title: Cloud adoption hurdles, competence model, and opportunities in the African context: proof from Ethiopia

authors: Kebede, Melese M.

subjects: cloud adoption

abstract: Cloud computing refers to both the resources provided over the internet as services and the systems software and hardware in the data centres that provide these resources. These resources can then be used by users for various purposes and provide the benefits of low ongoing cost, more computational power, and optimization of processes of computing among others. To take advantage of these benefits, adopting the cloud and the cloud computing paradigm is a necessary step and has the potential to transform Information Technology (IT) capabilities in developing and under-developed countries. However, in these countries, currently there are some adoption hurdles around this technology. Government agencies need to balance and regulate both hurdles and hype around the technology. Before cloud can be widely adopted, a systematic model of cloud adoption needs to be designed which can help the agencies in charge to navigate the hurdles and the hype. In this work, we have studied this problem in the context of adoption in Africa. The aim of this research is to investigate local cloud adoption threats, hurdles, synergies, opportunities, human capabilities, and other disciplines’ theories to design a model which will serve as a guide to the local cloud adoption hurdles in the African context, especially in Ethiopia. More specifically, the key intention and goal of this research is twofold: first, to assimilate the existing game theory and reverse engineering theory, that is, the part of economic theory into the cloud adoption techniques, and second, to look at the effects of open source cloud computing resources on the reduction of aforementioned hurdles via experimentation with OpenStack. The OpenStack is used as a test-bed for the designed mechanism for building a private cloud for the targeted organization to examine the competence of IT experts and pave the way for future research. 
The model is designed through various context-based competence possibilities for academia and government. It can be used to mitigate the bottlenecks that arise from the lack of up-to-date cloud knowledge, the lack of a context-based model, the lack of government control, and the lack of well-poised competent IT experts. These bottlenecks lead to the lack of hands-on technical skills, confusion in cloud adoption lack of standard models, under-utilizations of the opportunities of open source cloud platforms, and loose interpretations around the security, trust, legal, regulatory model, control mechanism, and privacy issues. 
This research is foundational in nature which assimilates and translates well-established theories of other disciplines into a theory of systematic cloud adoption. The assimilated model minimizes the cloud adoption hurdles by maximizing government power to facilitate, regulate, understand the cloud adoption complexity, and control the cloud adoption rate. It is also a useful lens for cloud experts to see how each hurdle is paired up with some opportunities as it maximizes their competence.

text: Cloud adoption hurdles, competence model, and opportunities in the African context: proof from Ethiopia Cloud computing refers to both the resources provided over the internet as services and the systems software and hardware in the data centres that provide these resources. These resources can then be used by users for various purposes and provide the benefits of low ongoing cost, more computational power, and optimization of processes of computing among others. To take advantage of these benefits, adopting the cloud and the cloud computing paradigm is a necessary step and has the potential to transform Information Technology (IT) capabilities in developing and under-developed countries. However, in these countries, currently there are some adoption hurdles around this technology. Government agencies need to balance and regulate both hurdles and hype around the technology. Before cloud can be widely adopted, a systematic model of cloud adoption needs to be designed which can help the agencies in charge to navigate the hurdles and the hype. In this work, we have studied this problem in the context of adoption in Africa. The aim of this research is to investigate local cloud adoption threats, hurdles, synergies, opportunities, human capabilities, and other disciplines’ theories to design a model which will serve as a guide to the local cloud adoption hurdles in the African context, especially in Ethiopia. More specifically, the key intention and goal of this research is twofold: first, to assimilate the existing game theory and reverse engineering theory, that is, the part of economic theory into the cloud adoption techniques, and second, to look at the effects of open source cloud computing resources on the reduction of aforementioned hurdles via experimentation with OpenStack. The OpenStack is used as a test-bed for the designed mechanism for building a private cloud for the targeted organization to examine the competence of IT experts and pave the way for future research. 
The model is designed through various context-based competence possibilities for academia and government. It can be used to mitigate the bottlenecks that arise from the lack of up-to-date cloud knowledge, the lack of a context-based model, the lack of government control, and the lack of well-poised competent IT experts. These bottlenecks lead to the lack of hands-on technical skills, confusion in cloud adoption lack of standard models, under-utilizations of the opportunities of open source cloud platforms, and loose interpretations around the security, trust, legal, regulatory model, control mechanism, and privacy issues. 
This research is foundational in nature which assimilates and translates well-established theories of other disciplines into a theory of systematic cloud adoption. The assimilated model minimizes the cloud adoption hurdles by maximizing government power to facilitate, regulate, understand the cloud adoption complexity, and control the cloud adoption rate. It is also a useful lens for cloud experts to see how each hurdle is paired up with some opportunities as it maximizes their competence.

