Thoughts on Mobile Strategies and Social Collaboration

Boise, Idaho is beautiful, but no Silicon Valley

Chris Howard, Gartner Managing VP was recently quoted as saying, "Organizations need to absorb the ways that their employees and consumers want to work and build systems to support them."  He was referring to social enterprise solutions.  I agree with Chris.  People today want a means to collaborate on ideas and to help make decisions.  They want to participate and to make things happen.  Distance, however, is an issue.  That is why places like Silicon Valley seem to always attract a lot of innovation.  It is due to people being together there and able to meet up at a physical location, exchange ideas and organize. The problem is many of us that want to be a part of these discussions are not in these geographies.

I want to pause a moment and introduce to you the concept of time-space compression.  Time-space compression often occurs as a result of technologies that seem to accelerate speed and reduce distances.  Here are some examples:

• Communications (telegraph, telephone, fax machines, Internet, mobile)
• Transportation (wheeled carts, rail, cars, trains, jets, rockets)
• Business (online marketing, online sales, globalization, SFA, Mobile CRM, Mobile BI, Mobile Payments, Mobile Banking)

Social enterprise collaboration solutions like SAP's JAM, Jive, Yammer and Chatter also help with time-space compression.  They are able to accelerate the amount of information and idea exchanges, and reduce the effective distance (geographic obstacles) between participants.   This often increases the speed of decision making and innovation.

It is these kinds of soft ROIs that are so hard to document, but can lead to incredible productivity gains. A couple of months ago I interviewed SAP's CIO Oliver Bussman.  I asked Oliver about social collaboration solutions at SAP and where he could point to ROIs.  He told me about the merits of reading about events using collaboration technology as opposed to email threads.  He said reading a discussion on a collaboration platform enables you to see the whole discussion, while email threads only provide a limited view of the participant's opinions and exchanges.  Why?  You are not always included in every email thread (thank goodness!).  The point is, there are better technology platforms (social enterprise collaboration) that can provide more efficient ways of sharing information among groups of people.

Aberdeen Group in the report "Mobility in ERP 2011" says the following, "Getting the right information, to the right people, so they can make the right decisions is the driving force behind mobilizing the workforce."  I would add, that in addition to mobilizing the workforce, providing them with social enterprise collaboration platforms that also compress time and space is one of the next logical steps to increasing productivity.

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Kevin Benedict, Head Analyst for SMAC, Cognizant

Read The Future of Work

Visit MobileEnterpriseStrategies.com

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the Linkedin Group Strategic Enterprise Mobility

Full Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. No company is silly enough to claim them. I am a mobility and SMAC analyst, consultant and writer. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

M2M News Weekly – Week of November 18, 2012

Welcome to M2M News Weekly, an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices.  I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article.  I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

Also read Enterprise Mobility Asia News Weekly
Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Health News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read SMAC News Weekly

Shipments of cellular M2M module will grow from 76 million in 2012 to 104 million in 2013, according to a study by research firm Strategy Analytics. Read Original Content

TechNavio's analysts forecast the Global Smart Grid Communications market will grow at a CAGR of 13.37 percent over the period 2011-2015. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increase in smart grid construction. Read Original Content

A new Zpryme report recently released projects the global energy management system market will reach $1.70 billion in 2012. By 2020, the global market is projected to reach $9.98 billion. Read Original Content

ILS Technology provides ready-to-use cloud based platforms to implement and manage M2M (machine to machine) and embedded wireless devices that connect to SAP.  ILS Technology simplifies deployments and offers unparalleled security to protect company and customer data and to ensure regulatory compliance. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ILS Technology.

At the Open Innovations Forum in Moscow, Ericsson announced a strategic cooperation with one of Russia's major operators, MegaFon, to develop the market around M2M connectivity. Read Original Content

Airbus became the first commercial aircraft manufacturer to announce plans to employ permanent radio frequency identification tags on parts for its A350 XWB aircraft. Now, Airbus is the first aircraft manufacturer to expand the permanent tagging of selected parts across its entire fleet. Read Original Content

A new fleet driver communications solution, based around a smartphone app, has been launched by Driverconnex. The Driverconnex solution has been designed to complement any pre-existing fleet management system. Read Original Content

Total mobile connections will stand at 6.8 billion including M2M, or 5.9 billion excluding M2M and inactive SIM cards by fourth quarter, according to a study by GSMA. Read Original Content

A new Strategy Analytics M2M Strategies report "M2M Devices Annual Sales by Air Interface, Region by Industry Vertical" predicts cellular M2M module shipments will grow from 76 million in 2012 to 104 million in 2013. Read Original Content

Mobile Expert Video Series: SMAC Expert Tom Thimot

SMAC (social, mobile, analytics and cloud) is the acronym for what you do with your smartphone and tablet.  These four forces working together are transforming our personal lives and the way we run our companies.  In this interview, SMAC expert and VP of Emerging Business Accelerators at Cognizant, Tom Thimot talks SMAC.

