IBM Viewpoints – March 13, 2012


Generating Higher Value at IBM: 2011 Annual Report
IBM enters its second century after another strong year in 2011, outperforming competitors and the IT market at large and positioning itself for future growth in the global economy. The results are illustrated in the 2011 IBM Annual Report. http://ibm.co/y0Lyc3

IBM’s Viewpoint
Here’s how you can join the conversation about IBM’s 2011 business performance and results:

— In 2011, IBM delivered record performance in revenue, profit, earnings per share and free cash flow.

— IBM delivered $13.44 operating earnings per share (EPS) in 2011, the ninth consecutive year of double-digit EPS growth.

Focus on 2015 Growth
— IBM’s 2011 performance positions the company to meet its 2015 Road Map goal of at least $20 of operating earnings per share.

— Growth Initiatives (Cloud, Business Analytics, Smarter Planet and Growth Markets) are expected to contribute about $20 billion in incremental revenue growth by 2015. http://ibm.co/xLXOea

— Approximately 50% of IBM’s profit is expected to come from Software by 2015. By leveraging our global scale, our growth markets will approach 30% of IBM’s geographic revenue by that time.

Join the conversation on Twitter
#ibm #smarterplanet

IBM Viewpoints – March 6, 2012


Capturing the Small and Midsize Business Opportunity
Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are an underestimated economic force. Employing more than 90% of the worldwide workforce and comprising most of the global GDP, they’re the engines of growth in the global economy. SMBs are predicted to invest around $280 billion in IT and communications technology this year.

To capture the SMB business opportunity, IBM is helping companies make better use of analytics, mobility and cloud solutions to improve their decision-making and operate more efficiency. http://ibm.co/zaqHcK

IBM’s Viewpoint
Here’s how you can join the conversation about capturing the SMB market:

— Emerging markets such as Africa and India represent a significant SMB growth opportunity, as clients expand their operations and seek support as they embrace technologies previously available to large enterprises.

— SMBs want to capitalize on cloud computing through innovation, stronger customer relationships and faster time to market. IBM is working with more than 1,000 business partners on cloud projects and enabling them to integrate with the IBM SmartCloud. http://ibm.co/zOzX40

— IBM is providing tools and resources to help SMBs attract new customers, grow revenues and maintain profitability. For example, they’re looking to IBM and our business partners to automate business processes and develop the social media skills needed to build stronger client relationships.

What They’re Saying
— AllThingsD discusses why IBM is providing $1 billion in small business financing for cloud and analytics technology. http://bit.ly/pBZckC

— eWeek highlights how the Cherry Central Cooperative, a small Michigan-based agricultural cooperative, is using IBM analytics technology to ensure the safety of produce. http://bit.ly/AxzSfO

— ZDNet examines how LaVan & Neidenberg turned to IBM analytics software and Business Partner Zobrist Consulting to improve claims processing and grow revenue. http://zd.net/yJLUjl

Join the conversation on Twitter
#midmarketIBM

IBM Viewpoints – February 12


Transforming Global Healthcare
Fifty years after IBM and Akron Children’s Hospital launched an ambitious project to build the first computer-based patient records system, only 1% of hospitals are using electronic records to their full potential, according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. Meanwhile, an increase of chronic diseases and aging populations around the globe has increased the pressure on healthcare providers to operate more efficiently while providing better care.

The CIO of Akron Children’s Hospital explains how overcoming the challenges that confronted healthcare providers a half-century ago remains an elusive goal even today. http://ibm.co/x18QYq

IBM’s Viewpoint
Here’s how you can add to the conversation about how IBM is helping hospitals, insurance companies and healthcare providers use digital information and electronic records to improve patient care.

— While transforming healthcare is a complex challenge, the hard work of creating a more effective, sustainable system that delivers better service and value to patients has begun. http://ibm.co/wK0r2A

— Global healthcare transformation depends on universal adoption of electronic health records, which are the basic building blocks of healthcare efficiency. IBM has a long history of creating and connecting systems to share patient information.

— Health analytics will play a central role in driving real change in the healthcare system by ushering in a new age of smarter decision-making. Healthcare organizations can use analytics to publish metrics on how hospitals are performing; create scorecards for enabling doctors to help chronic patients get better; and change behavior to help doctors and nurses make more intelligent and informed decisions.

