Abstract:
Cloud computing is a service-based computing resources sourcing model that is changing the way in which companies deploy and operate information and communication technologies (ICT). This sourcing model is reshaping the ICT services supply chain by creating a more dynamic environment with various levels of service needed and a broader range of providers offering alternative value propositions making it larger and more complex. This leads to a higher risk of disruption and brings additional organisational resilience challenges. Organisational resilience defined herein as the ability of organisations to survive and also thrive when exposed to disruptive incidents. This thesis adopts a qualitative research design to investigate how ICT resilience activities can best be coordinated across a cloud supply chain. Based on existing supply chain resilience theories and considering specific characteristics of cloud supply chains, it proposes and empirically validates a conceptual model as a tool for guiding efforts to maintain and improve resilience in cloud supply chains. The model is based on existing supply chain management and supply chain resilience theories and identifies a set of coordination mechanism that positively impact ICT resilience processes within this chain. The empirical findings suggest the value of the model in terms of structuring the organisational resilience conversation across cloud supply chains.