PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

US companies' global market reach linked to cloud computing use

2024-08-14
(Press-News.org) UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — U.S. firms that use cloud computing services are more likely to export their products and services, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The team said the findings were stronger for firms located outside of large cities and demonstrate the need for expanded availability of the high-speed internet required for cloud computing to support economic development.

The study, which also found that cloud-using firms exported goods and services even more than exporting firms that do not use cloud-based services, is available online now and will be published in the September issue of Telecommunications Policy.

Cloud-based services provide access to computing resources through online platforms such as web browsers or smartphone apps, allowing businesses to store data, access software applications and more. As a result, businesses often can replace in-house information technology infrastructure with solutions that are generally more scalable, flexible and cost-effective.

“Cloud computing is driving a digital transformation across industries, but little is known about how it affects the performance of the firms that use it, especially in terms of their ability to compete in the global marketplace,” said Luyi Han, a postdoctoral researcher at the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD), which is based in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “This study is the first to examine this question using U.S. firm-level data and it finds a significant relationship between adoption of cloud services and export performance.”

To conduct their analysis, Han and his colleagues used two data sets through the Penn State Census Research Data Center. The first, the 2018 Annual Business Survey, administered jointly by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, collected detailed firm-level information on several firm characteristics, including the types of cloud-computing services the firm subscribes to, if any. The second, the Longitudinal Firm Trade Transactions Database contained import-export transaction records that can be linked to individual firms by unique firm identifiers. The researchers merged the two, focusing on trade data from 2017-20 and identifying roughly 30,000 U.S. exporting firms — which, in this study, refers to businesses with employees — and conducted statistical analyses to reveal how these firms differed from the 430,000 non-exporting firms in the dataset.

Specifically, they examined the relationship between a firm’s use of cloud-computing services — including billing and accounting, security and firewall, servers, data storage or analysis, collaboration and file synchronization and customer relationship management — and the extent to which it sells goods or services internationally. The researchers found that firms with any type of cloud computing subscriptions are more likely to engage in exports than firms that do not use the cloud, and this relationship is more pronounced in firms located outside of large metropolitan areas.

“The data allowed us to examine small and medium-sized firms and those located outside of large metropolitan areas in our analysis, which may be disadvantaged in terms of their international competitiveness,” said co-author Timothy Wojan, an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Established Scientist Fellow at the NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). “Their size and location often limit these firms’ access to resources that larger, urban firms enjoy and that can facilitate international transactions.”

The findings suggest that accessing cloud services may play a role in leveling the playing field for non-urban firms and may help promote their expansion into international markets, according to Wojan.

“For example, the cloud can provide access to the advanced technologies required for complex international transactions in an on-demand, scalable manner, which otherwise may not be available to rural and small-town businesses,” Wojan said. 

The findings have implications for the U.S. manufacturing sector at large, according to co-author Stephan Goetz, professor of agricultural and regional economics at Penn State and director of the NERCRD.

“U.S. manufacturing is increasingly concentrating in rural areas, and this corresponds with a decline of manufacturing in urban areas,” Goetz said. “Our findings suggest that to remain competitive in the international market amid this changing context, U.S. manufacturing could potentially benefit from more widespread use of cloud computing services, especially in rural and other non-urban areas.”

The U.S. currently imports more than it exports, resulting in what is known as an international trade deficit. According to the researchers, concerns about the U.S. trade deficit have prompted some policymakers to explore ways to boost exports of goods and services. For example, in Pennsylvania, the annual “Bringing the World to Pennsylvania” campaign is aimed at connecting Pennsylvania companies with international trade representatives to explore exporting opportunities.

Goetz emphasized that the study examined the association between cloud computing and exporting and did not establish causality. However, as the U.S. government continues to make large federal investments aimed at bridging the digital divide, it will be possible to conduct longitudinal studies in the future that can more effectively establish whether there is a causal link between cloud computing and exports, Goetz said. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Multistate/Regional Research and Extension Appropriations, the NSF NCSES and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education supported this research in part.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Lake Erie walleye growth is driven by parents’ size, experience

2024-08-14
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Parent size and the conditions in which actively spawning adults lived are the most influential factors affecting growth of Lake Erie walleye, a new study has found. The findings surprised the scientists, who expected recent temperatures and food availability to have the highest impact on walleye growth. Cold winters and more sizable mothers were associated with faster growth in 3- to 5-year-old walleye offspring, the analysis showed, suggesting that warmer winters that come with ...

Texas Tech University joins US DOE’s $44 million carbon storage project

2024-08-14
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) has selected Texas Tech University as one of nine university and industry-led projects to split $44.5 million in federal funding to advance commercial-scale carbon capture, transport and storage across the U.S. With an award just over $6.2 million, Texas Tech intends to implement and accelerate the equitable and environmentally responsible deployment of storage-based carbon management projects in the Permian Basin. The team will provide technical and engagement support for stakeholders to develop a framework ...

New study reveals loophole in digital wallet security—even if rightful cardholder doesn’t use a digital wallet

New study reveals loophole in digital wallet security—even if rightful cardholder doesn’t use a digital wallet
2024-08-14
Digital wallets — like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal — are projected to be used by more than 5.3 billion people by 2026. While these wallets promote increased security over traditional payment methods, reliance on outdated authentication methods and prioritizing convenience over security leaves digital wallets vulnerable, according to new research led by computer engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  “What we have discovered is [that] these digital wallets are not secure,” says Taqi Raza, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and an author on the paper. “The main reason is that they have unconditional trust between ...

