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Navigating the Evolution of IT: The Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market

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Global Trade Daily, Technology

Navigating the Evolution of IT: The Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Market

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In the paced world of technology, companies are always on the lookout for new ways to improve their IT systems. The traditional data centers have gone through changes and become intricate environments that often require a dedicated team, for upkeep and management. That’s where the Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI) market comes in—a solution that offers simplicity, scalability and cost efficiency. In this blog post we’ll take a dive into the realm of HCI exploring its growth, advantages, challenges and its crucial role in shaping the future of IT.

The Rise of Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI) is a method for managing data centers that integrates storage, compute, networking and virtualization into one comprehensive system. By combining these elements HCI eliminates the necessity for hardware components and streamlines infrastructure management. The HCI market has experienced remarkable growth in recent times.

Market Overview

According to a report by research nester the hyper converged infrastructure market is projected to expand and reach a value of USD 358.3 Billion by 2035 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.10% from 2023 to 2035. Furthermore, in 2022 the market size for hyper converged infrastructure was recorded at USD 13.9 Billion.

Key players in the market include Dell Technologies, VMware Inc., Nutanix Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, StorMagic, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Scale Computing. These companies account for a significant portion of the market share and are continuously innovating to stay ahead of the competition.

  • Feb 2, 2022: Green panel has decided to implement the Dell EMC Vx Rail hyper converged infrastructure in order to upgrade their data center and enhance efficiency in their manufacturing and business operations.
  • November 24, 2021: VMware Inc. has recently announced that they have again been recognized as a Leader in the Gartner® Inc. Magic QuadrantTM for Hyperconverged Infrastructure Software marking their consecutive acknowledgment. Additionally, VMware has achieved the positioning on the Completeness of Vision axis.

Key Market Drivers and Trends

  • Simplicity and Ease of Management: Simplifying data center management, HCI brings together storage, compute, networking and virtualization into one platform. This eliminates the requirement to handle hardware components and streamlines daily operations making IT infrastructure management less complex.
  • Edge Computing: According to survey data it seems that businesses are planning to allocate around 31% of their IT budgets towards edge cloud computing in the coming three years. A significant portion 58% of decision makers in the field of mobility have already included edge computing in their plans since 2020. As edge computing gains importance many organizations are favoring HCI as a solution for managing remote and distributed IT environments. The design of edge HCI solutions specifically addresses the challenges faced in edge locations, such as limited space and connectivity constraints.
  • Data Protection and Disaster Recovery: Incorporating data security measures and contingency plans is a practice, in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI). These measures usually include automated backups and replication which are designed to safeguard the availability and integrity of data. By implementing these capabilities organizations can effectively minimize the risks associated with data loss and system downtime.
  • Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Integration: Many companies opt for a combination of cloud (38% compared to 35% last year) or multi cloud strategy (35%) to make the most of various services scale up easily and ensure smooth business operations. Around 80% of organizations utilize two or more IaaS or PaaS providers. The field of HCI is constantly evolving to offer effortless integration with multi cloud environments. This empowers companies to enjoy the benefits of public cloud services while retaining control over their infrastructure.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): Many HCI vendors are integrating intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) features into their businesses to improve resource allocation, enhance security measures and optimize predictive maintenance. This ultimately leads to increased efficiency. It has been noted that a significant 92% of top tier organizations are actively investing in AI initiatives. In terms of support, machine learning applications received a remarkable $29 billion in funding while machine learning platforms were granted $16 billion, in investments during the year 2019.

Regional Landscape and Segmentation

The North American market is expected to see the highest growth in the market share of hyper converged infrastructure compared to other regions by the end of 2035. This growth is driven by the increasing number of data breaches in this region and the efforts made by organizations to protect their data and invest in AI. Half (about 46%) of American businesses experienced a data breach in the past year but considering that there may be additional breaches that have not yet been discovered the actual number could be even higher. As a result, many enterprises, in North America are focusing on improving their infrastructure security to enhance their hybrid cloud capabilities and advance their infrastructure strategy while maintaining strong security measures.

The global hyper-converged infrastructure market is segmented and analyzed for demand and supply by:

Component: Solutions, Services. 

Application: Remote Office/Branch Office, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, Data Center Consolidation, Data Protection & Disaster Recovery.

End User: banking, financial services, & insurance BFSI, IT & telecom, manufacturing, government, and healthcare. 

Out of which, it is expected that the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) industry will generate the highest revenue by 2035. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for data storage and protection within this sector. Since January 2018, 999 data breaches have affected approximately 152 million records in the United States alone. Consequently, ensuring data privacy has become a priority for the banking and finance sector.

Use Cases

One of the most compelling use cases for hyper-converged infrastructure is virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). With VDI users are able to access their desktops from a server, which can often be demanding on server resources. Hyper converged infrastructure provides a solution by offering a system that includes compute, storage and networking resources in one manageable package.

Another important application of HCI is in remote office/branch office (ROBO) deployments. These environments typically have limited IT resources. Necessitate a solution that can be easily deployed and managed from a distance. Hyper converged infrastructure offers a simplified solution, for such scenarios minimizing complexity and enhancing overall efficiency.

Challenges of Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

One of the difficulties with HCI is the risk of getting locked into a specific vendor. Once you’ve made an investment in a vendor’s solution it can be quite challenging and costly to switch to another vendor. This limitation can restrict your choices. Make it harder to adapt in the long term. However, there are ways to address this concern. For instance, you can opt for a vendor that supports standards or utilize abstraction layers to separate your applications from the underlying infrastructure.

Another hurdle of HCI is dealing with potential complexities. As your environment expands and becomes intricate, managing and resolving issues can become quite challenging. To tackle this obstacle, it would be beneficial to consider leveraging automation tools and implementing practices, for configuration management. Additionally, having an understanding of your requirements and selecting a solution that meets those needs without unnecessary complications is crucial.

Conclusion

The Hyper-Converged Infrastructure market is reshaping the world of IT by making data center management easier improving scalability and reducing costs. As companies prioritize transformation and agility, HCI will continue to be an important part of their IT strategies. To navigate this changing market successfully businesses need to assess their needs consider current trends and select HCI solutions that align with their long term goals. By doing they can fully utilize the potential of HCI and position themselves for future success in the constantly evolving technology landscape.

