The Gathering Storm: Analyzing the Cloud Computing Ecosystem and Implications for Public Policy

Communications & Strategies, No. 85, 2012, pp. 63-85

Posted: 29 Jul 2012

See all articles by Kenji E. Kushida

Kenji E. Kushida

Stanford University Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center

Jonathan Murray

Digital Prism Advisors

John Zysman

University of California, Berkeley

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: March 1, 2012

Abstract

We contend that Cloud Computing is historically unique by simultaneously being an innovation ecosystem, production platform, and global marketplace. In Part I we define Cloud computing as a dynamic utility, listing key characteristics of what it is and what it is not, both from providers’ and users’ vantages. In Part II, we characterize three competitive battles in the broader Cloud ecosystem — Winning the User (Cloud Providers), The Search for Value (Network Providers), and The Device Wars (Device Providers). We then provide a new and simple, but powerful and practically applicable typology that combines the type of providers with the commonly understood architecture types. Part III applies the framework to analyze the business strategies of global Cloud service providers and select others in the broader ecosystem. We conclude with policy implications and where to take research from here.

Keywords: Cloud Computing, Industry analysis, business models, public Policy

Suggested Citation

Kushida, Kenji E. and Murray, Jonathan and Zysman, John, The Gathering Storm: Analyzing the Cloud Computing Ecosystem and Implications for Public Policy (March 1, 2012). Communications & Strategies, No. 85, 2012, pp. 63-85, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2118807

Kenji E. Kushida (Contact Author)

Stanford University Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305
United States

Jonathan Murray

Digital Prism Advisors ( email )

New York, NY
United States

John Zysman

University of California, Berkeley ( email )

310 Barrows Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
United States

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