I just completed a report on cloud computing for the Advanced Practices Council of SIM. Here is the executive summary:
Current conversations about cloud computing are dominated by vendors who focus more on technology and less on business value. While it is still unclear as to what components constitute cloud computing technology, some examples of its potential uses are emerging. We represent them in a stylized fashion using seven attributes that C-level executives could use to formulate cloud based strategies. Firms can manipulate these attributes to derive unique benefits and create a competitive advantage. As a whole, we predict that cloud strategy will lead to more intense network-based competition, resulting in a major overhaul of the current competitive landscape. It is imperative that companies prepare for such a future by reformulating their business strategy to include the attributes enabled by cloud technology. The time to begin that transformation is now.