There is a certain power involved with cloud computing as anyone in any part of the world can use just their internet connection and credit card to run their applications on the best datacenters in the world with minimal costs. This is also the reason that cloud computing is so popular for the emerging economic countries of the world as they can use this technology for ambitious and complex projects that would otherwise be quite costly. Because of this rise in Cloud Computing, there is also more global interest in on-demand cloud computing platforms such as those offered by Amazon Web Services.
And so this article deals with the advantages that cloud computing offers, especially to emerging economies as well as the different industries that will benefit the most from cloud computing. So let’s see that now!
Advantages of Cloud Computing for Emerging Economies
Cloud Computing has many benefits, especially for emerging economies. Check out some of these here:
1. Usage Simplicity
It is much easier to install, maintain and update Cloud Computing systems as compared to traditional computing systems. This means that even emerging economic countries can avail the facilities of cloud computing at much lower costs for a larger base of customers. Also, this means that cloud computing can easily be used for mobile systems which are much more popular and widespread than personal computers or laptops.
2. Scalability
Cloud Computing systems are highly scalable and can be sized up if required. This means that companies with lesser economic capability can buy only the hardware that they need in the beginning and then scale up as their demand increases over time. Since cloud computing requires low investments upfront, it is also quite suitable for emerging economies and nations with large populations that can easily join the internet phenomenon in the world.
3. Lowered Cost
The Usage Simplicity and Scalability of Cloud Computing means much-lowered costs in comparison to traditional computing models. Because of these lowered costs, small companies in weaker economic regions are embracing Cloud Computing while some companies in the west are hesitant to invest in new solutions because of the associated risks. The lowered costs also mean that many companies are on a level playing field with regards to their computing capabilities, which is only increasing the growth of developing nations.
4. Enhanced Security
Cloud Computing provides scalable security measures that can be accessible by everyone, thus reducing one of the major problems faced by many companies. It is also seen that most companies in the west are worried about risks even with top-notch security while security is one of the benefits of Cloud Computing that is important for companies in developing economic regions. However, Cloud Security is only trusted by companies until a certain point, after which they have their cyber-security measures.
5. Extending Reach
Cloud Computing means that people in even remote regions can have access to top technologies and work with companies in all parts of the world. This means that Cloud Computing has also created a globalized workforce which has made interaction and access across the world much simpler. So even emerging economic countries in the world can increase their productivity and raise their ability to the rest of the world, which will result in global development.
What Industries Will Benefit From Cloud Computing?
Almost all industries will get a boost with cloud computing with their efficiency increasing by multiple margins. However, the most prominent industries that we will focus on here are Banking, Retail, Manufacturing, Education, and Healthcare. According to a study conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit, the adoption of cloud computing in these five industries is going to increase by approximately 70%.
So, let’s check out these industries now!
1. Healthcare
Cloud Computing provides a big help in Healthcare, especially in developing countries. Medical professionals can use cloud-based technologies to increase interaction among each other and students in medical schools can be provided medical training using e-learning. This may also improve the services provided to the patients. A good example of cloud computing in Healthcare is Medic Mobile, which is a non-profit organization working in places like Uganda. This aims to bring in mobile and web tools that will help provide healthcare in the most rural and remote areas where doctors are far away but cell phones are still available.
2. Education
Cloud Computing has a marked presence in the Education sector. Cloud-Based Online learning plays a very important part in increasing higher education in developing economies so that more and more children get access to quality education. A big advantage of this is the accessible learning materials that are available 24/7 in even the remote parts of countries. A good example of cloud-based education is Blackboard, which uses the AWS Cloud to advance education in countries ranging from Shanghai to South Africa.
3. Banking
Cloud Computing is also a big help for the banking sector in remote countries and emerging economic nations. This is because the cloud systems can provide access to financial services in regions where multiple people have no access to them. An example of this is Zoona, which is a company that provides African entrepreneurs the technology and resources to provide financial services like electronic money transfers to the local people in African communities using the cloud resources.
4. Retail
Cloud Computing is also becoming a major factor in the Retail Industry. A big advantage of cloud-based systems is they can make retailing a more consumer-friendly process by providing increased access and decreased costs to customers. An example of this is the Beijing based game company Gamegoo that uses cloud computing to provide gaming access to multiple users not only in Beijing but all across South-East Asia.
5. Manufacturing
Cloud Computing can also make the manufacturing process a lot simpler and easier. The whole manufacturing chain starting from suppliers to distribution to customers can all benefit using the cloud as it results in lower costs. For example, the manufacturing problems of Coca Cola Icecek based in Turkey have significantly reduced with the infrastructure now designed to fit according to their requirements rather than the opposite using Cloud Computing.
