Cloud Computing Value Chains : Research from the Operations Management Perspective

Cloud computing has been recognized as a critical driver of Information-Technology (IT) enabled innovations. In this paper, we review recent cloud computing research from an Operations Management (OM) perspective, by focusing on major operations challenges faced by a cloud provider in three problem domains: (1) pricing strategies for the cloud computing marketplaces, (2) deployment and scheduling of cloud computing resources, and (3) capacity planning and supply chain management. We describe relevant business practices, followed by a discussion of current research in OM and related areas in each domain, and point out opportunities for future research. We argue that, although cloud computing operations share many features with classic OM problems (revenue management, scheduling theory, and inventory management), they also bring significant new challenges that are intellectually engaging. Thus, we believe that the cloud computing industry can stimulate much innovative OM research and deserves the attention of our community, which, in turn, has the potential to provide vital insights into cloud management practices