year: 2018

title: Nutrient and sediment dynamics in two coastal plain rivers in the Bay of Plenty

authors: Wilson, Nicholas

abstract: A large amount of literature concerns eutrophication development in lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries. In contrast, literature concerning to the development of eutrophication in flowing waters is more scarce and, in New Zealand, what there is mostly concerns smaller wadable, cobble-bedded streams and not large soft-bottomed lowland rivers. Lowland rivers are at the distal end of the catchment and suffer from accumulated multiple stressors pertaining to the surrounding land use. In New Zealand coastal plain catchments, land is generally high producing pasture, urban development, or other arable practices 
The aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of how two major land-use related contaminants, nitrate, and suspended sediments, vary in two Bay of Plenty rivers, the Kaituna and the Rangitaiki, as they cross the coastal plain.  Key goals were to determine the extent to which contaminant concentrations are attenuated or enhanced during this passage. These are two significant North Island New Zealand river systems, with intensive agricultural activities in the lowland part of the catchment. Longitudinal sampling of the lowland reaches took place between November 2020 to June 2021; additional spring samples were collected in November 2021 and early December 2021. The study included measures of nitrate, suspended sediment, turbidity chlorophyll-a, pH, and dissolved oxygen, and nitrate samples from tributary flows and a limited collection of aquatic macrophytes, to assess other aspects of water quality.
The Rangitaiki and Kaituna Rivers both tended to show increasing nitrate concentration as they flowed across the coastal plain, reaching median concentrations of 0.31 and 0.54 mg/NO₃-N/L respectively. Effects of both groundwater and tributaries were evident. Suspended sediment was at relatively low concentrations within both rivers, and generally showed no substantive increase across the lowland reaches of both rivers. Chlorophyll-a and nitrate showed seasonality, and this was largely due to processes in upstream lakes or reservoirs. Little attenuation or development of phytoplankton in the river was evidenced by changes in chlorophyll concentrations, likely due to the very short residence time of water in this part of the river (<24 h). Furthermore, nitrate and suspended solids behaved differently, and there was no correlation in either river p>0.05 nor between nitrate and chlorophyll-a, p>0.05.
Downstream changes in measured variables in the Rangitaiki and Kaituna rivers could ultimately be related to land use within the lower catchment. The lower Rangitaiki River nitrate concentration is largely dictated by seasonality within Lake Matahina and activities within the upper catchment, likely supplemented by groundwater influx and any minor drains discharging to the lowland river. The Kaituna River nitrate concentration is predominantly a product of the intensive agricultural catchment, with four significant tributary inflows along the lowland reach, all of which are nitrate rich. Nitrogen enrichment was sufficient to support non-native macrophyte growth, but other adverse effects associated with eutrophication were not realised in either river. This is likely due to a combination of the short residence times within both rivers, the abrasive flow preventing macrophytes accumulating sufficiently to block the channel and the turbulent, shallow water allowing ready reaeration. These results do emphasise the need for further study on lowland rivers to assess the effects of nutrient and sediment enrichment, and the extent to which existing guidelines on river are well suited to lowland reaches.

