CIOs favour analytics to gain competitive advantage

IBM survey of CIOs show that analytics give companies an advantage

A new global study of more than 2,500 Chief Information Officers (CIOs), released by IBM today, reveals that leveraging analytics to gain a competitive advantage and improve business decision-making is now the top priority for CIOs.

More than four out of five (83 percent) survey respondents identified business intelligence and analytics as the way they will enhance their organisations’ competitiveness.

With an increased focus on data analytics, the survey also revealed that data reliability and security have emerged as increasingly urgent concerns, with 71 percent of CIOs planning to make additional investments in risk management and compliance.

CIOs also are continuing on the path to dramatically lower energy costs, with 76 percent undergoing or planning virtualisation projects.

76 percent of CIOs anticipate building a strongly centralised infrastructure in the next

“CIOs are investing in business analytics capabilities to help them improve decision-making at all levels,” said Pat Toole, CIO of IBM. “In addition, in this challenging economy, CIOs understand that analytics can be key to new growth markets, whether it’s new ways to manage a utility grid or smarter healthcare systems. Managing and leveraging new intelligence through analytics is something that today’s CIO is pursuing to gain competitive advantage in these new markets.”