Source: https://www.researchnester.com/reports/hyper-converged-infrastructure-market/4792 

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Global Trade Daily, Technology

Top Reasons on Why it is Better to Buy Refurbished IT

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When it’s time to purchase a new laptop, there’s an alternative you may not yet have considered, Refurbished IT. Before dismissing the suggestion, it’s worth spending a few minutes exploring the reasons behind such a statement. To begin with, a refurbished laptop has many advantages, particularly with regard to protecting the environment, sustainability and high performance. Why is it better to buy refurbished IT? Let’s find out.

What is the Meaning of Refurbished?

There is a clear difference between refurbished and second-hand IT. The latter means it’s a laptop that has been used and is sold as seen. Whatever faults the laptop may have, such as water damage or overheated components, they come with it. That’s the main reason why second-hand IT rarely has a warranty. Once you discover its shortcomings, there is no chance of receiving a refund or a replacement.

Although a refurbished laptop has usually endured plenty of action, it’s sold in virtually perfect condition. That’s because it has been completely overhauled by experienced IT technicians. They test every component including the Central Processing Unit (CPU). Any faults are expertly repaired or if that’s not possible, the component is replaced. By the end of the procedure, the refurbished laptop is thoroughly tested and inspected, ensuring it provides the same level of performance as when it was new.

Reassurance of a Warranty

When purchasing a refurbished laptop from a trusted company, you’ll find several safeguards. These may include a full refund within fourteen days if you are not satisfied with the laptop’s performance. You’ll generally receive a warranty that lasts as least twelve months.

Many such companies even offer extended warranties, which should provide you with plenty of reassurance about the quality of their work. You may even be offered regular servicing, ensuring an excellent performance throughout its lifetime.

An Opportunity to Acquire a Powerful Laptop

When you choose a refurbished laptop, you are assured of a reliable, up to date machine at a cost-effective price. Personal laptops can often be 50% less than their original cost, yet their performance is as good as new. If you’d like to upgrade to a business model, a reputable company usually offers a wide range of high performance refurbished laptops.

These may have once been part of an IT department in a large company that has a policy of replacing its equipment on a regular basis. It gives you the opportunity to select a business model at a cost-effective price. In many instances, you can save as much as 80% compared to a new equivalent.

Refurbished Laptops are Secure

When purchasing a second-hand laptop, it might still include data and files from the previous user. By contrast, a refurbished laptop is expertly cleansed. Reputable ITAD companies use various methods such as wiping or overwriting data to render it completely unreadable. In many instances, particularly with business models, the hard drive is usually shredded and replaced.

When purchasing refurbished equipment from a trusted supplier, you won’t inherit someone else’s data. The devices are also reliably checked for security. It ensures they don’t contain hidden code or malicious spyware. You can use a refurbished device with confidence, knowing it’s safe and secure.

Why is it Better to Buy Refurbished IT?

Without doubt, one of the greatest advantages in choosing a refurbished laptop is sustainability. Refurbishing is a strategy that protects the environment while making the most of available resources. It’s an essential part of the circular economy where nothing goes to waste.

According to Forbes, an astonishing 155,000 tons of electronic waste is deposited in UK landfill sites every year. On average, it’s the equivalent of every person discarding 23.9 kilograms of e-waste. Many of the devices are thrown away even if they are still perfectly usable simply to make way for the latest model.

Companies specializing in IT Asset Disposition recycle all the e-waste they collect. If a laptop or component cannot be reused, its valuable metals are retrieved and recycled. Even plastic materials are recycled for alternative use.

Conclusion

When purchasing refurbished equipment from a reputable company, you’ll usually find powerful, up to date laptops that won’t cost a fortune. They are reliably secure and endorsed by a warranty and optional servicing. Most importantly, you’re helping to protect the environment from harmful e-waste. Refurbishing also reduces the demand for raw materials. Purchase a refurbished laptop and you gain reliable sustainability with the benefits of a circular economy.

 

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, Technology

Exposed Cloud Data is a $28 Million Cyber Risk for the Average Company

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The average company with data in the cloud faces $28 million in data-breach risk, according to a new report from Varonis. The Great SaaS Data Exposure examines the challenges CISOs face in protecting data across a growing portfolio of SaaS apps and services such as Microsoft 365, Box, and Okta.

The study highlights how hard-to-control collaboration, complex SaaS permissions, and risky misconfigurations — such as admin accounts without multi-factor authentication (MFA) — have left a dangerous amount of cloud data exposed to insider threats and cyberattacks.

For the report, researchers at Varonis analyzed nearly 10 billion cloud objects (more than 15 petabytes of data) across a random sample of data risk assessments performed at more than 700 companies worldwide.

Key findings from the Varonis report include:

  • Most companies are sitting on exposed data in the cloud. A whopping 81 percent of organizations had sensitive SaaS data exposed.
  • Companies face dangerous cloud data risks. In the average company, 157,000 sensitive records are exposed to everyone on the internet by SaaS sharing features, representing $28 million in data-breach risk.
  • Broad internal data exposure is a real problem One out of every 10 records in the cloud is exposed to all employees — creating an impossibly large internal blast radius, which maximizes damage during a ransomware attack.
  • Missing MFA makes attackers’ jobs easier. The average company has 4,468 user accounts without MFA enabled, making it easier for attackers to compromise internally exposed data.
  • Sitting-duck admin accounts leave companies vulnerable. Out of 33 super admin accounts in the average organization, more than half did not have MFA enabled. This makes it easier for attackers to compromise these powerful accounts, steal more data, and create backdoors.
  • Untenable permission structures pose a big challenge. Companies have more than 40 million unique permissions across SaaS applications, creating a nightmare for IT and security teams responsible for managing and reducing cloud data risk.

About Varonis
Varonis is a pioneer in data security and analytics, fighting a different battle than conventional cybersecurity companies. Varonis focuses on protecting enterprise data: sensitive files and emails; confidential customer, patient, and employee data; financial records; strategic and product plans; and other intellectual property. The Varonis Data Security Platform detects cyber threats from both internal and external actors by analyzing data, account activity, and user behavior; prevents and limits disaster by locking down sensitive and stale data; and efficiently sustains a secure state with automation. Varonis products address additional important use cases including data protection, data governance, Zero Trust, compliance, data privacy, classification, and threat detection and response. Varonis started operations in 2005 and has customers spanning leading firms in the financial services, public, healthcare, industrial, insurance, energy and utilities, technology, consumer and retail, media and entertainment, and education sectors.

