Studie: Cloud Computing im Aufwind trotz Bedenken

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Cloud Computing spaltet die Gemeinde der IT- und Business Entscheider immernoch. Eine aktuelle Studie des IT-Beratungshauses Avanade zeigt, daß Cloud Computing zwar Punkte bei Wirtschaftsentscheidern sammelt, aber ebenso wie das Thema Social Media haben die meisten von ihnen laut der aktuellen Studie Sicherheitsbedenken und befürchten Kontrollverlust.

So wird der Umzug in die virtuellen Rechnerwolken wohl doch bei den meisten auf nicht absehbare Zeit verschoben. Die Studie von Avanade unter 500 befragten CIO’s und IT-Entscheider aus 17 Ländern besagt, daß für mehr als 50% der IT-Leiter Cloud Computing grundsätzliche eine nützliche Technologie-Option sei, der Zeitpunkt für den Unternehmenseinsatz aber aufgrund des Sicherheitsrisikos und der Zukunftsfähigigkeit des Konzeptes wohl noch nicht der richtige sei. 42% wollen sich demnentsprechend erst später dafür oder dagegen entscheiden.

Daß Cloud Computing das Kerngeschäft unterstützen kann, davon sind 60% der befragten Wirtschaftsentscheider überzeugt. Zudem gehen 55% davon aus, auf Bewegungen im Wettbewerbsmarkt und auf Businessveränderungen schneller reagieren zu können.

„Die globale Studie zeigt, daß Unternehmens- und IT-Manager die Vorteile von Cloud Computing bereits verstanden haben – sie wissen, dass die Systeme entscheidende Verbesserungen bedeuten können”, sagt der Avanade-Manager Tyson Hartman. „Unsere Branche steht nun vor der Herausforderung, mit diesen Bedenken aufzuräumen und handfeste Strategien und Wege aufzuzeigen. Cloud-basierte Services sollen schon heute implementiert und ein langfristiger Plan in die Wege geleitet werden, um einen wirtschaftlichen Nutzen für die Zukunft zu schaffen“, erklärt Hartmann.

Ein entscheidender Vorteil für Cloud Computing ist die Kosteneffizienz. Dies sehen auch 42% der weltweit befragten Studienteilnehmer, die zugeben, daß die aktuellen internen Systeme zu teuer seien. Dennoch ist das Verauen in die eigenen Systeme höher. 72% und 80% der befragten Entscheider in Deutschland trauen eher ihren eigenen Systemen. Da wird der Einsatz von Software und Hardware als Internetservice von Drittanbietern noch skeptisch beäugt. Der Grund sind Sicherheitsbedenken und Verlust über die Kontrolle von Daten und Systeme.

Parody: Is Twitter out and nanoblogging the next trend?

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If you are on Twitter there are three things we don’t like: people that talk to much, the speed of the service and the interruption time. Now, there could be a new alternative to Twitter called Flutter.

This nanoblogging service will restrict users to blogging in 26 characters or less. A new blogging trend? At least if you believe in the theory of Matt Ibsen, founder of Flutter…

The cool idea about Flutter would be that you can update your updates from other social media sites and Flutter will automatically cut them down to the 26 character limit. A brevity which all our followers and friends will appreciate…

Sure, this is a fictitious parody on the latest innovation drive in the ‘social media industry’ by the Slate Magazine. The world needed someone to make some fun out of the latest madness around Twitter.

Spot On!
Some questions we do not need to ask for evaluating Flutter: Did we all get the benefit of the business? What is their business model? If it is really a great concept… why do we see such a ‘poor’ delivery on the concept by the execs? Why don’t the execs explain the essence of their business model in 26 characters? This could be an interesting approach for Twitter’s 140 as well…

In some way this parody reminds me of…

Report: Marketers web-strategy not listening to SMB needs

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The latest report from Bredin Business Information (BBI) finds that SMB’s will not become customers with the common marketing strategies: Marketers are going online while small and medium-size companies are still living the offline world of direct mail and tradeshows.

The two surveys by BBI, conducted in late January and February, combine the findings of 50 leading marketers and 741 SMBs. While marketers were asked about their outreach and research efforts for 2009, the SMBs had to give some insight about their online and offline media preferences, top business issues and brand ratings. The findings show that both sides don’t go and-in-hand to reach their targets.

The marketers world
What marketers know…
SMBs rely less on traditional marketing tactics but that’s one of the top ways they like to receive product and service information.
What marketers do…
Marketers’ spending will increase spending on every online tactic (especially microsites and resource centers, social networking and webinars) but decrease budgets in direct mail, print advertising and trade shows – only PR and telemarketing will increase.

The SMB world
What SMBs rely on offline…
– 43,6% newspaper and magazine articles
– 43,5% direct mail (including letters, postcards and catalogs)
– 32% radio/TV ads
– 27,4% phone calls
What SMBs rely on online…
– 72% online referrals (friends and peers) most popular information source on products and services
– 57% search engine marketing
– 44,5% educational websites
What SMBs favorite in social media…
– 19.7% Facebook
– 15,6% LinkedIn
– 11,3% Twitter

“Marketers are clearly reacting to the difficult economy by using offline tactics much more selectively. They are also moving online aggressively, to reach SMBs efficiently and learn how to get the most from new media opportunities. (…) However, our survey of SMBs indicates that business owners are not nearly as enthusiastic about many online formats for business purposes – such as social networking – as marketers are.” said BBI CEO Stu Richards

Spot On!
The high percentage of marketers more focused on winning new customers than keeping current ones surprises… : 48% balancing their acquisition and retention efforts, 32% concentrating more on acquisition and 20% focusing more on retention. In my experience it is easier keeping clients and trying to meet their needs. Marketers should try to face the difference between customers who really ‘live and communicate the web’, and those that don’t. Going online will be the future, sure, but step-by-step with training the customers the benefits of receiving the information online. Today in some industry sectors, marketers can still put into question the high priority of moving online (3,5 on a scale of 5) and slowing down offline tactics (2,6 on a scale of 5) if the target group is not ready for listening online.

News Update – Best of the Day

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There is a lot of talk on the success of Twitter. Now, there is a psychological explanation by Kevin Maguire: From Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to ‘the hierarchy of tweets’. This is a must read…!

Although Twitter might be a web-based service, the offline-world does exist next to it… and the value in joining Tweet-ups, real face-to-face offline talks in your region, is big. Scot McKay connects the Twitter-world with the offline-world and finds some interesting strategies – some new, some old…

XING announces their new product development strategy on their blog. Jason Goldberg, the former socialmedian founder and new Chief Product Officer at XING, lays his cards open on the product development strategy 2.0 called ‘Ship It’.
1. We will launch new features on XING faster than ever before.
2. We will launch new features before they are finished. Our plan is to get new stuff out there on the site and learn from our users as to how to make them better. You tell us what you like, don’t like, and want to see improved – and then we’ll do our best to keep up with your input.
3. We will make XING more appealing and relevant to users around the world.
4. We will actively ask for your feedback and participate in a dialogue with you as to how we can improve and better meet your needs. Expect to see a whole new social-media approach to how we gather feedback. Expect to really get to know the people behind product development at XING. And, challenge us publicly to deliver what you need.

PS: Lee Byron created a map and network diagrams on the development of Facebook. Excellent work…