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: The inherent liminality of lesbian detectives: Shifting spaces and lesbian crime fiction 1984-2022

authors: Antoniolli, Claudia

subjects: Crime fiction

abstract: This thesis studies lesbian detective fiction and specifically considers this genre in its early decades (1980s-1990s) from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This thesis postulates that out of a sample pool of a hundred novels, there are recurring patterns of behaviours and attitudes among the protagonists of this genre within certain physical and metaphorical spaces. These patterns demonstrate a destabilised identity, as the lesbian sleuth never ceases to explore and test the boundaries of her authority as an enforcer of law and order and of her suppressed spatiality as a member of a sexual minority. This causes her to live in a perpetual state of Insider/Outsider liminality and it causes queer trauma to be a fundamental aspect of her character. This thesis considers this concept as the result of long-standing, systemic homophobia and heterosexist normativity, and utilises the notion of queer trauma to interpret the way the lesbian sleuth is inescapably stuck between a sense of duty and justice and a yearning for belonging and self-affirmation. The interpretive process is supported by an extensive and in-depth theoretical research into the fields of history, culture, geography, feminist criticism, gender, and sexuality studies for the selected subject matter. The spaces selected and analysed in this thesis are the queer closet, the medical establishment, domestic settings, and the gay bar. These spaces have been chosen for the significant, emblematic ways in which the lesbian detectives interact with them and have been analysed in order of their importance for the protagonists’ characterisation. The introduction includes introductory statements and the theoretical framework, the first chapter overviews major detectives in the history of crime literature from a spatial perspective; the second chapter discusses the queer closet; the third chapter considers the space of the clinic and the topics of queer trauma and of the pathologisation of homosexuality; the fourth chapter analyses the domestic settings of the protagonists; the fifth chapter examines the context of the gay bar and its history; finally, the conclusion offers closing statements about the focus and originality of this thesis. The originality of this thesis lies in its focus on spaces and on the relationship between the protagonist and society, law and order, and Self and Other. This thesis contributes to the knowledge of queer literature by specifically considering the unescapable liminality of the lesbian/Outsider detective/Insider.

text: The inherent liminality of lesbian detectives: Shifting spaces and lesbian crime fiction 1984-2022 This thesis studies lesbian detective fiction and specifically considers this genre in its early decades (1980s-1990s) from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This thesis postulates that out of a sample pool of a hundred novels, there are recurring patterns of behaviours and attitudes among the protagonists of this genre within certain physical and metaphorical spaces. These patterns demonstrate a destabilised identity, as the lesbian sleuth never ceases to explore and test the boundaries of her authority as an enforcer of law and order and of her suppressed spatiality as a member of a sexual minority. This causes her to live in a perpetual state of Insider/Outsider liminality and it causes queer trauma to be a fundamental aspect of her character. This thesis considers this concept as the result of long-standing, systemic homophobia and heterosexist normativity, and utilises the notion of queer trauma to interpret the way the lesbian sleuth is inescapably stuck between a sense of duty and justice and a yearning for belonging and self-affirmation. The interpretive process is supported by an extensive and in-depth theoretical research into the fields of history, culture, geography, feminist criticism, gender, and sexuality studies for the selected subject matter. The spaces selected and analysed in this thesis are the queer closet, the medical establishment, domestic settings, and the gay bar. These spaces have been chosen for the significant, emblematic ways in which the lesbian detectives interact with them and have been analysed in order of their importance for the protagonists’ characterisation. The introduction includes introductory statements and the theoretical framework, the first chapter overviews major detectives in the history of crime literature from a spatial perspective; the second chapter discusses the queer closet; the third chapter considers the space of the clinic and the topics of queer trauma and of the pathologisation of homosexuality; the fourth chapter analyses the domestic settings of the protagonists; the fifth chapter examines the context of the gay bar and its history; finally, the conclusion offers closing statements about the focus and originality of this thesis. The originality of this thesis lies in its focus on spaces and on the relationship between the protagonist and society, law and order, and Self and Other. This thesis contributes to the knowledge of queer literature by specifically considering the unescapable liminality of the lesbian/Outsider detective/Insider.

year: 2023

title: Traditional New Zealand Māori instruments, composition and digital technology: some recent collaborations and processes

authors: Whalley, Ian

abstract: This paper examines the integration of traditional New Zealand Māori instruments with digital music technology, and the use of these instruments in making new works. The focus is on the work of performer/composers Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns, as well as recent collaborations that Richard Nunns has undertaken with some composers and musicians in genres other than Māori music. Aesthetic, practical and cultural considerations in the composition process are explored.

text: Traditional New Zealand Māori instruments, composition and digital technology: some recent collaborations and processes This paper examines the integration of traditional New Zealand Māori instruments with digital music technology, and the use of these instruments in making new works. The focus is on the work of performer/composers Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns, as well as recent collaborations that Richard Nunns has undertaken with some composers and musicians in genres other than Māori music. Aesthetic, practical and cultural considerations in the composition process are explored.

year: 2005