Corporate Technology, Take 3

A recent article on Computerworld led with the less-than-sunny line “IT as we know it is over.” From there, one might expect a discussion on offshoring, consumerization of IT, or the appropriation of IT by business units for their needs. All of these things are part of the equation, but the main focus of the article is that we are entering a third wave for corporate technology.

The first wave, management of information services (MIS), started when businesses began using mainframe computers to automate and accelerate routine business processes. The companies that were able to quickly take advantage of this trend gained a clear competitive advantage, setting the stage for businesses to start using computer technology as a differentiator. MIS was followed by IT as personal computers and networking technology which created a workplace where knowledge workers had their own computer resources and were connected to each other. Now we are entering an age of enterprise technology (ET), with technology embedded into every aspect of an organization.

That quick description leaves out much of the historical context from the article, so the original is worth reading. While the terms for these waves—especially “enterprise technology”—are somewhat arbitrary and may not stick moving forward, the concept of a new paradigm for the corporate use of technology (and the subsequent support) is one that resonates.

For the past several years, a number of technologies have altered the way we work and communicate. There is still a great deal of churn as companies try to determine the best ways to build cloud options into their infrastructure or try to build mobility policies that will support the needs of their workforce. In addition, there are some technologies on the horizon such as new displays, intelligent sensor networks, and Big Data that will become more accessible as they mature.

None of these technologies alone drives an entirely new model. Instead, the combination of many related items happening at the same time is changing the industry. At a macro level, the support of corporate technology is not necessarily shifting to a new space, but rather growing to become more diverse. In fact, the mainframe skills of the MIS era are projected to be in high demand in coming years. The skills needed for the new era also will need to be built up. As the channel discusses business transformation, one aspect of that will be increased specialization across these various skill sets and the need to bring pieces together at multiple levels.

The world of technology will rarely be called dull, but if it is true that we are at the beginning of a new wave of enterprise technology, the next decade could be a truly dynamic time as the landscape is redefined. Please share your comments and let us know your view of the changes in the industry. We want to build the tools and collaboration necessary to take the industry into its next stage.