6 Technologies for a Competitive Advantage in 2013: Can Microsoft Dynamics Users Capitalize?

Fifty-six percent of companies know that innovative technology is "very important," yet just 9 percent are satisfied with their ability to properly leverage and maximize the most innovative tech tools on today's market. Uncovered in a recent Ventana Research report, this dissatisfaction prompted Mark A. Smith, the firm's CEO and chief research officer, to explore the top six tech tools that translate into competitive advantage.

In a recent blog post, Key Technologies for Competitive Advantage in 2013, Smith examines how the proper use of technology enables businesses to be more efficient.  "As we enter 2013, businesses have more choices than ever for technology to improve business and IT," Smith says, noting that Ventana's choice of the top technologies that give organizations significant competitive advantages are: big data, business analytics, business and social collaboration, cloud computing, mobile technology, and social media. 

Big data, for example, helps business and IT organizations manage and use information, yet Ventana's research finds only 14 percent of businesses today are very satisfied with their existing big data technology. Just 17 percent feel that they are using business and social collaboration well, according to Smith, who says "the revolution in social media has expanded into business, bringing with it social collaboration and helping business processes by connecting people to achieve goals personally, departmentally, or across an organization."

In terms of cloud computing, Smith says businesses view it as more of a utility than as a piece of innovative technology. Cloud is becoming a standard method that can be easily accessed and leveraged as part of their portfolio of computing options, he points out. "These faster methods to onboard applications have become easy ...