Based on its research on the big data solutions market, Frost & Sullivan has presented IBM with the 2014 Sub-Saharan Africa Frost & Sullivan Award for Competitive Strategy Leadership.
While most companies in sub-Saharan Africa already undertake various forms of data analytics, one of the key challenges facing big data solutions providers is convincing companies of the longer-term pay-offs resulting from effective big data implementation. Uneven market maturity and a shortage of skilled personnel are other issues specific to the region.
According to Frost & Sullivan, IBM has employed a big data and analytics strategy that effectively addresses these challenges, making it a leading local market player.
IBM is already a dominant player in the emerging global big data market and the uptake of its solutions in sub-Saharan Africa has followed a similar vein across a broad range of industries.
IBM has established a deep portfolio of big data and analytics research and development, solutions and software, and assembled a strong team of researchers, mathematicians, data scientists, as well as strategy, analytics and design services consultants. In addition, the company continues to secure numerous patents related to big data and analytics and engage a broad range of university partnerships.
“Competition amongst IT integrators is intense, but one of IBM’s key advantages is its ability to provide the full spectrum of big data services – from the infrastructure and hardware aspects through to analytics and visualisation,” says Frost & Sullivan senior industry analyst Gareth Mellon.
“This is something that most competitors do not have the capability to offer, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.”
IBM’s ability to partner with specific industry providers at different points in the big data value chain has also entrenched the scope of its portfolio and allowed it to offer customisable solutions throughout the market.
Recognising that a viable cost-benefit analysis is critical to achieving big data solution buy-in, IBM has also been purposeful in its efforts to educate the market of the value it can derive from effective big data solutions. This awareness is created through the provision of training materials and online resources, the publication of numerous reports and case studies, and committed involvement with high-profile projects.
“IBM’s ability to facilitate integration between the various threads of a business has been critical to its big data solutions offering,” says Mellon. “As such, it has both leveraged and reinforced existing market perceptions of it as a leading ICT integrator.”