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BIS Requests Comments from Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Semiconductor Supply Chains on Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

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The Department of Commerce’s (“Commerce”) Bureau of Industry & Security (“BIS”) recently issued requests for comment on risks to the information communications and technology (“ICT”) and semiconductor supply chains. These comments are being requested as part of the U.S. government’s broader review of supply chain vulnerabilities.

ICT Supply Chain Request for Comment:

Executive Order 14017 (“EO 14017”) requires Commerce and the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to issue a report on supply chains for critical sectors and subsectors of the ICT industrial base. The recent Federal Register notice, published on September 20, 2021, describes the ICT industrial basis as: (a) hardware that enables terrestrial distribution, broadcast/wireless transport, satellite support, data storage to include data center and cloud technologies, and end user devices including home devices such as routers, antennae, and receivers, and mobile devices; (b) critical software; and (c) services that have direct dependencies on one or more of the enabling hardware. BIS seeks comments on eleven (11) topics, which are described in further detail in the notice and which we summarize below:

-“Critical goods and materials,” as defined in EO 14017, Section 6(b);

-“Other essential goods and materials,” as defined in EO 14017, Section 6(d);

-Manufacturing, or other capabilities necessary to produce or supply “critical goods and materials” and “other essential goods and materials”;

-Supply chain disruption and compromise threats such as cyber, health, climate, environmental, geopolitical, forced-labor, and other risks;

-Resilience and capacity of domestic ICT supply chains to support domestic requirements as described in EO 14017, such as national, economic, and information security;

-Allies’ and partners’ actions on ICT supply chains;

-Primary causes of risks for any vulnerable aspects of the ICT supply chain;

-Prioritization of “critical goods and materials” and “other essential goods and materials” to identify options and policy recommendations;

-Specific policy recommendations for ensuring a resilient ICT supply chain;

-Executive, legislative, regulatory, and policy changes needed to strengthen domestic ICT supply chain manufacturing and prevent supply chain disruption and compromise; and

-Suggested improvements to the government-wide effort to strengthen supply chains.

Comments on the ICT supply chain are due by November 4, 2021.

Semiconductor Supply Chain Request for Comment:

On September 24, 2021, BIS published a Federal Register notice which requests comments from interested parties, especially domestic and foreign semiconductor designers, manufacturers, material/equipment suppliers, as well as intermediate and end-users. Any interested party may submit comments, however. The BIS notice includes a questionnaire for semiconductor designers, manufacturers, and microelectronic assemblers, and their suppliers and distributors, as well as a questionnaire for intermediate and end-users of semiconductor products or integrated circuits. The questions mainly cover the production process and focus on disruptions to the semiconductor and integrated circuit inventories of intermediate and end-users. Interested parties should note before filing comments at regulations.gov that BIS requires commenters fill out an Excel spreadsheet form posted on BIS’ website to be completed and filed along with the comments. Comments on the semiconductor supply chain (including a completed form) are due by November 8, 2021.

_________________________________________________________________

Cortney O’Toole Morgan is a Washington D.C.-based partner with the law firm Husch Blackwell LLP. She leads the firm’s International Trade & Supply Chain group.

Grant Leach is an Omaha-based partner with the law firm Husch Blackwell LLP focusing on international trade, export controls, trade sanctions and anti-corruption compliance.

Tony Busch is an attorney in Husch Blackwell LLP’s Washington, D.C. office.

Geopolitical
Archives, Commentary, Global Trade Daily

Axis of Innovation: A New School of Geopolitical Economics for the Digital Age

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What a difference a few decades make. Trade ministers from the United States and European Union recently felt compelled to sit down for special high-level ministerial forum in hopes of strengthening their relationship after years of transatlantic tensions on all manner of digital-age economic and trade matters—from digital service taxes to cross-border data flows—which together reflect fundamental differences of geopolitical strategy for the digital economy.

This never would have been necessary in the Cold War, when there was a clear, Manichean struggle between the democratic, market-based West and the authoritarian-communist East. It would have been inconceivable in those days to have such differences “across the pond.” There was strong bipartisan support in the United States—and parallel support in Europe—for a cohesive approach to the geopolitical economy that aimed to attract allies and isolate the Soviet Union and China by supporting Western business interests and spreading democracy around the world.

 


But now, as the Cold War fades into history and as the global economy is increasingly driven by digital and information technologies instead of heavy industry, that consensus view of the geopolitical economy has fractured. The old “free markets and free people” camp has maintained a foothold in the United States, and authoritarian statism is still deeply rooted in the parts of the East, but alongside them there are now other competing visions—including social democratic regulation in Europe and a rising form of digital protectionism in countries such as India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

If the United States is to effectively advance its interests, which now hinge on spurring faster and deeper digital innovation and transformation, then U.S. policymakers need to recognize this new formation, while embracing a new framework for the geopolitical economy that is better suited to the times: national developmentalism. The overriding priority should be advancing domestic technology competitiveness instead of sacrificing U.S. economic interests on the altar of other foreign policy goals as America often did in the Cold War. Failure to execute this strategic pivot will produce a technologically weaker U.S. economy.

Until recently, America had only one big idea when it came to geopolitical economics, embodied in the neoliberal “Washington consensus.” Policymakers advocated at home and abroad for open markets, deeper trade, limited regulation, budget constraints, the rule of law, and a modest role for government. That approach worked in the Cold War, but there are two problems with it now: First, it ignores the fact that government plays a key role in helping develop and spread digital technologies, as we have seen in the history of the Internet, semiconductors, computing, and technologies like GPS—all of which the federal government spurred. Advancing growth in the era of digital innovation requires more than firms and markets acting on their own. Second, when U.S. policymakers point to the Washington consensus as the only alternative to China’s seemingly successful state-directed model, it gives nations looking to grow their own digital economies a limited choice: Do little and hope markets work things out for the best or be aggressive by copying Beijing’s statist model.

