Contrasting Views on Cloud Computing

This week in the MBA class that I teach we will be discussing the use of cloud computing.  In preparation for this lecture I have been doing a little research to be able discuss the management issues associated with this newer technology.  As I was reading through some of the literature it became very clear the differences between academia and the business world.  These differences need to be realized when considering technologies like cloud computing in the business context.

In academia we are very concerned with student privacy and privacy of participants involved in our research.  Our student records are secured in our information systems and we are careful when working with student-related information.  Additionally, we take efforts to protect the participants and their information in our research.  However, the student and participant information is a very small component of the information faculty deal with.  Most of the information we spend time with is centered around the literature we use in our research and preparing for our courses.  This information, unlike student and participant information, is not as sensitive.  As a result, we commonly view information as open and don't have significant concerns over unauthorized access to our information.  In fact, quite often, we prefer to store this information in locations where others may share in the benefits of our discovery of new knowledge.

This way of thinking is different than in the business world where knowledge offers a strategic advantage and must be protected from potential competitors.  In the business world, protection of this knowledge is a primary concern and sharing with individuals outside of the organization is not commonly practiced.  Business knowledge must be protected and, therefore, its distribution must be controlled.

These two contrasting viewpoints strongly influence the perspective of cloud computing.  Academics may favor cloud computing because of the reduced costs, the ability to easily share knowledge with the world, and the broader access to a wide range of tools available from any Internet connection.  The business environment may also like the lower costs and availability of the services but are deeply aware of the potential security issues as well as many ownership and integration issues.

The contrasting views of cloud computing is just one example where the academic world differs from the business world.  We must remember differences exist and be aware of these differences as we prepare students to apply technologies in their workplace.  Although we may not always be aware of the differences, our students will and our students should be engaged in a discussion on potential issues with application of technologies in their workplace.  Our role must be to facilitate this thought, listen, and learn.