Researchers discover new way inflammation impacts cell communication

2024-08-14
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have made significant progress in understanding how cells communicate during inflammation. The study, recently published in PNAS, was conducted over a period of five years and focused on the molecules that enable cells to function during inflammation, particularly in the central nervous system where diseases like multiple sclerosis occur. “Communication is key in any relationship, even at the level of cells that cause disease,” said Mark Kaplan, PhD, chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the IU ...

Purdue physicists throw world’s smallest disco party

Purdue physicists throw world’s smallest disco party
2024-08-14
Physicists at Purdue are throwing the world’s smallest disco party.  The disco ball itself is a fluorescent nanodiamond, which they have levitated and spun at incredibly high speeds. The fluorescent diamond emits and scatters multicolor lights in different directions as it rotates. The party continues as they study the effects of fast rotation on the spin qubits within their system and are able to observe the Berry phase. The team, led by Tongcang Li, professor of Physics and Astronomy and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, published their results ...

Tropical Atlantic mixing rewrites climate pattern rules

2024-08-14
The churning of the upper ocean in the tropics of Atlantic Ocean plays a crucial role in shaping long-term climate patterns across the world, a new study has found.  Researchers have discovered that changes in the ocean's mixed layer - the topmost section where wind and waves blend warm surface waters with cooler depths - are the primary force behind a climate phenomenon known as Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) in the tropics. The AMV has far-reaching effects on global climate. It influences weather patterns from North America to Europe and Africa, affecting everything from hurricane ...

New open access journal from APS and Sage expands publishing opportunity for psychological scientists

2024-08-14
The Association for Psychological Science (APS) and Sage announce the launch of Advances in Psychological Science Open, a fully open access journal that will publish high-quality empirical, technical, theoretical, and review articles, across the full range of areas and topics in psychological science. The journal will accept submissions in a variety of formats, including long-form articles and short reports, and APS is encouraging scientists to submit integrative and interdisciplinary research articles. “APS is always working to identify new ways to catalyze advances in psychological science,” said APS CEO Robert Gropp. “We are excited to announce ...

iFAB Tech Hub grows net-zero industrial chemical partnerships, champions bioeconomy

iFAB Tech Hub grows net-zero industrial chemical partnerships, champions bioeconomy
2024-08-14
In the wake of the $51 million funding announcement from the Economic Development Administration, momentum is tangible for the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub. Today marks the beginning of a new collaboration to replace fossil fuel-derived petrochemicals with zero-emission alternatives produced through precision fermentation.  Industrial Microbes (iMicrobes) is partnering with the iFAB Tech Hub’s Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to harness microbes to produce acrylic acid, a versatile chemical ...

Fracking frenzy in India: A water crisis in the making?

2024-08-14
India's plans to scale up fracking operations without robust regulations could spell disaster for the country's finely balanced water security, according to research from the University of Surrey.  India is positioning shale gas as a key transitional energy source and has announced 56 fracking projects across six states. Despite the promise of energy independence, Surrey’s study raises alarm bells about the country's preparedness to handle the unique water risks posed by fracking.  Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves injecting high-pressure fluid into shale ...

New research identifies early sensorimotor markers for autism spectrum disorder

2024-08-14
New York, August 14 2024 – A study published in the journal iSCIENCE has uncovered significant findings related to the early sensorimotor features and cognitive abilities of toddlers who are later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research, led by Kristina Denisova, a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the CUNY Graduate Center and Queens College, takes an important step toward better understanding ASD so that more precise, individually tailored interventions can be developed. Autism Spectrum Disorder, typically diagnosed around the ages of 4 to ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections

From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine

Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023

No evidence that medications trigger microscopic colitis in older adults

NYUAD researchers find link between brain growth and mental health disorders

Aging-related inflammation is not universal across human populations, new study finds

University of Oregon to create national children’s mental health center with $11 million federal grant

Rare achievement: UTA undergrad publishes research

Fact or fiction? The ADHD info dilemma

Genetic ancestry linked to risk of severe dengue

Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the youngest mammal species

Early birds get the burn: Monash study finds early bedtimes associated with more physical activity

Groundbreaking analysis provides day-by-day insight into prehistoric plankton’s capacity for change

Southern Ocean saltier, hotter and losing ice fast as decades-long trend unexpectedly reverses

Human fishing reshaped Caribbean reef food webs, 7000-year old exposed fossilized reefs reveal

Killer whales, kind gestures: Orcas offer food to humans in the wild

Hurricane ecology research reveals critical vulnerabilities of coastal ecosystems

Montana State geologist’s Antarctic research focuses on accumulations of rare earth elements

Groundbreaking cancer therapy clinical trial with US Department of Energy’s accelerator-produced actinium-225 set to begin this summer

Tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes could be avoided each year if cholesterol-lowering drugs were used according to guidelines

Leading cancer and metabolic disease expert Michael Karin joins Sanford Burnham Prebys

Low-intensity brain stimulation may restore neuron health in Alzheimer's disease

Four-day school week may not be best for students, review finds

Using music to explore the dynamics of emotions

How the brain supports social processing as people age

Túngara frog tadpoles that grew up in the city developed faster but ended up being smaller

Where there’s fire, there’s smoke

UCLA researchers uncover key mechanism of brain repair in vascular dementia, revealing promising therapeutic target

Why Human empathy still matters in the age of AI

COVID-19 and cognitive change in a community-based cohort

[Press-News.org] US companies' global market reach linked to cloud computing use