text: Nutrient and sediment dynamics in two coastal plain rivers in the Bay of Plenty A large amount of literature concerns eutrophication development in lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries. In contrast, literature concerning to the development of eutrophication in flowing waters is more scarce and, in New Zealand, what there is mostly concerns smaller wadable, cobble-bedded streams and not large soft-bottomed lowland rivers. Lowland rivers are at the distal end of the catchment and suffer from accumulated multiple stressors pertaining to the surrounding land use. In New Zealand coastal plain catchments, land is generally high producing pasture, urban development, or other arable practices 
The aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of how two major land-use related contaminants, nitrate, and suspended sediments, vary in two Bay of Plenty rivers, the Kaituna and the Rangitaiki, as they cross the coastal plain.  Key goals were to determine the extent to which contaminant concentrations are attenuated or enhanced during this passage. These are two significant North Island New Zealand river systems, with intensive agricultural activities in the lowland part of the catchment. Longitudinal sampling of the lowland reaches took place between November 2020 to June 2021; additional spring samples were collected in November 2021 and early December 2021. The study included measures of nitrate, suspended sediment, turbidity chlorophyll-a, pH, and dissolved oxygen, and nitrate samples from tributary flows and a limited collection of aquatic macrophytes, to assess other aspects of water quality.
The Rangitaiki and Kaituna Rivers both tended to show increasing nitrate concentration as they flowed across the coastal plain, reaching median concentrations of 0.31 and 0.54 mg/NO₃-N/L respectively. Effects of both groundwater and tributaries were evident. Suspended sediment was at relatively low concentrations within both rivers, and generally showed no substantive increase across the lowland reaches of both rivers. Chlorophyll-a and nitrate showed seasonality, and this was largely due to processes in upstream lakes or reservoirs. Little attenuation or development of phytoplankton in the river was evidenced by changes in chlorophyll concentrations, likely due to the very short residence time of water in this part of the river (<24 h). Furthermore, nitrate and suspended solids behaved differently, and there was no correlation in either river p>0.05 nor between nitrate and chlorophyll-a, p>0.05.
Downstream changes in measured variables in the Rangitaiki and Kaituna rivers could ultimately be related to land use within the lower catchment. The lower Rangitaiki River nitrate concentration is largely dictated by seasonality within Lake Matahina and activities within the upper catchment, likely supplemented by groundwater influx and any minor drains discharging to the lowland river. The Kaituna River nitrate concentration is predominantly a product of the intensive agricultural catchment, with four significant tributary inflows along the lowland reach, all of which are nitrate rich. Nitrogen enrichment was sufficient to support non-native macrophyte growth, but other adverse effects associated with eutrophication were not realised in either river. This is likely due to a combination of the short residence times within both rivers, the abrasive flow preventing macrophytes accumulating sufficiently to block the channel and the turbulent, shallow water allowing ready reaeration. These results do emphasise the need for further study on lowland rivers to assess the effects of nutrient and sediment enrichment, and the extent to which existing guidelines on river are well suited to lowland reaches.

year: 2022

title: Kia Maanu, Kia Ora: Stay Afloat, Stay Alive – Acknowledging the significance of tikanga Māori in formulating and communicating water safety policies and practices

authors: Haimona, Mark

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: The traditional beliefs and practices of Māori demonstrate great respect for water, for its dangers as well as its life-giving properties, and Māori have, along with other Polynesian peoples, been known for their skill in swimming, fishing and canoeing. However, Māori now outnumber others in New Zealand in terms of the proportion involved in drowning and water-related injury. In seeking to promote water safety among Māori, Water Safety New Zealand has enlisted the help of Māori communities. Its message - Kia Maanu, Kia Ora (Stay Afloat, Stay Alive) - is underpinned by an acknowledgment of the need to reinforce the traditional respect for water that permeates the Māori worldview.

text: Kia Maanu, Kia Ora: Stay Afloat, Stay Alive – Acknowledging the significance of tikanga Māori in formulating and communicating water safety policies and practices The traditional beliefs and practices of Māori demonstrate great respect for water, for its dangers as well as its life-giving properties, and Māori have, along with other Polynesian peoples, been known for their skill in swimming, fishing and canoeing. However, Māori now outnumber others in New Zealand in terms of the proportion involved in drowning and water-related injury. In seeking to promote water safety among Māori, Water Safety New Zealand has enlisted the help of Māori communities. Its message - Kia Maanu, Kia Ora (Stay Afloat, Stay Alive) - is underpinned by an acknowledgment of the need to reinforce the traditional respect for water that permeates the Māori worldview.

year: 2007