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Consumerization of IT Continues to Cause Digital Disruption as New Technologies Enter the Market

Written by Doug | Mar 24, 2014 4:00:00 AM
IDG Enterprise's 2014 Consumerization of IT in the Enterprise Research Details Integration of Consumer Devices Into the Enterprise and Adoption of Cloud, MDM and Mobile Apps FRAMINGHAM, MA--(Marketwired - Mar 24, 2014) - IDG Enterprise -- the leading enterprise technology media company comprising Computerworld, InfoWorld, Network World, CIO, DEMO, CSO, CIO Executive Council, ITworld, CFOworld and CITEworld -- releases the findings from the 2014 Consumerization of IT in the Enterprise (CITE) research, highlighting the impact CITE adoption has on the enterprise; integration of cloud, apps and mobile device management; and the next wave of consumer technologies IT decision-makers need to consider. CITE Adoption Results in New Policies and IT Purchases The proliferation of personal devices being used for work purposes has required the majority of organizations (82%) to make changes, from creating policies on how corporate data can be shared and investing in mobile device management (MDM) solutions, to purchasing secure file sharing services. IT executives and their departments are leading the charge for integrating consumer devices into the organization. To support a culture of employees working in the office and at home, over the next two years more organizations will support employee owned smart phones and tablets and 83% of organizations will invest in mobile technologies. The approval of consumer devices in the workplace is well received by employees; CITE will have a positive impact on user satisfaction (69%), and user productivity (66%) over the next 12-18 months ( check out the CITE infographic). "Consumerization of IT in the enterprise has created significant digital disruption in the past year, and the opportunity to innovate continues with the introduction of new devices and services," said Matthew Yorke, CEO, IDG Enterprise. "Organizations are working to mitigate risk and build security that enables employees and the businesses to use CITE technology to move the business into the digital era and create improved employee productivity and customer satisfaction." CITE: More than Just Smartphones and Tablets LinkedIn, Skype and other consumer or individual services are the cloud-based services most used by employees (90%) followed by file sharing and collaboration tools (79%) ( click to Tweet). However, many cloud-based tools and services come with an ease of use that results in employees adopting solutions with or without approval from their IT department. MDM use is more prevalent at enterprise organizations (1,000+ employees) and it is used on both company issued and employee owned mobile devices. While MDM offers a level of control not previously available, there still is uncertainty if MDM solutions can mitigate risk. Enterprise organizations and SMB organizations (< 1,000 employees) face different challenges with MDM implementation. Enterprise organizations believe that current solutions do not support the full portfolio of mobile devices, and cost is the biggest challenge for SMBs. Both enterprises and SMBs believe that MDM solutions can be too complex for implementation. Enterprises are investing in app development, for both employees and customers, more than SMB. Enterprises are seeing benefits of this investment, including increased employee productivity (56%) and increased customer satisfaction (46%). CITE and the Future of New Technologies The Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable technology trends are no longer just consumer conversations, they are finding their place in the enterprise. Nearly half of enterprises (46%) are actively exploring ways to use IoT to make business decisions and are looking at ways sensors can provide increased analytics and investigating vendors to help with analysis. Wearable devices from smart watches, Google glass and Fitbits are becoming mainstream. Forty percent of enterprises are preparing to support at least some employee use of wearable deceives, compared to 25% of SMBs. V endor Requirements Organizations are integrating CITE into their culture for multiple reasons. Over the next 12-18 months, organizations expect to see CITE creating a positive impact in user satisfaction, user productivity, process efficiency and collaboration, and business agility. Organizations have a long priority list for selecting mobile technology solutions. Security and reliability of the software or network are the top requirements (each 90%) closely followed by ease of use (88%) and integration into existing infrastructure (87%). "CITE gives employees more access and opportunity to use rogue technologies in their day-to-day work. IT executives must stay on the cutting edge of both enterprise and consumer technologies in order to provide solutions to their organization that embraces and encourages innovation. With so many tools and solutions this is not an easy task," continued Yorke. Join the CITE Conversation Join more than 1,000 technology and business executives, IT managers, marketers, venture capitalists and sponsors at the CITE (Consumerization of IT in the Enterprise) Conference + Expo as we explore the continuing innovation and challenges around the use of next-generation technologies in business today. From innovation with mobile, social, cloud and big data -- what IDC calls the Third Platform -- to wearable computing, 3-D printing, sensors and more, CITE will show you how to employ new technologies to drive your business. The CITE Conference + Expo will take place April 27-29, 2014 in San Francisco. Stay informed; follow CITE Conference + Expo on Twitter: @CITEConference #citeconf. Also join our Twitter chats using the hashtag #CITEchat, Fridays at 10 am PT beginning March 28. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities at CITEworld's CITE Conference + Expo, please contact Adam Dennison at adennison@idgenterprise.com. About the IDG Enterprise Consumerization of IT in the Enterprise Research IDG Enterprise's 2014 Consumerization of IT in the Enterprise research was conducted across more than 1,150 IT and security decision-makers from a range of industries. The research goal was to gain a better understanding of how consumer technologies are being used in the enterprise, and how those technologies are enabling innovation. All respondents are involved in at least one of the following steps in the purchase process of IT or security products and services: evaluation, recommending/ selecting vendors, determining requirements, determining the business need, approval/authorization or selling internally. To receive the complete study results contact Sue Yanovitch at syanovitch@idgenterprise.com.