— IBM brings deep expertise in applying, integrating and maintaining complex systems. That is coupled with our broad expertise in life sciences, bioinformatics and the full spectrum of healthcare disciplines. Emerging technologies like Watson could further IBM’s ability to help physicians and nurses identify the most effective treatment options for patients and enable new healthcare innovations. http://ibm.co/zfr2UK

What They’re Saying
— The New York Times spotlights the digital health records “miracle” unveiled by IBM and Akron Children’s Hospital 50 years ago. http://nyti.ms/ygryxH

— On the Huffington Post, IBM Director of Healthcare Transformation Dr. Paul Grundy offers his prescription for paying doctors to keep people healthy. http://ibm.co/wtS1lO
— Forbes investigates Watson’s potential as a game changer for the healthcare industry. http://onforb.es/Awz2c3

— The New York Times reports that Watson technology has the potential to be a “profound enabler of the transformation of health care.” http://nyti.ms/zB4M0Y

Join the conversation on Twitter
#IBMHealthcare #HIMSS12

Join the IBM healthcare discussion on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1866463&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

For regular news updates, follow IBM_NEWS on Twitter.

 

IBM Viewpoints: December 20, 2011


Forecasting Innovation
Technology moves so fast it can be difficult to separate science fiction from fact, much less discern which game-changing breakthroughs are over the horizon. As the IT industry’s leading innovator, IBM has the track record and pedigree to credibly predict the emerging innovations that could change how people work, live and play. This week, IBM revealed the next 5 in 5 — an annual forecast of future technology trends — which The New York Times, Washington Post and other global news outlets quickly endorsed as a collection of important ideas worth watching.

IBM’s Viewpoint:
Here’s a summary of IBM’s 5 in 5 predictions to help you add to the conversation.

— People power will come to life: Advances in renewable energy technology will allow individuals and scientists to collect energy from many common things that move, and use it to help power our homes, workplaces and cities. http://ibm.co/uusi0t

— You will not need a password: Each person’s unique biometric data such as facial definitions, retinal scans and voice files will be combined through software to build a DNA-unique online password. http://ibm.co/vElhJs

— Mind reading is no longer science fiction: Scientists are researching how to link your brain to your devices, such as a computer or a smartphone, so you just need to think about calling someone and it will happen. http://ibm.co/vieXaD

— The digital divide will cease to exist: The gap between information haves and have-nots will narrow considerably due to advances in mobile technology that enable access to essential information and deliver better services such as mobile commerce and remote healthcare. http://ibm.co/v90z8K

— Junk mail will become priority mail: Unsolicited advertisements may soon feel so personalized and relevant that spam will seem dead and gone. Computers will make sense of data and look up new information for individuals without even being asked. http://ibm.co/vArghS

What They’re Saying
— The Los Angeles Times spotlights IBM’s 5 in 5 predictions http://ibm.co/w51maJ

— MSNBC examines IBM’s thought-provoking 5 in 5 list http://ibm.co/sD6jeR

— CNET News.com reports on IBM’s 5 in 5 forecast http://ibm.co/uLMMMW

Join the conversation on Twitter
#IBM5in5 #innovation

IBM Viewpoints – November 22, 2011


Holiday Shopping Goes Mobile

On the eve of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, 2011 is expected to be the year of the mobile holiday shopper as more consumers are expected to make their purchases via an iPad, Android phone and other devices. A recent IBM analytics benchmark projects that online holiday shopping in November will grow as much as 15 percent (versus 3.9 percent in November 2010) — and many of those shoppers will make their purchases using a mobile device.

IBM’s Viewpoint
IBM’s key predictions for the November holiday shopping season include:

The Mobile Impact: A record number of consumers will shop from their mobile devices. October 2011 figures state that 10.7 percent of people who logged onto a retailer’s site used a mobile device, up from 4.2 percent the year before. Additionally, sales transactions from mobile devices are growing, reaching a high of 9.6 percent in October 2011, up from 3.4 percent in October 2010.
The iPad Factor: The iPad will dominate holiday sales over other mobile devices. This trend is based on October 2011 figures where 6.8 percent of consumers shopping on an iPad made a purchase as compared to the overall mobile device purchase rate of 3.6 percent.
The Facebook Factor: The vast majority of social shopping will continue to come from Facebook, which in October accounted for 77 percent of all traffic from social sites.

What They’re Saying
In a report on Fox Business, IBM Smarter Commerce Chief Strategy Officer John Squire discusses increasing consumer interest in using mobile devices to shop for holiday gifts http://ibm.co/rwtNqU

A MarketWatch article suggests that 2011 will be the year of the mobile shopper http://ibm.co/tratiL

Join the conversation on Twitter
#smartercommerce #ibmbenchmark #holidayretail