The Four Forces of Technology

The Nexus of Forces is a term being thrown around more often—but, as research has shown, it is not a simple buzzword. The four forces, according to Gartner, Inc., are: mobile computing, cloud, social networking, and information.

While none of the concepts are new, the forces stand to change the future of business when they are properly combined.   

For companies that are able to adapt quickly, the four forces will be a positive asset. For others, the inability to use the four forces correctly could result in falling out of the technological race completely.

It is not enough to focus on one or two of the forces. All four need to come together at the same time. A company able to handle the increase in Big Data and the information on the Internet of Things (IoT) will be able to continue to compete—a company that can’t handle the influx of information will lose their consumer base to competitors who can offer affordability, efficiency, and faster response times.

Thanks to IoT and increases in consumer technology, business is now happening 24/7, and being conducted in real-time. This puts an immense amount of strain on companies looking to keep up with their consumer base’s demands.

So how do adaptable companies stay in the game?

They focus on the business outcomes rather than the technology itself.

Technology is constantly evolving, thanks to IoT and the amount of devices connected to the internet. Keeping up to date on new advancements is important, but companies who can adapt will focus on the business outcomes rather than the technology itself.

Each industry will be affected differently by the Nexus. Gartner’s VP and Chief of Research, Chris Howard, recommends that companies “look for the disruptive opportunities at the intersection of the Nexus of Forces”, and that the technologies themselves should not come first when companies are looking to increase performance.

IoT can be overwhelming—but the amount of information can be made to work for individual companies who focus on their primary business needs. The standard methods of IT delivery will no longer be enough. Communications, finance, healthcare and manufacturing will benefit from social media presence and through mobile app devices. Media and retail corporations should move to focus on “context aware marketing”. Professional services and government agencies can benefit from “enterprise app stores and a dynamic supply chain”, and wholesale distributers will focus more heavily on cloud sharing.

IoT and the Nexus of Forces can make a company an unstoppable force—but only when used to the company’s best advantages. The four forces are combining at such a pace that the existing business strategies are quickly becoming obsolete. It is not just about having the technology available—it is about harnessing the strengths of the IoT and four forces to push companies to the next level of business strategy.

Innovation and adaptability, now more than ever, are what will make a company thrive. Without these two strengths, no company—regardless of the technology it has at its fingers—will be able to remain competitive in the Age of the Consumer.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sina Falaki writes as a millennial voice on sales, analytics, and technological trends. All opinions expressed are my own and they do not reflect the opinions of any of my current organizations. Like what you read? Share, comment, and like this article.