As in the Cold War, some nations today continue to embrace authoritarian statism, but with a digital edge and a more market-friendly veneer. China and Russia are the torchbearers for this formula, with China taking it to the greatest extreme. For China’s central planners, the approach is more than authoritarian; it is deeply mercantilist, seeking not just to build up domestic technology firms by any means necessary, but also to harm foreign competitors—as when Chinese firms coerce their Western counterparts into transferring intellectual property as the price of doing business in China while also enjoying lavish subsidies for “going out” to challenge Western firms for global market share.

This is a model that empowers U.S. adversaries and harms global innovation, because by employing tactics such as massive subsidies, IP theft, and coerced technology transfers, China is empowering its firms to take market share away from more innovative firms in other nations. Moreover, China scoffs at concepts such as freedom and democracy, and in global governance forums, its strategy is to ensure that its formula prevails over the U.S. model of freedom and human rights with private and civil-sector governance.

Meanwhile, where the United States and Europe once were closely aligned on economic and foreign policy, their goals and interests have now diverged. In the EU’s social democratic approach to the digital economy, the government’s main role is to regulate, rather than promote, technology and technology companies (especially U.S. companies) to achieve social policy goals. The EU is doing everything it can, including using carrots and sticks, to bring other nations into its orbit, offering its model as a third-way alternative to Chinese authoritarianism and what it considers to be America’s “cowboy capitalism.” The result is a spread of a digital regulatory system marked by higher taxes, onerous rules, and strict antitrust enforcement, which constrains global innovation and weakens U.S. competitiveness. And unfortunately, many U.S. policymakers, particularly on the left, see this as an appealing alternative to the Washington consensus they believe has been discredited.

But ultimately social-democratic regulation of the digital economy will prove to be a dead end. Even though EU social democrats and their U.S. allies profess to be pro-innovation, the reality is that onerous regulations on privacy, competition, “fairness,” and other areas result in less innovation, slower economic growth, and worse experiences for consumers.

On a separate track are unaligned nations that often charted their own path in the Cold War era. Today, many of them are defaulting toward digital protectionism as a preferred approach. For example, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, among others, see limiting foreign IT and digital market access as the key to growing their domestic digital economies. To that end, they take measures such as limiting cross-border data flows, favoring domestic digital firms, and otherwise discriminating against foreign technology firms. This, too, will likely prove to be a dead end. Digital protectionism usually doesn’t work, in part because it doesn’t just harm the interests of U.S. firms and others, but often drives up the costs of digital technologies domestically, thereby limiting their use and forgoing the productivity benefits they offer.

Against this backdrop, the United States faces a host of new challenges, but it also has an opportunity to secure a new era of prosperity for itself and others by embracing a national developmentalist model in which government helps coach firms within its borders to compete globally, innovate, and boost productivity. This entails supporting innovation, markets, and business—including big business. But it also recognizes that the state should play a key role in supporting digital innovation in areas like broadband, health care, education, and governance while defending U.S. firms from unfair foreign competition. Among the nations moving toward the national developmentalism model are the Scandinavian bloc, the United Kingdom (as conservatives increasingly move beyond their Thatcherite traditions), Israel, Singapore, and Taiwan. Some U.S. policymakers on both sides of the aisle have begun moving in this direction, too, as evidenced by the Senate’s United States Innovation and Competition Act.

While the doctrine of national developmentalism presents a more realistic picture of the world, recognizing that nations seek competitive advantage in IT and digital industries, it also counsels a “race-to-the-top,” wherein nations support digital innovation with policies related to research and development, worker skills, and digital infrastructure, plus conducive regulatory and tax policies, and government leadership in using the technologies themselves.

The United States should fully embrace this burgeoning national developmentalism at home and work methodically to bring as many other countries as possible into the U.S. national developmentalist orbit—selling it as a compelling and effective alternative to social democratic regulation, protectionism, and authoritarian statism. We are no longer locked in a Manichean struggle; there are now several models on offer. But one is clearly the best.

 _______________________________________________________________________

Robert D. Atkinson (@RobAtkinsonITIF) is president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the leading think tank for science and technology policy.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, Software

The Benefits of Cloud Computing for International Companies

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Cloud computing has revolutionized the field of tech in recent years. Pretty much all companies, no matter their size or scope, use cloud-based resources to their advantage. Organizations increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and automation to remain relevant; and the cloud makes these services available more quickly than ever before.

In addition to speed, the cloud offers the ability to provide myriad services at scale using technologies ranging from traditional virtual machines to serverless computing. As businesses require more flexibility, they also use the cloud to process large volumes of complex traffic. The benefits that cloud computing offers businesses are simply too great to ignore.

Cloud computing certifications are more in-demand than ever for good reason — they ensure workers can both leverage and fulfill the promises that are found in the cloud.

The Cloud: Today’s Infrastructure Revolution

Before the cloud revolution, businesses worldwide had to deal with a wide array of issues stemming from designing and running their own IT infrastructure. What used to be a time-consuming and costly undertaking was made even more expensive by having to keep IT support and security staff on the premises.

However, cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud were able to take some of those issues out of the equation. Nowadays, international companies can focus on running, optimizing and scaling their operations by using third-party cloud platforms.

How Cloud Computing Impacts International Businesses

The cloud has changed the playing field for companies throughout the world. Let’s take a look at five essential ways the cloud has revolutionized the way global organizations operate. Pay special attention to how cloud computing has revolutionized how IT professionals support today’s businesses.

1. Rapid Scaling Capabilities

International businesses are increasingly dynamic and need to adapt to changing circumstances more often than ever before. Without the cloud, organizations worldwide never would have been able to adjust to the global personnel and supply chain challenges we’ve experienced over the past couple of years.

A company that meets market demands and “blows up” seemingly overnight will need to substantially expand its IT infrastructure and efforts in a short amount of time. On the other hand, a company that is going through a tough period might need to scale down a bit in order to cut costs — and this can result in laying off staff and smaller budgets for IT infrastructure maintenance. With cloud solutions, however, both of these scenarios are actually quite easy to handle.

Cloud computing providers allow you to quickly scale your operations up or down. No matter your circumstances, cloud platforms will help you optimize your company’s resources and expenses in every situation. The catch? You will need to train technologists to understand how to optimize your resources and map them to current business needs.

2. Cost-Efficiency and Savings

Before cloud technology was widely available, companies had to spend a lot of money on creating their own physical IT infrastructure. This infrastructure often couldn’t adapt quickly. It also became obsolete quite quickly. What’s more, organizations had to employ entire teams of experts to run, monitor and optimize this infrastructure.