Video Link: http://youtu.be/XItSKocMelQ

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Kevin Benedict, Head Analyst for SMAC, Cognizant

Read The Future of Work

Visit MobileEnterpriseStrategies.com

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the Linkedin Group Strategic Enterprise Mobility

Full Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. No company is silly enough to claim them. I am a mobility and SMAC analyst, consultant and writer. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

SMAC News Weekly – Week of November 18, 2012

Welcome to SMAC News Weekly, featuring the latest news and numbers relating to SMAC (social, mobile, analytics and cloud) that I come across each week.

Also read Enterprise Mobility Asia News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Health News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly

Each of us is impacted by SMAC.  We all use mobile devices and social networking solutions like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  We use search engines, maps and weather apps, all of which use analytics and are in the cloud.  SMAC is the combination of all of these trends coming together on mobile devices.  This convergence is impacting businesses in many different ways.  We will do our best to capture these by reporting on the SMAC trends, numbers and forecasts in this weekly newsletter.

Facebook is now accepting mobile payments in France, covering services like virtual gifts and game credits for its HTML5-based content, which can now be billed directly to a user’s mobile bill rather than via premium SMS or credit cards. Read Original Content

Cisco is working with AT&T to move into the data analytics game with a new platform that focuses on analyzing location-based information stemming from mobile devices in public hotspots such as retail stores, hotels and hospitals. Read Original Content

A bank in South Africa announced this summer that its mobile banking customers are now able to conduct transactions and monitor their accounts through Facebook. This type of cross-pollination between banks and social media does not yet exist in the United States, but it could be coming. Read Original Content

While social, mobile, analytics and cloud technologies add a new dimension to your model, to fully maximize their value consider the sum is greater than its parts. The formula for the Future of Work is called SMAC - social, mobile, analytics and cloud on one integrated stack, where each function enables another to maximize their effect.  To learn more about SMAC and Cognizant please visit http://www.cognizant.com/futureofwork/smac.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Cognizant.

Digital startup Science has publicly launched HelloInsights, a premium platform for Pinterest influencer analytics. It aims to help brands optimize their social media campaigns by providing tools for measuring company growth on Pinterest. Read Original Content

Dell is expanding its data center capabilities, buying Gale Technologies for its infrastructure automation software. Gale Technologies will give Dell greater automation software capabilities for cloud-focused, converged IT infrastructure environments. Read Original Content

SAP expects cloud solutions to bring in revenue of 1.6 billion euros in 2017. In the second quarter of this year, the revenue from cloud was 69 million euros. Annualized, that's about 276 million euros. Read Original Content

Compass Labs announced the launch of CLIQ Social Intelligence, a software solution that provides marketers and advertisers with access to an unprecedented level of data and analytics around a brand’s social presence and performance on Facebook and Twitter. Read Original Content

The vast majority of wealth managers and private banks are dealing quite “clumsily” with social media according to a recent study of 50 leading private banks and wealth management firms by Swiss consulting firm Assetinum. Read Original Content

Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict

Mobile Expert Video Series: SMAC Expert Tom Thimot
Mobile Expert Video Series: Scott Musgrove
Mobile Expert Video Series: Kevin Benedict
Mobile Expert Video Series: Dominick Ruggiero
Mobile Expert Video Series: SAP's Oliver Betz
SAP and the Internet of Things (M2M)
Mobile Expert Video Series: Tom Thimot
Kevin Benedict's What's New in HTML5 - Week of November 11, 2012

Recorded Webinars of Note

Netcentric Strategies Enterprise Mobility Survey Results

Whitepapers of Note

5 Tips to Minimize the Impact of Rising Fuel Costs in Field Service
The Mobile Business Forecast 2012oosing Between On-Premises and Cloud Delivery
Mobility Innovations for the Next Generation Utility
On The Road to Agile Mobile Business Applications
Yankee Report "MDM is Dead, Long Live MDM"

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Kevin Benedict, Head Analyst for SMAC, Cognizant

Read The Future of Work

Visit MobileEnterpriseStrategies.com

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the Linkedin Group Strategic Enterprise Mobility

Full Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. No company is silly enough to claim them. I am a mobility and SMAC analyst, consultant and writer. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Field Mobility News Weekly – Week of November 18, 2012

The Field Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to field mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read Enterprise Mobility Asia News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Health News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly

Mobile satellite navigation firm Waze has launched a GPS location-based advertising platform, protecting users’ privacy by displaying the information from drivers anonymously.  Read Original Content

Utilizing GPS tracking for fleet management saves time for drivers and provides managers with information on how to optimize the fleet’s operations.  Using digital tracking in the warehouse through GPS or RFID technology allows managers to control inventory through every step of production.  Read Original Content

Accusoft has announced the launch of the Accusoft Barcode Scanner app for Apple’s iOS, enabling users to scan books, UPC codes and QR codes.  Read Original Content

ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware.

