CSC Smart Business UK Edition December - BYOD guides the CIO
BYOD guides the CIO
CSC's 2012 CIO Barometer pinpoints Bring Your Own Device as a major challenge and opportunity
CIOs have revealed in CSC's 2012 CIO Barometer the main challenge they face is managing tight budgets while supporting mobility through Bring Your Own Device initiatives. It is a difficult balance to achieve, particularly as many believe IT is still seen as a cost centre rather than a dynamic, central part of an organisation delivering an agenda for growth.
Senior IT leaders across Europe have revealed through CSC's annual CIO Barometer study that the technology agenda is being driven by the consumerisation of IT. This is equipping executives with ever more powerful smartphones and tablets which CIOs are coming under increasing pressure to support.
The findings endorse other surveys in the UK that have shown the Bring Your Own Device issue has been gathering momentum as smartphone penetration levels have remained the highest in Europe.
The annual CSC study of opinions among more than 300 IT decision makers in Europe illustrates how CIOs are under pressure to embrace new, mobile devices by both employees and customers. The challenge facing CIOs, though, is embracing these trends, so organisations can be more productive and work smarter, at the same time as controlling cost and ensuring security.
These conflicting challenges are highlighted in the CIO Barometer report as arising at a time when the IT department can feel its role as a strategic driver of change within organisations is not always acknowledged. Although four in five managers see technology as fundamental to their business model, nearly half of respondents (45%) reveal IT is still seen as a cost centre within their organisation. Only a little over one in three (37%) believes the IT department is now seen by other departments as a partner.
Positive news
Interestingly, this challenge of supporting BYOD and mobility is front of mind for CIOs across Europe, yet provides a twin-edged sword of opportunities and potential issues.
Nearly nine in ten respondents (88%) report that using consumer technology has improved satisfaction in the work place. This clearly demonstrates executives now feel empowered to select which applications will boost their productivity and make them more effective in the work place. Hence, nearly two in three respondents (62%) cited the opportunities arising through BYOD has prompted their organisation to extend their suite of mobile applications.
The impact is not only being seen through the applications that organisations are rolling out to enable BYOD initiatives, it is also driving the business models through which these services are commissioned, networked and consumed. Allowing employees and partners to access data on a variety of platforms is now the number one priority for one in three companies adopting cloud technologies. In fact, enabling smartphone and tablet owners to 'bring your own device' was picked above cost reductions as the primary motivator for cloud projects.
Balance needed
There is, of course, a potential down side and it comes in the form of security. Use of mobile devices has led to a rise in security incidents, according to 72% of respondents. Clearly, there is much promise in BYOD but there is considerable extra risk which organisations will have to ensure is countered by robust security.
In fact, security was picked out by 72% of IT decision makers as the department's leading challenge. The other major concern was, unsurprisingly, budgetary constraints. More than half of respondents (53%) cite cost issues as holding back the department in terms of innovation.
However, it is clear that IT departments are rising to budget challenges by, according to 70% of respondents, increased productivity and efficiency.
Through the careful deployment of new technologies which enable new ways of supporting employees and working with partners and clients, it would appear CIOs are optimistic they can balance the challenges ahead. With new tools leading to better efficiencies, budget can be made available to meet the conundrum posed by the twin requirements of managing cost yet supporting BYOD.
Learn more about CSC’s work in managing BYOD