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The More Executives Collaborate via Cloud, the More They Appreciate Its Power

This article is more than 10 years old.

That's the conclusion of a recent study by Forbes Insights in association with Cisco, "Collaborating in the Cloud." While 64% of survey respondents overall said cloud-based collaboration tools accelerate business results, enabling companies to execute faster than would be possible otherwise, that figure rises to 82% among "leaders." The survey defined leaders as executives with significantly more experience with cloud-based collaboration tools than others—they made up 14% of the total sample.

(The survey included 532 senior executives across the globe. Companies ranged from $250 million in sales to more than $20 billion.)

The disparity between "leaders" and the rest shows up throughout the key findings.

For example, 55% of the overall sample—87% of leaders— say that cloud-based collaboration represents a real breakthrough in effectiveness, transcending both geography and functional specializations.

Fifty-eight percent of the total sample—90% of leaders—believe cloud-based collaboration can improve almost any business process.

And 59% of respondents—93% of leaders—say that cloud-based collaboration stimulates innovation.

How are organizations using these tools?

Well over a third of respondents (86% of leaders) say they are using cloud-based applications for greater workforce flexibility, providing video, voice, email, IM, data management and access to core business processes anytime, anywhere. The most advanced among these are also device-agnostic, allowing the BYOD (bring your own device) approach.

Forty-two percent of companies (89% among leaders) are augmenting voice communication with streaming video delivered via cloud.

Nearly half of companies—90% of leaders—are using these tools extensively for multimedia meetings with remote participants and virtual teams, allowing people to share documents and record events.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents (72% of leaders) are making strides toward a truly digitized, collaborative workspace. This often involves a custom-built social media-style platform designed for business objectives, where team members can post documents, videos, links, etc., and tag them with search terms to help others find what they need.

As David Wilde, CIO of the UK's Essex County Council—an extensive user of cloud collaboration—says in the report, "We’re now getting into collaboration on shared services with other agencies like the National Health, the police and the welfare department. We’re sharing more information to improve services, cut fraud and reduce crime. And we also use document repositories where people can work together in a secure environment..."

Last but hardly least: Georges Clemenceau once said that war is too important to be left to the generals. Cloud collaboration is too important to leave to IT, but needs to be part of a broader business discussion. In fact, 75% of those identified as leaders say non-IT executives are becoming more involved in the selection and management of cloud-based collaboration tools.