This situation wasn’t sustainable. Businesses often found themselves focused on thorny technology issues, rather than the activity of mapping ready-made technology to their mission-critical business concerns. The result was that businesses incurred a serious opportunity cost, because they could not focus resources in the right direction.

Using cloud platforms allows businesses to remain on-task, and use technology more wisely. Organizations will still need to employ specialized technologists to use the cloud. But workers of all capabilities will be able to work far more efficiently with cloud resources. In other words, more employees – even those who consider themselves “not technical” – will be able to use cloud technologies to create sophisticated solutions. As a result, technology will be truly integrated within an organization to create more useful business solutions. Some call this trend the “democratization of technology.”

3. The Opportunity for Improved Teamwork and Communication

Effective communication and teamwork are fundamental to the success of any international business. The cloud has become the primary platform for increased collaboration and the ability to leverage talent more efficiently. Over the last decade, collaboration between overseas teams, remote work and local third-party contractors using software as a service (SaaS) tools like Office 365, Salesforce and Google Apps has become the norm.

Effective communication will be even more important as organizations face new challenges moving forward. These challenges will include interpersonal and intercultural communication issues, as well as coordinating the use of cloud applications accessed from various parts of the globe.

4. Enhanced Security – If Managed Correctly

Like any powerful set of technologies, the cloud can provide enhanced security, if it is managed correctly. In years past, organizations in all industry sectors worried about perceived cloud security issues. One worry was that the platform provider could somehow access the data of its clients. Most governments and businesses worldwide are now convinced that this is not an issue, and trust the cloud with even the most sensitive data.

Another perceived weakness was the perception that the cloud provider was fully responsible for all security. It is true that cloud platforms give businesses the freedom to choose their own security settings, restrictions and policies. Cloud platforms make it possible to use multi-factor authentication (including 2FA), state-of-the-art encryption and advanced procedures. They can also provide the ability to automatically update certain elements of the necessary infrastructure to support a business.

But it’s important to understand that using the cloud implies a shared responsibility model: The cloud provider is responsible for making sure that the platforms that support an organization’s applications are secure. And organizations that use cloud-provided platforms shoulder the responsibility of making sure that the code they create and use is secure. Organizations are also responsible for making sure they configure cloud applications and services correctly.

Consider the following analogy: If you lease an apartment, it is the responsibility of the apartment complex to provide a dwelling that conforms to fire safety codes. For example, the dwelling should have working fire detection equipment and should have safe appliances like a stove, microwave, etc. But the apartment complex is not responsible if the person living in the apartment misuses those appliances and starts a fire. This is why the world needs more qualified workers that understand where responsibilities start and stop when it comes to uptime considerations, business continuity and disaster recovery.

5. Disaster Recovery and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) – More Possibilities?

Data loss can be devastating — and potentially fatal — to a business. One of the biggest issues with traditional installed IT solutions is that they are more likely to malfunction and fail catastrophically. If such a thing occurs, it might be hard to recover your data. Depending on the backup and recovery protocols implemented, you might not be able to save your data at all. Thankfully, cloud computing makes it possible to take care of that issue as well.

When using a cloud platform, your data is stored away from your premises on third-party servers. Cloud platforms can ensure that all your information is safe in the event of downtime or other issues. They can also implement advanced backup and security protocols so that no data is lost — even if the servers shut down unexpectedly.

Yet, businesses still need to enable these services, and also weigh the costs associated with using them. With the cloud, almost any service is available. But that availability often incurs costs that need to be carefully considered.

Fulfilling the Promise of the Cloud

Organizations worldwide will continue to invest in technologies that allow them to thrive. The cloud makes it possible to leverage technologies and architectures that were once out-of-reach to most businesses. We live in a cloud-first, hybrid computing world, where cloud-based solutions will work together with more traditional data center and server room solutions. As long as we have leaders and workers who know how to efficiently manage cloud-based technologies, international companies will be able to adapt to current conditions and thrive.

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As CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, Dr. James Stanger has worked with IT subject matter experts, hiring managers, CIOs and CISOs worldwide. He has a rich 25-year history in the IT space, working in roles such as security consultant, network engineer, Linux administrator, web and database developer and certification program designer. He has consulted with organizations including Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Department of Defense, the University of Cambridge and Amazon AWS. James is a regular contributor to technical journals, including Admin Magazine, RSA and Linux Magazine. He lives and plays near the Puget Sound in Washington in the United States.

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More Companies Choose To Outsource – Here’s Why You Should Too

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When it comes to outsourcing, businesses take different approaches based on their goals. Some focus on increasing efficiency, some on lowering the cost of their products or services. whatever the reason may be, outsourcing is becoming more popular than ever due to its many benefits. In this post, you will learn what outsourcing is and why many businesses outsource certain operations, especially on the logistics side of operations.

What Is Outsourcing?

In business, outsourcing is the practice of contracting an external company or organization to provide a product or service that the firm itself would otherwise produce. It has been associated with job moves overseas in recent years, though this is not always the case. Outsourcing can be done in other companies within the same country and isn’t always for fiscal reasons. For example, one of the most famous forms of outsourcing can be seen with Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon program. In essence, online retailers will outsource their logistical needs to Amazon to focus on their core business rather than handling packaging, deliveries, and refunds. This is just one form of outsourcing.

Many businesses are finding that they need to use sophisticated technology to scale their business to new heights. However, this is often easier said than done. For instance, if a company is looking for a fully equipped remote IT support service, they might outsource this to a company that understands this topic deeply instead of setting up new technical departments and hiring a raft of new staff. In this instance, choosing a company experienced in this sector makes financial sense and makes practical sense in that they want it done by a business that understands the task. In light of the above, what are some of the biggest benefits of outsourcing certain aspects of a company?

Businesses Can Focus On Your Core Business

One of the primary reasons many businesses outsource is to focus on the things that make them money. By looking at the earlier example of Amazon, you can see the benefits an online retailer has when outsourcing their logistical needs to another company (especially one as far-reaching as Amazon). Logistical operations are hugely complex, time-consuming, and costly if incorrectly handled. Therefore, this leaves only two options for most businesses:

1. Hire and train new staff

2. Outsource

Although hiring new staff may be cost-effective for large multinationals, many SMEs simply cannot afford to invest the time and money in such a task.

