Manufacturers should now turn the pandemic response into a post-pandemic strategy
Covid-19 has, of course, had an immense impact on health, society, industry, and economies. Just three months before the first wave started to rapidly sweep the globe in 2020, it had practically never been heard of. Yet as soon as it emerged, entire industries were shut down while others were severely disrupted. Workers on mass were directed by governments not to travel or to work from home wherever possible, and those that had underlying health conditions were forced to self-isolate. It felt like the world as we knew it was turned upside down overnight. Businesses had no experience of such calamity, nor had they any contingency plans that came anywhere close to being adequate. The rule books were simply torn up overnight.
Most businesses had to adapt on the fly, and rapidly. Every day felt like another firefighting day, and as soon as the fires were out, along came the next wave or variant. As a result, manufacturers had to rapidly change their operations in response to supply and demand chain volatility or workforce availability. Changes to technology platforms to support remote workers had to be implemented in weeks, if not days. There was no time for proper planning, feasibility studies, risk assessments, or preparing a detailed business case with return on investment projections. Change simply had to just happen quickly.
Utilizing objective data to provide equitable student support
We’ve all heard the term leveling up, but what does it really mean for higher education? To me, it simply means getting everyone up to the same level, right?
But when it comes to government policy, the idea that through effort and application we can rise to the top is the very antithesis of fair equity -- a lofty ambition of jobs, boosting productivity in places of previous decline and limit any degeneration.
How to deal with the carbon footprint from data centers
Environmental concerns are top of every business' agenda these days. We all know about reducing our carbon footprint. You may think your business is moving towards a greener future by reducing paper use and switching to email. However, we must remember that technology isn't carbon-free, and it isn't only your own electricity usage that counts. We need to consider data centers too.
When we use the internet or email, we don't usually think about the framework that supports it. Data centers are usually built away from highly populated areas, so most people never see one. However, data centers consume huge amounts of electricity. So how can we address the carbon footprint of these centers through a sustainable business strategy? Read on to find out.
Three technological solutions that have reshaped modern workplaces
Technology has revolutionized the way we work. From large-scale changes to applications that improve our productivity, we can do more than ever -- and faster too.
As well as improving customer experience and employee efficiency, we’re also seeing solutions that improve employee experience come into play. After all, employees who are supported in their role and have a good experience at work will be more loyal. Here, we delve into the latest digital solutions that are improving the employee experience.
As secondhand mobile phone sales surge, here's how buyers can protect themselves from scams
The second-hand device market has been on a tear over the past few years as a growing number of consumers opt for pre-owned mobile phones over brand new. Posting nearly 10 percent growth in 2020, the market is expected to grow an average of nearly 12 percent more over the next 2 years, reaching $65 billion by 2024.
Amid this steady uptick, it’s no surprise that purveyors of used devices are also growing fast to meet demand. Most notably, one of the largest used device marketplaces, French-based Back Market, just landed a $510 million Series E investment, launching the company to a $5.7 billion valuation. And Back Market is far from the only game in town. Amazon and eBay are also big players in the $17 billion used device market, in addition to mobile carriers and the device makes themselves, like Apple and Samsung.
Four dangers of self-diagnosing through the web
With an almost limitless amount of information available to us 24/7, it has become a common practice to turn to Google for answers to ailments. However, while in theory learning more about potential symptoms may help ease a person’s mind, the risk of self-diagnosing looms large. A Statista survey found that 68 percent of British adults diagnose themselves through the web at least every few months -- if not more regularly.
The issue with self-diagnosis is that it may deter people from visiting a doctor. Without medical expertise, self-diagnosis can often become misdiagnosis. Here we take a look at the key issues with self-diagnosing using the web.
Protect, speed up and optimize Windows with IObit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 15
Everyone wants to keep their computer safe and secure their data against the threat posed by viruses and malware. This is something that Microsoft aims to help with by offering Defender as part of Windows, but there are far better options out there. IObit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 15 is one such comprehensive alternative, and it goes far beyond just being a security tool.
IObit Advanced SystemCare has long been recognized as a leading protection and optimization suite, and with the release of IObit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 15 things are even more impressive than before. For starters, there is an expanded threat database that means there is protection against a far wider range of viruses and malware than ever before; but it does not end there.
Embrace geospatial data to better visualize your business
Geospatial data re-contextualizes our entire world. Whether you’re following your maps app to a new place or tracking a parcel, geospatial data helps us to see not just the location of something but its status, travel and any related events -- often in real-time.
