Document Overview

Business Strategy: Cloud Computing for Government: A View from Asia/Pacific (Excluding Japan)

Authors:	Frank Levering, Jan Duffy, Silvia Piai, Poon Wei Ang
Document #	AP9694101U
Published	April, 2012
Document Type	Business Strategy
Number of Pages	40
Number of Figures	23

Overview

This Government Insights report relates how cloud computing is one of those unavoidable trends that will lead the next generations of investments in the government landscape. The level of enthusiasm about the opportunities and potential cost savings is matched on equal terms by concerns and challenges. The current situation is dictated by doubts and uncertainty on how to progress and pursue the benefits aggressively. The Asia/Pacific region is focused to progress despite their lack of strategic intentions.

Many initiatives across the region are driven by investments in infrastructure and tactics to tap into the easily achieved benefits of cloud computing, like cost savings. There are already several indicators that collaboration and citizen relationship management will be considered equally vital, perhaps once the private sector has delivered enough best practices and examples on how to successfully implement such environments.

A less promising indicator for the region's cloud development is the high level of confidence of government decision makers in their in-house ability to deliver on cloud needs. Very high levels of adoption for private cloud implementations don't bode well for a collaborative and citizen-engaging government.

"The investments of governments across the region in cloud readiness are necessary and important to tap into the array of potential advantages. Those advantages will initially be sought in optimal budget allocation and resource management, and will also be weighed against the security risks of the cloud solutions. Eventually, and sooner rather than later, cloud implementations need to be all about inter-department collaborations and citizen relationship management as governments strive to deliver optimal citizen services," says Frank Levering, research manager, Government Insights, IDC Asia/Pacific.