Unisys Corporation is an American global information technology company based in Blue Bell, Penn., providing a portfolio of IT services, software and technology. In one form or another, Unisys has been around for a very long time; its origins can be traced back to 1886.
Moving ahead a century or so, Unisys commissioned IDG Connect, a research organization, to conduct a worldwide study on mobility and enterprises. A survey of close to 450 people was conducted, including IT decision makers in 13 countries around the world.
The results of this study show a chasm when it comes to success comparing organizations that have implemented a wide-ranging mobility strategy and those that still do not have a clear strategy. The companies that have already put into place a mobile strategy have much better results.
The study defines Mobile Enterprise as “trendsetters with a mobility strategy and technology roadmap, clear success metrics and an overall governance plan that integrates mobility.”
While it is true to say that 61 percent of the people surveyed said that their company has a mobile strategy already in place, it seems that when compared, there are a lot of differences in the way that each company has put these strategies and policies to use.
Listed below are some of the results taken from the study:
- 21 percent of respondents characterize their company as a trendsetting "mobile enterprise."
- 40 percent label their organization as "mobile enabled," with strategies and policies in place but no proactive governance.
- 28 percent call their organization "mobile aware," with pockets of mobile initiatives and some policies in place but with no overall strategy or governance.
- 11 percent say that their organization is a "mobile void," lacking any established strategy, policies or governance.
- Organizations mentioned above, that classify themselves as trend-setting "mobile enterprises" put a higher value on the returns they've seen through their investments in mobility strategies and programs as can be seen by the following:
- 79 percent of mobile enterprises say that their organizations have been able to measure a return on investment (ROI) for mobility vs. only 58 percent of overall respondents.
- 84 percent of mobile enterprises report an increase in productivity over the past year through their mobility programs vs. 70 percent of all responding organizations and 52 percent of the "mobile void."
- 75 percent of mobile enterprise respondents say that mobility generated new revenue for their organizations in the last year, compared to 30 percent of "mobile aware" and "mobile void" organizations.
The results of the study indicate that there are a number of factors involved that are causing these higher results for mobile enterprises. Some of the items include:
- 65 percent of mobile enterprises say that they use a formal, technology-enabled process to measure return on investment. Just one-third of all worldwide respondents report doing the same.
- Another 32 percent of respondents are using formal but manual processes, while 36 percent are using informal, ad-hoc measurement processes.
- 16 percent are not measuring ROI at all.
"This study clearly shows that success in mobility requires a concerted, holistic approach encompassing strategy, business applications and formal measurement of results in addition to infrastructure engineering,” said Darren McGrath, global director of mobility solutions at Unisys. “A fully planned, cohesive approach can make mobility a true business enabler, while an incoherent program creates the risk of a jury-rigged solution with tactical rather than strategic value to the organization."
McGrath continued by adding, "These results demonstrate that success in mobility is a function of careful planning, smart strategies and consistent execution. By taking a holistic, disciplined approach to mobility, organizations can increase the productivity of their people, grow revenue, unleash innovation and find new ways to serve their customers."
Edited by
Rory J. Thompson 
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