A simple detour made by your Uber driver gets you to your destination that much quicker, but it’s the geospatial analytics behind the scenes that work to divert you from a path of building work and tedious traffic. Similarly, geospatial data provides many design and engineering capabilities for imaging and planning functions for construction firms or else can provide census data so the fast-food chain looking to expand can find the perfect site for customer footfall.
The impact of Brexit on the data center industry
Brexit has had an immeasurable impact on all aspects of UK society, and data centers are no exception. Supply chain continuity has already been damaged, and there is a growing demand for data sovereignty.
Much of the uncertainty over what Britain’s withdrawal from the EU means for UK data centers still remains, which makes it likely the impact of Brexit will continue to be felt by many in the industry for years to come. Ongoing negotiations and concerns over data relocation leaves open the possibility for new data regulation. This will lead to many data center providers having to take proactive steps to ensure their centers can still transfer data from the EU.
AI is key to unlocking customer service excellence in 2022
In a world where switching brands is easier than ever before, customer service is increasingly central to maintaining brand loyalty, and how organizations streamline customer interactions will be critical to a successful strategy. In fact, a survey by PwC found that 32 percent of customers would stop doing business with a brand they love after just one poor experience.
This underlines the speed at which customer expectations are evolving. Many are now demanding a near perfect online experience and with more competition than ever before, organizations need to do all they can to ensure they keep customers on side. This is already being achieved with more businesses adopting the correct omnichannel capabilities but it’s imperative they go one step further and provide a service that makes them stand out from the competition. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes into play.
Predicting product-market compatibility
Completely unique, groundbreaking products are exceedingly rare. Most of us deal with products and services that are slight spin-offs of already existing ones. While I’m sure there is something to be said about creativity here, we’re going to head over to the business-side of things.
On this side of the fence, the similarity between products is beneficial. There’s reason to believe that if a particular product has successfully entered the market, there is a place for its spin-off. Previously we could only know that through business acumen and intuition.
From digital revolution to evolution: How IT leaders can implement small-scale change for long-term benefits
The popularity of cloud is self-evident. A recent IDC report showed that spending on shared cloud infrastructure reached $13B in Q3 2021, an increase of 3.6 percent from Q3 2020. Additionally, according to IDC projections, cloud spending in 2021 is expected to have increase by 8.3 percent in 2021 compared to 2020. Cloud adoption of is no longer a competitive differentiator, particularly in the wake of the pandemic rush to digitization.
Business success is in the details. Large transformation initiatives such as cloud may be appealing, but in today’s climate of digital parity, these projects may not deliver the return on cost and time invested which leaders desire. To stand out amongst competitors, business leaders need to shift their focus from complete digital transformation to smaller, more incremental evolution.
Modern mentorships: Fixing the cybersecurity skills gap
With job vacancies currently outweighing the number of people available to fill them, a career in cybersecurity offers almost limitless opportunities. The 2021 Cybersecurity Workforce Study from (ISC)² estimated that there were 4.19 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide -- an increase of more than 700,000 from the year before.
While this illustrates an industry undergoing major growth, there remains a workforce gap of 2.72 million people which represents a very serious problem for organizations faced with a growing volume and sophistication of security threats.
Bridging the security gap in the software development life cycle
The timeliness of security checks during the software testing process is critical to more rapid and higher quality software development and yielding higher returns. Yet DevOps and security have historically struggled to integrate in the software development life cycle (SDLC). According to a Gartner study, through 2022, 90 percent of software development projects plan to follow DevSecOps practices, up from 40 percent in 2019.
With the increased risks of cyberattacks and pressure on DevOps teams to deliver software to faster timelines, the risks and consequences associated with flawed code and faulty infrastructure configurations cannot afford to be missed in the early development stages. So the pros of uniting these teams is clear, but the cons remain costly and their discord could hold organizations back by making software deployment faster but in doing so releasing security vulnerabilities.
Addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities does not have to be a losing battle
Many companies share the opinion that they are fighting a "losing battle" against cyber threats and security vulnerabilities. The threats are endless, and they are only getting more aggressive and difficult to counter.
This sentiment is echoed by the most recent edition of one annual security report (Priority One Report 2022), which describes 2021 as a banner year for cyberattacks. There is a sense of collective pessimism in being able to sustain cyber defenses, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly.
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