Technology Is Accessible Without The Investment

Operations like supply chain management and logistics often require significant investments in specialist technologies to facilitate smooth and accurate operations. Similar to why you choose not to hire and train new staff, many SMEs do not have the resources to invest in the technology needed to perform these complex tasks. Furthermore, logistics is often only a certain percentage of business operations, so directing resources in technology that you will only use a certain amount of the time is unfeasible. Outsourcing this part of your business to a business devoted to it entails paying a fair amount for them to manage this part of your business and invest in the technology required for successful completion.

It Can Improve Customer Satisfaction

Continuing the e-commerce example, it is clear that outsourcing the delivery of goods facilitates a higher level of customer satisfaction. For example, no matter how much you strive to make customers happy, it is inevitable that some items will be faulty (especially if you have a high revenue). In these cases, it is good practice to simply ask your customer to return the product and provide them with a replacement or a refund. Even though this sounds straightforward, it is fundamentally a loss-making activity you’d rather avoid and instead focus on the profitable side of the business. If said e-commerce business had outsourced this task to a logistics company, they would be responsible for returns and replacements, thus allowing the business to focus on its core activities while maintaining a happy customer base.

Reduced Liabilities

While this point is aimed explicitly at the logistical side of things, it also applies to other industries. By not having to deliver products, a company will immediately cut out the myriad of liabilities that comes with transposition, from accidents to lost packages, etc. However, this also holds for other industries. For example, a company might need a bespoke piece of software to perform specific tasks. By outsourcing to another company, they don’t have to worry about an intellectual property infringement as this will be covered by the outsourced software provider.

Outsourcing can be a massive benefit to businesses. Businesses can save money by outsourcing manufacturing, marketing, logistics, and even accounting. It allows companies to focus on their core competencies and plow all of their efforts into the profitable parts of their business.

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Why Strategic IT Should be at the Top of Every Executive’s Priority List

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To say that technology has been important to business survival in recent years is certainly an understatement. In 2020, 70% of United States employees worked remotely, teams and customers relied on virtual tools to communicate, and a dispersed workforce led to additional concerns about cybersecurity. The result has been not only an increased use of technology, but also a heightened awareness of its role in driving strategic growth – and a long-overdue need for business leaders and executives to add strategic IT experts to their roster of trusted advisors.

From early in the pandemic, technology was inextricably linked to business success; in a world of physical disconnection, there was no longer a choice when it came to digital transformation. The truth, though, is that technology has been influencing the way we do business for decades. Consider the most mission-critical processes in your company; chances are every single one of them involves technology. From client onboarding and team communication to record-keeping and strategic planning, tech is not simply a part of your business – it is the foundation upon which it is built; an essential part of optimizing productivity; and the glue that holds teams, organizations, and customers together regardless of how or where they’re working. As you look towards resurgence and growth, you should be treating your tech just as you do any other foundational pillar – with strategic thoughtfulness and the expert input of business-minded advisors.

Making the Right Business Decisions About Technology: Four Key Considerations

While the importance of technology is more apparent than ever now, the ideal implementation of it within your business may not be so clear. With so many tools, vendors, and applications to choose from, finding the right ones for your company requires not only a willingness to embrace innovation but also the ability to marry technology to overarching business goals. When you do, technology becomes a competitive advantage that lets you work smarter, faster, and more productively: at companies that prioritize making tech highly accessible to their teams, employees spend 17% less time on manual processes, collaborate 16% more often, and make decisions 16% faster. As you consider how to make the right technology choices for your company, here are four key factors to consider:

1. Cybersecurity

Leaders have long known that cybersecurity was a necessary element of their IT support; organizations must have good cyber hygiene, or they could suffer loss of data, money, and reputation. Recently, however, a spike in cyber-attacks has begun to create a heightened awareness of the breadth of cybersecurity – so much so that the Department of Homeland Security recently launched a web page dedicated exclusively to addressing the challenges of increased cyber-threats. Cybersecurity efforts should go much deeper than firewalls and antivirus software; they should be built from a deep view of your entire environment to make sure you are accounting for security in every possible way. How far back should your backups go? Too far and you risk an outdated recovery point. Not far enough and you could lose a swath of critical data in one fell swoop. Is every employee trained in how to spot potential cyber threats? If not, they could easily and unknowingly compromise your company’s security. How many offices does your business have? How many remote employees? How do they need to communicate, and how sensitive is the information they’ll be sharing? All of these questions – and many more – should be at the forefront of your conversations with your technology advisors.

2. Data analytics

Data is the bread and butter of any company. It tells you who your customers are, how your team is functioning, your profit margins, your inefficiencies, the list is practically endless. As your company pursues overall growth goals, there is perhaps no more impactful IT consideration than data analytics. A consumer population that just spent a year and a half reassessing and reprioritizing is already proving unpredictable, and the deeper level of understanding that data analytics can provide will be crucial to ensuring you are addressing what may be brand new pain points – and winning their business. A skilled technology advisor can help you pinpoint the data that will drive your business goals and deliver it to you in a way that helps you make more informed business decisions more quickly. For our clients, we create custom dashboards to relay data about both their company and their industry at large, giving them a multi-layered analytical view of their business that helps them make research-backed decisions that directly drive revenue, productivity, and growth.

3. Automation

Automation can have a huge impact on labor and cost by allowing staff to devote their time and focus to the most complex tasks. In some cases, it can even eliminate the need for additional roles. With a record-high number of businesses reporting trouble hiring right now, this is critical to streamlining operations and progressing toward business goals with fewer staff. The idea of automation is nothing new for executives; it’s likely been discussed among their leadership team for years. What many may not realize, however, is how much it has evolved – and how cost-effective it has become – since those discussions began. The automation tools that used to require expensive, custom development are now simple enough for employees to build them with fairly minimal guidance. It’s estimated that nearly half of all work tasks can be automated by current technology, so working with your advisors to identify opportunities to automate can have a huge impact on your company’s efficiency – and bottom line.

