SAP Survey acknowledges M2M Impact on Workforce

A survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of SAP AG highlights that almost 30 per cent of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) agree that smart cities would be the most beneficial outcome of deployment of M2M technologies. Other findings suggest that majority of the respondents expect M2M to provide businesses and employees with greater insight, including the ability to respond to real-world events, as well as increased efficiency, productivity and collaboration.

The survey results found that most ITDMs in all six countries (Brazil, China, Germany, U.S and U.K) view M2M as the natural evolution of the “consumerization of IT”, with India and China at 92 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively. The majority of Brazilian, German, UK and US ITDMs agreed, with a combined average of 81 per cent.

Sanjay Poonen, President of Technology Solutions and Mobile Division, SAP, said, "Today, M2M technology is primarily being used to collect vast amounts of machine data. The “Internet of Things” goes one step further by integrating data from machines, ERP, CRM systems, social media and more, in real time, allowing humans to intelligently interact with devices, devices with devices, and devices back to humans – the ultimate social media collaboration of man and machine. This vision requires a technology infrastructure that can handle big data, analytics and mobility in the cloud securely – something SAP is uniquely able to deliver."
 
Survey respondents in all six countries expressed a strong belief in M2M representing a natural step in the evolution of technology and widely agree with the need for, and benefits of, the broader adoption of M2M.