Trends - RSS Feed

SideXSide: Apple's iCloud or No Cloud?

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:18:26 -0400

Apples iCloud service will be launching in the fall. While consumers are the primary target for the service, as with many other Apple products we have no doubt it will find its way quickly into the enterprise. While there are plenty of other proven commercial cloud solutions on the market, in this SideXSide we decided to narrow things down to life with, or without, iCloud. - Apples iCloud was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6. The platform, which will be available in fall 2011, is designed to allows users to store content in the cloud as well as sync important data across iOS-based devices, Macs, and PCs. To say that its the latest and...

IT Budgets Rising in Midsize Companies

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:56:56 -0500

According to a recent study commissioned by IBM and conducted by KS&R entitled "Inside the Midmarket: A 2011 Perspective", 53 percent of midsize companies (100-1,000 employees) are planning to increase their IT budgets over the next 12 to 18 months (in the spring 2009 Midmarket survey, only 20 percent of respondents planned to do so). As a result of that increase, 70 percent are actively pursuing business analytics solutions, and 66 percent are either planning or currently implementing cloud-based technologies. �The survey findings show that midsize firms are tackling a new set of opportunities to position themselves for success and tap into new sources of growth,� says Andy Monshaw, General Manager, IBM Midmarket. �When we spoke to midsize firms 18 months ago, most were focused on reducing costs and improving efficiencies. Today, the conversation is also about growth, connecting with customers and gaining greater insights. Its a much different environment.� To advance these new priorities, more than 70 percent of midsize firms say theyre seeking a consultative, rather than purely transactional, relationship with their primary IT provider. The global survey of 2,112 business and information technology decision makers at midsize businesses was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2010 across several industries, including banking, retail, consumer products, wholesale, transportation, industrial products, and insurance. Respondents were located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Japan, China, Brazil, India, Russia, Australia, Mexico, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Poland, New Zealand and the Czech Republic. - ...

Gartner's Top IT Predictions for 2011-2015

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:04:21 -0500

Research firm Gartner, Inc. issued its top predictions for IT organizations and users over the next several years. The predictions were selected based on their relevance, impact and audience appeal, from more than 100 of the firms predictions across all research areas. �With costs still under pressure, growth opportunities limited and the tolerance to bear risk low, IT faces increased levels of scrutiny from stakeholders both internal and external,� says managing vice president and Gartner fellow Darryl Plummer. �As organizations plan for the years ahead, our predictions focus on the impact this scrutiny will have on outcomes, operations, users and reporting. All parties expect greater transparency, and meeting this demand will require that IT become more tightly coupled to the levers of business control.� Gartner analysts say the predictions highlight the significant changes in the roles played by technology and IT organizations in business, the global economy and the lives of individual users. �Gartners top predictions showcase the trends and disruptive events that will reshape the nature of business for the next year and beyond,� says vice president and Gartner fellow Brian Gammage. �Selected from across our research areas as the most compelling and critical predictions, the developments and topics they address this year focus on changes in the roles that technologies and IT organizations play: in the lives of workers, the performance of businesses and the wider world.� - ...

Tech Jargon To Avoid in the C-Suite

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:22:10 -0400

Youre well-versed in all the jargon that surrounds the technology industry. Youre living and breathing cloud computing, virtualization, servers and blades. Youre always learning about the next new �game changing technology� coming on the market. You already know that you have to keep tech-speak to a minimum if you want to sell your ideas to your C-level colleagues on the business side. But, sometimes it's challenging to make the transition between the different languages of IT and business world. When it comes time to talk things over with your companys CEO or CFO, remember that there are some words that will make their eyes glaze over, other phrases that will bog you down in endless explanations, and some that are guaranteed to cause panic. Before your next discussion with a C-level counterpart, review our list of overused tech jargon. These are phrases to avoid at all costs when meeting in the C-suite. - ...

CMO and CIO: Art Plus Science Equals Success

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:36:13 -0400

Clearly, both functions can and should create a more symbiotic relationship. After all, they're both cost centers, vying for a piece of the pie--and credibility--within the organization. CMOs and CIOs both want to be considered a "need-to-have" rather than a "nice-to-have." - With the C-suite keen to see ROI for every dollar spent, marketing departments are under more pressure than ever--tasked with making sense of a complex media landscape, a range of new devices and endpoints, and shifting, demanding customer buying habits. The rise of social media, search, and mobile...

The Green Enterprise? Skeptics Abound

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:12:34 -0400

CIOs and other top IT decision-makers are often at the forefront of "green" initiatives within their organizations. But a revealing study, Sense and Sustainability, from global communications firm, Gibbs & Soell, and research firm Harris Interactive, indicates that only a minority of IT managers and other executives surveyed indicate that businesses today are committed to �green� advancements and practices. An even smaller percentage of the general public feels this way. More than 300 Fortune 1000 executives were interviewed for the survey. Findings run counter to a report earlier this year from the U.N. Global Compact and Accenture, which found that many CEOs see clear business value in sustainable practices. - ...

Mobile Device Battles Heat Up

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:23:45 -0400

RIM debuts BlackBerry Torch, Apple attacks Motorola's Droid, and Microsoft is coming out punching with a lineup of tablet computers ready to hit store shelves later this year. Find out what all this mobile action will mean for the CIO and your IT departments. - Some summers bring about few major stories in the tech industry. Professionals go on vacation and companies wait for the fall to make their major product announcements. This year has been entirely different, particularly when it comes to the mobile and wireless space. The summer of 2010 has been jam...

