Title: Exploring the benefits of cloud services and accountability tools from a competitiveness and return on investment perspective

Authors: Sindre Høyland; Janne Merete Hagen; Ruth Østgaard Skotnes

Addresses: Centre for Risk Management and Societal Safety (SEROS), University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway ' Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Kjeller, Oslo, Norway ' Centre for Risk Management and Societal Safety (SEROS), University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway

Abstract: There are a number of challenges involved in using cloud services, such as privacy, control of data and compromised networks. The EU-project A4Cloud arose from an interest in mitigating these challenges through the development of tools for holding service providers accountable for handling of data. As part of the A4Cloud project, we applied a case study approach to explore cloud services and accountability tools among enterprise users and authorities in Norway. Our findings suggest that potential competitiveness and return on investment lie in an integrated cloud and accountability tools solution that can improve service dependability and alleviate pressing security concerns, improve competitiveness, and achieve cost reductions while representing a flexible, on-demand, and pay-per-use asset for effectively generating revenues. Therefore, return on investment is found in the synergy between the cloud and accountability tools, where the security mitigation potential of the tools plays an integral part.

Keywords: cloud services; accountability tools; economic theories; case study; content analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2017.085020

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2017 Vol.16 No.3, pp.215 - 236

Accepted: 29 Feb 2016
Published online: 10 Jul 2017 *

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