Study Internet of Things 2016 (English Edition)

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Internet of Things

Perhaps no technology buzzword better summarizes the interaction of technological, economic, social, societal, and individual changes better than the rapid emergence of the “Internet of Things.”

The numbers themselves impress: Analysts and market researchers agree that by the year 2020 there will be at least 20 billion networked devices, perhaps more. It is no surprise that many companies are experiencing a mixture of euphoria and alarm. These contradictory feelings are to be expected and are characteristic of periods of far-reaching changes in the structural foundations of economic and social systems.

Experiments are being done. The first projects are underway. Clearly, the relevance of the issue goes far beyond the “usual hype cycle.“ Although the issue has been dominating the headlines for some time, the respondents in our research are expecting a further, massive increase in relevance in the coming years.

Two observations stand out in particular: There is hardly an industry that considers the Internet of Things to be irrelevant. The issue extends far beyond the boundaries of conventional industrial sectors. The establishment of dedicated IoT teams and the generation of specific expertise in the IT and business organizations are lagging behind developments. Only eleven percent of the surveyed companies are doing this so far. It would seem there’s an urgent need to educate.

There is already much research ongoing on the Internet of Things, and there is even more speculation. This study differs from many other publications in its clear focus: It devotes particular attention to examining the role of the CIO and IT, which together with business management have thus far been the primary drivers of IoT initiatives in the companies surveyed. There is a need for technological expertise outside of companies as well: the most important criterion when selecting suitable implementation partners is their understanding of technology.

And this expertise is well worth developing and demonstrating, as it is also becoming clear that the race in the totally connected world will require additional investment to even compete, much less win.