AN INVESTMENT IN SMART
IS A SMART INVESTMENT.
Over the last twenty years or so a slowing of investment in research and innovation, machinery and equipment, and specifically, information and communications technology has held back Canada’s usual progress in the world. The Conference Board of Canada recently awarded our performance for productivity a C rating and a D rating for innovation. And while Canadian businesses held back, the rest of the world surged. Rapidly emerging economies like Brazil, Russia, India, and of course China embraced the great potential that technological investment can bring. As a result there is a pronounced shift in global economic power away from so-called developed, mature economies like ours. But when you strip away all the ratings, all the numbers and all the rhetoric, a tantalizing opportunity to think smartly about Canada’s future emerges. We are looking to our leaders in business and in government to join us in motivating the progress and innovation of this country.
THE DATA OF DATA.
The world is increasingly being defined by big data. Data is an organization’s most valuable asset after, of course, its people. Over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day. Hidden within all that noise are patterns and potential opportunities that only analytics can reveal. and translation into action. Not surprisingly, we believe that big data is a big opportunity for Canada.
WHAT COMES FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE DATA?
The British Columbia Egg Marketing Board recently started to apply IBM analytics to the production of eggs in the province. The Board is now able to integrate and analyze production and inspection data from hundreds of BC farms and perform complex calculations to determine the number of chickens needed to meet the demands of the province. This effort has reduced farm inspection workload by 66 per cent and created an annual cost savings of roughly $200,000. It has also helped ensure the safety and availability of more than 816 million eggs produced by the province each year.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THE DATA WILL COME.
Similarly, in our commitment to driving progress in Canada, IBM recently announced an investment of over $210 million into the IBM Canada Research and Development Centre. IBM has declared its goal to help advance Canada’s competitiveness in the global economy. This public and private sector collaboration will act as a catalyst to help Canada address its innovation and productivity deficit thereby accelerating the commercialization of Canadianled research and development so Canadian businesses can excel in global and domestic markets.
OUR HEADS ARE FIRMLY IN THE CLOUD.
Another important opportunity for Canadian businesses is already all around us: the Cloud. Leading companies around the world are discovering the deeper potential of cloud computing as a new way to manage not just their IT but also their entire business. China Telecom recently employed a development cloud to offer their customers new revenue-generating smartphone applications faster by reducing time to market from more than three weeks to less than three days. Since they started using the Cloud, China Telecom has grown its customer base while cutting IT costs by 50%. The incorporation of cloud computing services and systems is helping drive efficiency and productivity, and fostering business innovation to create new marketplaces, smarter business services and profitable new revenue streams. Providing these services to innovators can profoundly change the way a company is experienced by customers, partners and by society. At IBM, we believe that investing in progress is the best way to make Canadian businesses more competitive, our economy more robust and Canadians an important part of a Smarter Planet. Join the conversation and learn more at: linkedin.com/company/ conversations