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The other day I was reading an IBM discussion on work in today’s world and here is what their white paper discussed. In spite of – and perhaps because of – an increasingly complicated and constantly changing business environment, organizations are under intense pressure to get work done faster, cheaper and more effectively. The basic mechanics of work as we know it are being redefined. “Work” is no longer bounded by coworker proximity or time zone. It also involves a much broader set of “workers” – not just employees, suppliers and partners, but customers, freelancers and an increasingly capable network of smart devices and interconnected systems, all tied together by business processes that span organizations, time and distance.
In our own Consulting Solutions Group we support several global organizations with their ERP and CRM needs on a 24×7 basis. Our clients expect us to be there for them globally.
IBM conducted a survey on work with over 250 organizations and their analysis surfaced several key findings:
1. Leading organizations use smarter working practices far more extensively than their lower-performing peers. And they’re doing so to fuel growth, not just drive efficiency.
2. Across organizations, the three most pronounced capability gaps blocking greater agility are:
a. Process and skill reconfiguration;
b. Broader and more embedded collaboration; and
c. Integrated, real time information for decision making.
3. The most dynamic, collaborative and connected companies have widely adopted specific technologies that make smarter working practices viable.
As the pace of change accelerates and business complexity intensifies, what will differentiate an organization from its competitors? IBM’s researchers believe the answer lies in how it works – not how hard it works, but rather how smart it works. What do you think?