Five Tech Trends That Will Impact Your Business

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:56:01 -0400

Windows Phone 7 lacks integral features for corporate success, the iPad is coming to the enterprise, and Android is now on the corporate map. Check out these and other recent developments that will influence every CIO's technology decision-making process. - As the key technology decision-maker in the enterprise, the CIO needs to know what is coming, what does not work very well, and which products are ideal for employees. Sometimes, these decisions come easily. At other times, they require research into several options to see what makes one solution a ...

9 Android Apps Every CIO Should Be Using

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:10:03 -0400

With the announcement of Android 2.2, Google made it clear that the new version of its mobile operating system would be the first to target the corporate world. The latest iteration of the platform includes robust Exchange support, plus far better security features than previous versions. All of these features are aimed specifically at pleasing corporate BlackBerry converts. For the first time, Google is showing that it has its sights set on attracting enterprise users. While issues remain when it comes to welcoming Android devices wholeheartedly into the enterprise, the devices can be attractive for a CIO. We've highlighted the available applications that will help CIOs extend the functionality of their Android devices, with the goal of achieving maximum productivity while away from the office. Android apps that are primed for today's busy CIOs include communication solutions as well as products that improve the usability of the operating system. These nine are worth downloading if you are a CIO who wants to get more out of your Android smartphone. Compare them with our 9 favorite CIO-worthy iPhone apps

- ...

9 Reasons Smartphones Will Take Over Business Computing

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:30:32 -0400

In her first post as Editor In Chief of CIO Insight, Susan Nunziata made no bones about her bullishness for the future of mobile computing in the enterprise. We'll go one step further here, skipping right over laptops and tablets, and offer you a future where smartphones are the computing platform of choice. Few people would argue with the fact that today's smartphones are powerful enough to deliver 95 percent of the functionality a typical information worker needs during the course of a workday. Devices such as the iPhone or BlackBerry, or any of those powered by Google's Android operating system, make it a snap to manage email, communicate via text message, check the latest posts on social media sites, browse the latest news, or even prepare documents. As cloud providers such as Salesforce.com and NetSuite and Google and Amazon refine access to their services from mobile devices, traditional IT vendors such as Microsoft, Oracle and SAP will follow suit with improved mobile apps for their growing array of cloud-based applications. The need to be tethered to a PC could become a thing of the past sooner than you think. Here are the nine business drivers that will push corporate IT departments toward adopting mobile computing-focused strategies: - ...

Five Tech Trends Worth Watching

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:17:30 -0400

Tech titans Microsoft and Apple are dominating the news with developments that will directly impact the world of the CIO (trust us, it's not just about antenna design). See which tech trends every CIO should be watching. - For CIOs, the bottom line in every technology decision (whether personal or for the enterprise) lies in determining the ROI with criteria such as hard dollars saved, improved productivity, or overall business benefits. In light of that, we have gathered the five hot tech trends you need to watch bec...

IT Agility Embraced By Top-Performing Companies

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:08:16 -0400

A new kind of IT organization has emerged in the wake of the recession -- one that has reduced fixed costs by using on-demand strategies, according to a new study from The Hackett Group. This degree of "IT agility" helps organizations better capitalize on business opportunities and minimize risks today. It is no longer about zeroing in on "cutting IT costs" (although that is certainly part of the equation). It is about taking better advantage of new, available Service Delivery Models to match IT initiatives with business performance. This approach is needed now more than ever here in North America, where economic growth is projected to lag dramatically behind that of Asia, putting at risk our ability to remain globally competitive. Hackett's research distinguished the IT practices of "top performer" organizations -- as defined by those that achieve the best results across more than 20 relevant IT agility metrics -- from those that experience more typical performance results. More than 30 companies took part in Hackett's study. Here's what the resulting research reveals: - ...

How Confident Are Your IT Vendors?

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:47:00 -0400

Even though business confidence among IT hardware, software and service providers dipped slightly in Q2 2010, the outlook for the second half of 2010 is brighter, according to the quarterly CompTIA IT Industry Business Confidence Index. Many anticipate revenue increases in the next six months, and more than one third plan to hire new employees before year's end. - Business confidence among IT hardware and service providers dipped slightly in Q2 2010, according to the Quarterly IT Industry Business Confidence Index report from CompTIA. CompTIA is a non-profit trade organization for manufacturers, distributors, resellers, and educational institutions involved i...

CIO Reader Picks

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:47:31 -0400

The top 5 most-popular features of first-half 2010 have a heavy emphasis on the changing role of the CIO and the evolution of IT skills sets. The relationship between IT and business leaders continues to be fraught with tension, and you're looking for ways to deal with this. Also important: tying IT to revenue. - The most popular CIO Insight articles among your CIO peers so far this year illustrate some striking trends. Among them: Top IT skill sets and how to get them Revenue-driving technologies and other ways CIOs can be enterprise moneymakers IT Vs. business -- a seemingly never-ending failure to co...

Top Risk Factors for IT Companies

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:49:58 -0400

It's an uncertain business environment at best, and your vendors and partners -- not mention your employer -- must navigate a host of dangers. BDO's RiskFactor report looks at threats and challenges facing technology companies. How well will the companies that matter most to you fare in his climate, and what can you do to make sure things turn out in your best interest? - ...