Science Applications International Corporation has launched its GRGlobe application, enabling users to create, edit and visualize GIS data natively in a Google Earth environment.  Read Original Content

Idaho State University, the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management and NASA scientists are working together to develop a prototype GIS-based fire recovery decision support system.  Read Original Content

Motorola has introduced a new rugged RFID handheld reader, the MC9190-Z Handheld RFID Reader, designed for the manufacturing, warehouse, pharmaceutical, transportation and logistics industries.  Read Original Content

Mobile software company Meridian has released its NavKit and BluDotKit SDKs to aid developers in adding indoor GPS functionality to new or existing apps.  Read Original Content

Panasonic has launched the Toughbook CF-C2, a Windows 8 rugged convertible PC designed for healthcare professionals, aviation technicians and automotive engineers.  Read Original Content

A journalist and a software engineer in Austria have teamed up to develop a free plug-in software tool to enable users to develop apps for reading NFC tags.  Read Original Content

Honeywell has released a new mobility application that enables field operators to view and respond to live information from the Experion Process Knowledge System while on rounds or inspecting the plant.  Read Original Content

Vertical Solutions, Inc. and SkyTrace have formed a partnership for a field service management solution, enabling field service technicians to transmit data from their GPS devices directly to Vertical Solutions' cloud-based tool for customer support, field service, and mobile environments.  Read Original Content

Getac has introduced a new rugged handheld device for field service personnel.  The
PS336 has interchangeable end caps offering a variety of features including RFID, barcode and card readers and long-range Bluetooth.  Read Original Content

RunMobile has developed an app to help first responders, emergency management officials and insurance adjusters assess, record and geo-locate damage from disasters.  Initial testing is underway by emergency personnel in Wisconsin and Illinois. Read Original Content

According to an article in the MIT Sloan Management Review, GIS technology is being used along with social, customer relationship management, and public and private data sources, linking them with location data to better predict trends and help drive business decisions.  Read Original Content

ILS Technology provides ready-to-use cloud based platforms to implement and manage M2M (machine to machine) and embedded wireless devices that connect to SAP.  ILS Technology simplifies deployments and offers unparalleled security to protect company and customer data and to ensure regulatory compliance. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ILS Technology.

Airbus has announced plans to employ permanent RFID tags to selected parts across the entire fleet of aircraft beginning in 2013.  Read Original Content

Nokia’s mapping service is now called “Here”, offering new features including 3D imaging via its web platform and an explore feature that offers points-of-interest recommendations based on the user’s location. Nokia has also announced the acquisition of earthmine, a 3D street-level imaging specialist.  Read Original Content

Tom Devroy of IFS Metrix discusses the “3 Field Service Trends You Can’t Ignore” - Mobility, Scheduling Optimization and Software as a Service - in this audio broadcast from IFS Radio.  Read Original Content

Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict

Mobile Expert Video Series: Kevin Benedict
Mobile Expert Video Series: Dominick Ruggiero
Mobile Expert Video Series: SAP's Oliver Betz
SAP and the Internet of Things (M2M)
Mobile Expert Video Series: Tom Thimot
Using Mobile Technologies to Drive Business Visibility
Mobile Expert Video Series: Mustafa Bensan
How Many Cloud Systems is Your Mobile Device Using?
Mobile Expert Video Series: SAP's Simon Miller

Recorded Webinars of Note

Netcentric Strategies Enterprise Mobility Survey Results

Whitepapers of Note

The A to Z of Mobile Workforce Scheduling Optimization
The Mobile Business Forecast 2012
Staying Awake with Workforce Management
Two Roads to Mobile Workforce Management: Choosing Between On-Premises and Cloud Delivery
Yankee Report "MDM is Dead, Long Live MDM"

*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Head Analyst for SMAC, Cognizant

Read The Future of Work

Visit MobileEnterpriseStrategies.com

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the Linkedin Group Strategic Enterprise Mobility

Full Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. No company is silly enough to claim them. I am a mobility and SMAC analyst, consultant and writer. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.