The Nexus of Forces is a concept developed by consultancy firm Gartner Inc. that describes how the convergence and mutual strengthening of four current trends, or forces, are shaping enterprise business IT decisions and creating new business opportunities. Those four forces (current trends) are:

• social media
• mobility
• cloud computing
• and information

The four forces, or trends, are distinct and happening now, but together, combine to form a new pattern of interacting with information, and how that information is utilized in the business environment.

Information is the context that is at the center of social media and "virtual" interactions. Mobile devices are the platform for social media, allowing for new ways of working. Cloud hosting enables the delivery of the information and applications. Thus, the four forces converge, creating a fifth force that is driving technology and business into places we can only begin to contemplate and understand.

The Nexus of Forces concept is applicable to both social and enterprise spaces and is not limited to any one organizational size.

Research group Forrester, recently found 71% of enterprises believe mobility is a top priority, with 45% of the workforce qualifying as “anytime, anywhere.” Employees are now expecting companies to accommodate their mobile needs, with 55% saying they are more satisfied with their job if the company they work for emphasizes mobility first.

Based on a recent study completed at the MIT Sloan School of Management, businesses who consider mobility a priority and build initiatives around mobility are 26% more profitable.

Adaptation is the key to survival. The business landscape has changed, and with that the methods of doing "work". For all of us, it has been a mobile mind shift. It's hard to remember when these devices we hold all day we not there. When was the last time you left your house or office without your mobile device? And tell me, how did that feel?

If you are like me, then you went running back to get the device. The fact is, mobile devices are part of our everyday lives. Anytime/anywhere. We are connected with friends, colleagues and business associates via social media. Sharing information that is hosted on cloud servers. This is what I am calling the "Mobile Mental Shift".

We are in the beginning, the dawn if you will of enterprise mobility. Sometimes it is hard to imagine what is all means and where it is going. But in the end, I believe that we are heading into something really powerful and really exciting. And in the end, you either get on-board and enjoy the ride, or sit on the sidelines and watch the bus go by.

I've gone over the benefits of bringing a business 100% mobile in previous website posts here. The brief is:

• Cost efficiency
• Reduction of maintenance requirements
• Flexibility and scalability of resources
• On demand user administration
• 24/7 user support
• Off-site backup of critical data
• Regular maintenance and software upgrades
• Employee mobility anywhere, anytime
• Freedom to focus on core business

At this point, it is worth the time and effort for IT departments to take a hard look at this opportunity, and at a minimum do some cost/productivity comparisons. We are definitely past the days of early adoption, with many larger companies now taking the steps to move in the direction of cloud-based desktops, apps and file storage. Hensel Phelps, Turner Construction are a couple of our client names that come to mind.

Proven Reliability and Leadership For Over 15 Years

AEC Cloud has been on the scene working with the largest AEC companies in the field for over 15 years. Leaders in the industry rely on our expertise and proven track record to help their companies stay ahead with their Enterprise Application Hosting needs. Just ask Hensel Phelps or Turner Construction.

Finding an experienced and reliable hosting partner is critical in seeing a successful outcome.

Here at AEC Cloud, we know what you need before you do. We have been hosting applications and data for some of the largest companies in the AEC space for over 15 years. We can help guide you through the maze of cloud hosting and determine exactly what your company needs today, and what it will need tomorrow.

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