4. Strategic IT consulting

As a business owner, you shouldn’t have to try to keep up with the rapid pace of changes in technology – and with so many other responsibilities on your plate, chances are you couldn’t even if you did try. Your IT team should be more than providers, they should be strategic and holistic advisors in the same way your accounting, financial, and legal advisors are. That means not only keeping you informed about the changing tech landscape, but also helping you connect IT solutions to your overarching business goals by talking to about your company, not just your technology. Do you have plans to expand? What type of growth do you anticipate in your products or services? What are your business goals over the next 12 months? What is your current market share and who are your competitors? What do you wish you were doing better? These are the meaningful, goal-based conversations your IT advisors should be leading to make sure your technology isn’t just working in the background of your business but is actively and strategically driving it forward.

Your Tech is Your Advantage

When you treat technology as a standalone concern – or worse yet, an afterthought – you miss out on the opportunity to leverage it as a major competitive advantage. The technology your company relies on isn’t just about new tools or security or even remote environments; it’s about all of these things working in tandem to move your business forward – not just toward safe and seamless tech, but towards your larger goals for revenue and growth.

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About Anders CPAs + Advisors

For 55 years, Anders has delivered full-service accounting, tax, audit and advisory services to growth-oriented companies, organizations, and individuals. For 26 years, the Anders Technology team has helped businesses across all industries leverage technology to innovate, transform, and improve their bottom lines. Guided by an experienced team of advisors, Anders Technology is a Microsoft Gold Partner, the highest level in the Microsoft Partner Network. For more information on Anders, visit anderscpa.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram: @AndersCPA.

About Julia Deien, Microsoft Certified Professional

As a solutions architect and Microsoft Certified Professional, Julia helps organizations achieve their growth by matching technology solutions to business goals. This happens through collaborating with clients and analyzing their technology needs and business processes. Using her expertise in the Microsoft cloud platform and industry knowledge, she consults, designs, and implements technology strategies to help Anders clients not only understand their business’ technology, but maximize its full power.

About Jason Gotway, VSP5, VMTSP, VCP550

Jason is a solutions architect and team lead with over 10 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity. Using his knowledge of methods used by cybersecurity hackers, Jason educates companies and individuals on best practices for staying safe in all things cyber and implementing efforts to avoid cybercrime. He works with businesses to develop customized cybersecurity strategies to keep their company and employees safe and productive, whether they work in-office or remotely.

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Why IT is Key to Every Business’s Success

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Many people in business view IT as the problem solvers to turn to when their computer programs are running slow, they need new batteries for their mouse, or when any other unavoidable technological issues arise. In reality, fixing computers is only a tiny piece of an IT professional’s duties. The IT department’s importance is often underestimated by other teams, but it is actually one of the key drivers to success in every organization.

Implement Tools Across the Organization

When we think we’ve seen all that technology can do, new tools are introduced that can solve problems that you’re experiencing in your everyday life. Whether it’s using smart appliances at home or ordering groceries online, people have become accustomed to the simplified life that technology offers. It’s no surprise that the workplace also follows this popular trend as technology makes professional life much easier.

IT plays an important role in deciding what technology an organization should implement. They might work with the Marketing and Sales departments to find lead generation tools or work with the Customer Service team to find technology that automates chat responses outside of business hours. IT can find the tools that will streamline communication, offer robust security, and automate slow, daily processes.

IT can help every department across an organization determine what technology is best suited for their needs and fill in the gaps. With IT’s help, each department can reach new levels of productivity with the new tools that allow them to focus on the most important part of their jobs.

Keep Up With Technology Maintenance

All of a business’s productivity problems don’t end completely after just finding the right tools. With constantly changing technology, IT helps with maintenance and managing the tools to keep everything running smoothly.

If the software that an employee uses daily is malfunctioning, not only will they not be as effective at their job, but their productivity may turn into a downward spiral. They’ll spend more of their day trying to fix the program that makes no progress on their workload. To prevent this, IT can once again step in to save the day.

IT is essential to an organization because it can stop other employees from wasting their time trying to fix a system. IT knows the world of technology inside and out so they are the best resource for fixing problems as they arise.

Keep Your Business Compliant

One of IT’s most important responsibilities is keeping the organization’s confidential data secure. And because of the extensive compliance regulations that could get a business in trouble if they fail to follow them, IT can literally be your business’s saving grace.

Some compliance regulations may allow only people in certain roles to view or edit a document. Other documents may need to be in a WORM format or be purged after a certain period of time. If you aren’t aware of all the security regulations that you must adhere to and follow them to a tee, you could be in serious legal trouble.

Since part of IT’s job is to worry about security measures, their expertise and training can stop you from ever having to worry about how well your organization does this. Keeping your business compliant can be a simple task with an impressive IT department.

Maintain Credibility Among Customers

If a business fails to adequately prioritize IT and doesn’t provide them with the necessary resources to be successful, a data breach that leaks confidential company information is difficult to avoid. This alone can wreck any customer relationship that you’ve spent years building.

Even if a business is lucky enough that their servers going down doesn’t result in confidential data being intercepted by malicious parties, customers that depend on an organization’s product will be in trouble. If a customer cannot carry out business as usual because of an issue with your system, you could lose all credibility with your customers. Your customers may immediately search for a more dependable solution.

By finding a diverse skill set and the right tools for your IT department, you won’t have to worry about what a security breach could do to your customers and business’s reputation.

A successful business is driven by a successful IT department. As technology becomes increasingly popular with more impressive capabilities than ever before, it’s vital that an organization provides the necessary resources to an IT department to stay on top of any issues.

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Katie Casaday is a marketing content writer at eFileCabinet where she specializes in computer software and document management topics. She graduated from Utah State University with a BA in Global Communication. She has experience writing about B2B technology companies and besides enjoying writing, she loves nature and taking hikes with her companion, a Border Collie named Margo.

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Archives, Executive Education, Global Trade Daily

In The Digital Age, Leadership Is More Important Than Ever

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There are some executives that like to look at academic journals but unfortunately, the crossover literature has not reached them enough. I attempt to blend scholarly concepts with real-world applications. For the executive’s corner, I place a great deal of emphasis on the literature of leadership and information technology as two significant indicators for financial performance. This article adds to a relatively small body of literature but pays homage to the scholarly contributions. I highlight the direct impact of leadership on financial performance, and also simultaneously portray the indirect contribution of leadership in improving organizational outcomes by implementing information technology as another important component of organizational performance. This article actually investigates the crossover potential of scholarly research and how it can be applied in the organizational boardroom.

