besoin à un haut niveau d'abstraction des détails techniques de composition et de déploiement. Nous avons pour cela défini un vocabulaire pour formaliser ces besoins fonctionnels (en termes de mots clés décrivant les fonctionnalités désirées, ou de noms de services désirés) et non fonctionnels (en termes de coût, de préférences de déploiement (ex : localisation de déploiement), et de qualité de service). La méthode a été prototypée et testée suivant plusieurs scénarios montrant sa faisabilité / Service-oriented computing and cloud computing offer many opportunities for developing and deploying applications. In fact, service-oriented computing allows to compose several functionalities from distributed services developed by different organizations. On the other hand, cloud computing allows to provision on demand scalable development and deployment environments. In this resarch work, we propose and describe a Method for AutomateD prOvisioning of service-oriented cloud busiNess Applications (MADONA). The method covers the whole application’s lifecycle and is based on cloud orchestration tools that manage the deployment and dependencies of supplied components. This research work aims to reduce the necessary technical knowledge for provisioning service-oriented cloud applications. To this end, we bring three major contributions. Firstly, we automatise the whole application provisioning. In fact, MADONA phases are fully automated. The user intervenes only in requirement elicitation and when the application is deployed and ready to use. The business application is automatically generated (by composing business services) and deployed in an automatically preselected IaaS. Secondly, we enrich the description of services by integrating concepts describing services’ interactions. In fact, service description languages usually describe services as isolated components and does not consider the interactions between services. We define in this work, composition interactions which describe for each business service, its necessary services and the services with which it can be composed. Thirdly, we allow the user to express her requirements abstracting composition and deployment technical details. To this end, we defined a RequIrement VocAbuLary (RIVAL) to formalize user’s functional (in terms of keywords describing the desired functionalities, or names of desired services) and non-functional requirements (in terms of cost, deployment preferences (ex. preferred location), and quality of service). The method has been implemented and tested showing its faisability

I takt med att världen digitaliseras och att allt fler företag börjar upptäcka fördelarna med molnbaserade IT-system, så misslyckas fortfarande hela 2/3 av alla IT-projekt trots att liknande projekt har gjorts många gånger förut. Denna kandidatuppsats har som syfte identifiera, beskriva och förklara de faktorer som påverkar en övergång från dagens lokalt lagrade system till molnbaserade IT-system, ur kund-, projektgrupp- och systemimplementatörsperspektiv. Primära empiriska data har samlats in genom kvalitativa intervjuer av fyra respondenter. Intervju-erna fokuserade på deras erfarenheter och uppfattningar om vilka faktorer som påverkar en övergång från lokalt lagrade system till molnbaserade IT-system. Respondenterna har olika perspektiv och har olika arbetsbakgrund, men gemensamt är att samtliga arbetar inom IT-området. Tre av dem har syste-mimplementatörsbakgrund och den fjärde arbetar som IT-chef hos ett kundföretag. En viktig slutsats från denna studie är att det inte finns lika stora risker vid en övergång till ett molnbaserat IT-system som marknaden upplever. De faktorer som har en hög påverkan på en fram-gångsrik övergång från lokalt till molnbaserade IT-system, Ur ett systemimplementatörsperspektiv är det individen och den individuella förmågan och kompetens. Ur ett projektgruppperspektiv är det att etablera en effektiv kommunikation.  Ur ett kundperspektiv är deras mognad och samsyn för projektet