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The growth of cloud computing has been increasing fast since a few years ago, although it is still a small part of overall Information Technology (IT) spending of organizations. Both private and public sectors are embracing cloud computing as it offers an innovative computing model, simplifying IT resource management, offering cost savings and flexible scaling. The question is no longer whether to adopt cloud computing or not, but what should be adopted and how? The transaction cost economy theory offers a rationale for the adoption and the decision-making theory helps construct stages for the adoption and operate cloud computing to provide effective and optimal IT solutions for organizations. This paper offers decision makers to overview cloud computing, especially in utilizing values offered and selecting resources or operations that can be migrated to the cloud.
The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of logistics management and electronic data interchange (EDI) in enhancing competitive advantage. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed to senior managers, middle-level managers and junior- level managers and 76 were filled and returned (76% response rate). The study adopted a quantitative method through simple and multiple linear regression analysis and qualitative descriptive method through analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results of this study found that logistics management dimensions such as transport management, physical distribution management, inventory management and warehousing management have a significant positive effect on competitive advantage. As for EDI, it is found that two out of the three dimensions such as better communication, and improved billing have a significant positive effect on competitive advantage. While quick access to information was found to have a significant negative effect on competitive advantage. The results further revealed that logistics management has a significant positive effect on competitive advantage.
The aim of this paper is to make a contribution to the mapping of the vendor's process in outsourcing and to explore how that process has been built over the time. In addition, the paper aims at coming to grips with the fundamental issue of how an electronic manufacturing service (EMS) provider can develop its competences and capabilities to compete effectively and efficiently in this increasingly more competitive industry. The paper has been written in a teaching case style where the case of Escatec, a tier-two EMS has been presented. Escatec, have been adding various skills, knowledge and technologies into a set of competences that have been integrated into a well-structured process that reflects customers' requirements. Findings from the case suggest that the vendor's process is cyclic in its nature, with equally strong emphasis on getting the new and retaining the existing customers. Based on the analysis of Escatec's process and competences we propose that the key success factors for a successful one-stop-shop type of EMS are to 1) Establish rich portfolio of competences; 2) Integrate the competences into a process; 3) Ensure that process depicts the nature of the industry; 4) Develop a modular process that will enable capturing of customers anywhere along the value chain; 5) Continuously improve competences that mostly contribute to the organization's performance.