June 2019 Analyst Round Up

In this newsletter, I have highlighted several articles and analysts’ perspectives that describe how the technology industry is adapting to, and mitigating, the impacts of COVID-19. Several pieces of content offer insights into the ways different companies are managing an adaptation to the “new normal.” While business process remains a focus, articles also delve into the importance of helping employees navigate turbulent times. We must look at effective government measures from the past and how they might help guide economic recovery.

Despite COVID-19’s disruptions, companies are investing in critical infrastructure for the post-COVID world. While overall IT spending is down in comparison with 2019, purchases of cloud infrastructure and related security technologies see an upward trend. The robotics industry is experiencing substantial growth. While some robots can take over hazardous jobs, the sector also expresses concerns about the long-term repercussions of replacing workers with machines.

I hope find these articles and analyst insights helpful. Please do share articles you are reading, so I might include those beneficial insights in future newsletter editions.

RACHEL MUSHAHWAR

Vice President & General Manager: US Sales Enterprise, Government, Next Wave Cloud Providers, Intel Corporation.

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McKinsey: Lessons From the Past On How To Revive the U.S. Economy After COVID-19

Several contributors explore how government leaders have instituted “interventions” successfully during the recessions that followed 9/11, the Great Recession, and Hurricane Katrina. During those periods, the government took action to prioritize assistance to individuals and families hit hardest. Leaders also planned for both short and long-term ways to bolster the economy. While COVID-19 presents different challenges, McKinsey describes the parallels and how we can apply those past lessons today. 

You can read the article in full here.

Forrester: Haier’s Adaptive Strategy Wins In The Face Of COVID-19 Challenges

In this blog, analysts Guannan Lu and Danny Mu discuss the need for companies to embrace adaptive strategies during and after the COVID-19 crisis. The piece focuses on one manufacturer of protective gear, Haier. Even during the pandemic, Haier coordinated with overseas manufacturing plants to re-route orders to customers in need. They also benefitted from their IoT-capable platform to automate their protective mask production. The article explores Haier’s business culture, user engagement approaches, and technology platforms that accelerate their business.

You can read the blog in full here.

CRN: Cloud Providers Bought $21B In Servers and Storage From ODMs

Reporter Mark Haranas explores last year’s $21 billion surges in server and storage infrastructure sales from Original Design Manufacturers (ODM). These purchases will bolster hyper-scale data centers from major cloud providers like Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. In the first quarter of 2020 ODMs accounted for 26% of global server sales, with OEMs Dell and HPE taking 18.7% and 15.5% respectively. COVID-19 is expected to drive increased demand from service providers and content delivery networks.

You can read the article in full here.

Network World: COVID-19 Fallout—Q1 Enterprise Data Center Sales Dip, but Public Cloud Grows

According to IDC, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decrease in data center hardware sales during the first quarter of the year. However, despite the economic downturn, public cloud infrastructure resulted in a significant sales uptick for major OEMs. According to recent data, purchases often centered on localized service providers, and edge networks, rather than the construction of new data centers.

You can read the article in full here.

Tech Republic: Sharp Drop in Overall Security Spending Forecast From Gartner Due to COVID-19

Author Brandon Vigliarolo’s article describes the predicted change in IT security spending due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Citing Gartner’s research predictions, 2020’s overall IT security spending will see a minimal 2.4% growth, contrasting the December 2019 prediction of an 8.7% increase. Although network and consumer security software will experience a decrease in spending, security for cloud, data, and applications will see an overall improvement.

You can read the article in full here.

Computer Weekly: Coronavirus outbreak will speed up enterprise automation

Writer Aaron Tan describes the rise in enterprise automation investments caused by COVID-19’s spread. The rise of robotics, drones, and AI-driven technologies stands to reduce the need for mid-skilled employees. In turn, those workers will need to increase their skill sets to remain relevant. Forrester encourages corporate leaders to expand automation programs wisely, and “with empathy.”

You can read the article in full here.

MIT Technology Review: Covid-19 could accelerate the robot takeover of human jobs

In this article, Franziska Barczyk describes use cases for robots in the medical field. During the COVID-19, pandemic robots already perform repetitive tasks like disinfection. However, one specialized healthcare robot by Diligent Robots, Moxi, can also deliver medications, protective gear, and lab samples. By accomplishing these tasks, robots help medical professionals focus more of their time on patients. While robots offer increased potential to take over jobs hazardous for humans, there is a secondary background concern. Smarter, more capable robots have the potential to replace human workers in some cases.

You can read the article in full here.

Gartner webinar: Help Leaders Navigate the Coming Reset

In this hour-long webinar hosted by Jerome Mackowiak and Vitorio Bretas, Gartner explores the ways corporate leaders and human resources teammates can help manage their organizations, and better assist staff, during these turbulent times. The webinar focuses on the importance of “emotional intelligence” as employees acclimate to a post-COVID business environment. Analysts also touch on the need for evolved approaches for remote operations and workflows.

You can access the webinar here after entering your email address.