Developing a framework for modelling complex business systems within the cloud

This research will be looking at applying the Software as a Service (SaaS) model for hosted applications to more complex business systems such as an Enterprise Resource Management System (ERP). This application of the service model is still in its infancy and we present some challenges to the technology. We will initially be developing a measure of complexity for business systems and applying this as a baseline for the use of such complex business systems within a pure SaaS model on the cloud, considering the elements making up SaaS and inter-relating these with this definition of business complexity. Considerations are also to be made of the constraints and limitations of the current technology taken in conjunction with concerns potential business service consumers might have in the deployment of this model within their businesses. Through these results we aim to develop a theoretical framework that defines this service model within this complex business context.