ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews factors that are driving the development of Big data (BD) and cloud industries in the developing world, examines their potential impacts and focuses on the roles of businesses and policy makers in order to facilitate the adoption and effective utilization of these technologies. It presents a framework for evaluating the attractiveness of BD and the cloud with reference to the evolving needs, capabilities, and competitive positions of developing countries. The literature on BD and cloud computing has so far primarily focused on trends and developments in the advanced economies. BD and the cloud can extend the market reach of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The chapter presents some highly visible examples of developing world-based firms supplying BD- and cloud-related services. The cloud has helped some firms in the global South to launch new products and services commercially.
