ompanies around the world are paying much closer attention to cloud computing an d its potential value to supply

chain processes from sourcing to after-sale serv ice. Concerns about risk and reliability are abating, while benefits from less c ost to more flexibility are becoming more prevalent. Small wonder that Industry experts expect that one-fifth of all businesses will own absolutely no IT assets by 2012. Nor is it surprising that the market for cloud-based services is expec ted to reach nearly $150bn by 2014!! In today s fast-moving business environment, most companies are striving to operat e a more dynamic Is this essay helpful? Join OPPapers to read more and access more than 550,000 j ust like it! GET BETTER GRADES supply chain to respond to rising volatility in customer demands and market cond itions. Because supply chains are increasingly powered by information technology , flexible IT-based solutions are an increasingly important part of a supply cha in design. Against this background, it is no surprise that the topic of cloud com puting is generating intense interest.