The market forces (Mobile, Always ON, Better Support coupled with the rising aspirations of the SME industries in India are compelling enough for SMEs to opt for Cloud computing services.
In a way cloud is one way in which SMEs can hope to compete with their bigger counterparts in terms of delivery and scope of services.
Having said that SMEs should not focus on cost reduction as the main point for cloud adoption because IT adoption and IT infrastructure, both are not adequate in countries like India.
The reason why SMEs should invest in cloud in countries like India is efficiency and always available services coupled with less administrative pain points
The other focus area for cloud companies would be investment in the areas of education and hand-holding. . The SMEs should also open up to the fact that there would be immense opportunities opening up as partners to MNCs and staking a claim in newer tenders because they adopt cloud.
Ministry of MSME, India has introduced schemes providing capital subsidy for technology adoption whereby SMEs can explore investing in cloud computing and social media.
Similarly in Singapore there are over 200 grants and schemes which SMEs can benefit from and can invest in technology adoption and upgrading among other things. More can be read here in this blog: Tradegecko.com
Finally the SME and Government interaction over cloud itself (for taxation, compliance, agreements , notifications, tenders and approvals etc.) can be a big booster in creating a cloud culture in Asia.
In a nutshell the 4 important attributes for creating a cloud clulture are:
1. Education & Awareness by Cloud companies with relevance to Asian SMEs
2. Development of cloud solutions which are mobile and efficiency focused rather than cost saving focused
3. Government Incentivization/Subsidies/Grants
4. Government should itself be on cloud thereby creating trust
Recommended for you