Executives will also see that cultivating effective technological initiatives requires developing leadership within companies—not only at the higher echelons of the company but at every level. In light of the increased pressures of the global workplace that inspires executives to exert effective change at the organizational level, this article points out the vital importance of leadership in reshaping and, in some cases, manipulating a company’s internal resources to have access to higher performing technology within companies.

The focus of this article is based upon the critical role of leadership which allows a rich basis for understanding the mechanisms by which knowledge integration and financial performance are influenced. Scholars repeatedly uncovered leadership impacts on knowledge integration and financial performance. This article articulates a different approach. I simply extended the current literature by showing how executives can contribute to knowledge integration and financial performance by fostering effective technological platforms. These two factors coupled with leadership are presented as a new approach for executive implementation.

I also suggest that executives embrace leadership. Leadership influences some of the spans of control of executive responsibility. My primary focus is on one factor (i.e. information technology) but there are many more important components of the managerial function that can be enhanced when leadership is embraced. The key here is that there are positive effects of information technology, knowledge integration, and financial performance.

Executives will also see that I expand upon the subject matter of a company’s internal resources. Through articulating the impacts of leadership on information technology, I add to the current and extant literature. Insufficient consideration of the impact of leadership on the companies’ internal resources has been exposed and I attempt to address this concern for the first time. For executives, this article can portray a more detailed picture of the effects of leadership on information technology, knowledge integration, and financial performance that have been mentioned but not placed in a model in the past.

Leadership and Information Technology

The only thing we know is technological change is on the rise. With the inception of new technology and services quickly becoming obsolete, executives are staid with managing the future that is somewhat evasive.

Executives can develop relationships and interactions within companies, set desired expectations, and inspire employees to identify further opportunities in their business environment. When executives view information technology as a vital important organizational resource that facilitates organizational communications and improves the search for knowledge, they begin to see opportunities for successful business ventures.

Executives also spend a great deal of time conceptualizing strategic endeavors, and scholars affirm that the strategic role of leadership is enhanced when the implementation of information technology successfully occurs at the right time and place. Thus, executives raise the levels of awareness on the importance of technology and empower employees to improve the effectiveness of information technology implementation within companies. Therefore, executives can positively affect information technology implementation within companies. Executives must understand that leadership can highly support information technology to improve knowledge integration and financial performance and, therefore, remain competitive.

Leadership and Financial Performance

Executives develop organizational communications aimed at providing valuable resources for all employees. Thus, executives can enhance knowledge sharing among employees and stipulate knowledge to be shared around the company. Sharing the best practices and experiences could positively impact aspects of organizational performance such as innovation and providing learning and growth opportunities for employees. Empowered employees can also enable a company to actively respond to environmental changes and collective-interests. The key idea is to identify employee’s needs and show concern for both organizational needs and employee’s interests concurrently.

When executives show concern for the employee’s individual needs, individuals begin to contribute more commitment and they become more inspired to put extra effort into their work. This extra effort improves the quality of services, customer satisfaction, and impacts the return on assets, sales, shareholder value, and improves operational risk management.

Executives can also inspire employees by setting highly desired expectations. A higher level of follower expectation can enhance productivity and perhaps decrease organizational costs. Scholars agree that executives positively affect financial performance through improving the price of stock, decreasing costs, increasing sales, improving innovation, increasing the rate of responses to environmental changes, improving the quality of services, along with a stronger customer focus and developing learning opportunities for employees. Thus, leadership is positively associated with companies’ financial performance.

Information Technology and Financial Performance

Information technology significantly contributes to company financial performance. Scholars acknowledge that information technology is an important enabler to effectively implement organizational processes. Communication technologies can, in fact, reduce paper-based transactions for companies that can potentially decrease costs and subsequently improve profitability for companies. Furthermore, it can be seen that communication technologies contribute to companies to effectively identify opportunities in the business environment that leads to identifying the best opportunities for investment in the industry that potentially leads to improve financial performance for companies in terms of return on investment (ROI).

Decision-aid technologies as another kind of information technology can also help companies to effectively create more innovative solutions for their organizational problems. Executives can, therefore, build a high-performance company through implementing information technology.

Information Technology and Knowledge Integration

Information Technology is the new competitive advantage and the companies that embrace it will survive while those that do not will find their companies facing possible acquisition. Information technology is a resource for knowledge integration. With knowledge integration, executives can sustain current operations while preparing future endeavors. Information technology, as a competitive resource, encourages employees to embark on technological facilities such as shared electronic workspaces to provide new ideas and possible solutions for solving problems. Problems that may leave a company to debunk and less competitive.

Scholars found that the lack of innovative workplaces adversely impacts the company’s capability to integrate knowledge, and they suggest that companies use information technology to successfully facilitate knowledge integration. Information technology, therefore, plays a critical role in integrating knowledge by executives and is also aligned with the knowledge-based view of the firm which not only builds upon the dissemination of information but also how it is restored and retrieved.

Some Lessons for Executives

This article theorizes that leadership has significant effects on information technology. It follows that cultivating effective impacts on information technology is assisted by developing leadership within companies. The practical contribution of this article lies in explaining how executives influence information technology.

This article suggests that information technology constitutes the foundation of a supportive framework to improve knowledge integration and financial performance. In fact, it can be argued that if information technology is not completely supportive of knowledge integration, companies cannot expect to benefit fully from knowledge management projects.

Both in theory and in practice, information technology is depicted as an important enabler for knowledge integration and financial performance. Scholars noted that a strong alignment exists between the success of knowledge management projects and information technology implementation and found that knowledge management projects are more likely to succeed when companies develop and use broader technological infrastructures. This article goes further and provides elaborative insights for executives by modeling how information technology mediates the relationship between leadership, knowledge integration, and financial performance.

This article reveals that executives actively deploy this organizational resource (i.e. information technology) to improve knowledge integration, and it is quite understandable that leaders are better suited to enable knowledge management projects within companies through channeling knowledge management efforts into employing supportive information technology. Therefore, this article suggests that it is critical that executives understand that leadership supports information technology implementation to effectively manage knowledge management projects.

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Mostafa Sayyadi works with senior business leaders to effectively develop innovation in companies and helps companies—from start-ups to the Fortune 100—succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders. He is a business book author and a long-time contributor to business publications and his work has been featured in top-flight business publications.