Oracle survey reveals issues reducing effectiveness of cloud apps

One of the main drivers for organizations deploying cloud applications today is to improve operational agility and effectiveness. To determine if cloud applications are delivering on this promise, Oracle partnered with market research firm Dynamic Markets to survey 1,355 executives from companies across the world, including in India. The results showed that operational silos are often preventing organizations from realizing the promise of improved business performance and highlighted the need for a broad set of integrated cloud applications.

The independent market research report by Dynamic Markets interviewed 1,355 senior decision makers from businesses globally. Respondents were selected from a wide range of business functions including R&D, Sales/Commerce/E-commerce, Marketing, CRM, Finance and HR.

Some of the facts found in the research are:

‒ 78% of companies that use cloud applications say their ability to innovate using their cloud apps has been hindered in some way. The research shows that the main hindrance is the inability to integrate the cloud app with other software and companies have abandoned roughly 1 cloud app a year due to integration problems. Globally this number is 75%

‒ Integration problems are causing staff downtime in departments that do not even use cloud apps. In fact, according to the respondents:

o 25% said that their companies tried using cloud apps, attempted integration and were completely unsuccessful in their efforts

o 47% believed they were only partially successful

o 38% did not anticipate the integration issues when the company first started using the cloud apps

o 31% put the company off using cloud apps because of integration troubles

‒ With the increasing usage of mobile gadgets, the usability of business applications on mobile devices is becoming a key concern. 44% Indian executives are disappointed by the non-availability of cloud apps on mobile phones.

‒ 63% respondents cited usability issues. Across departments, those in risk / compliance roles stand out with 61% complaining of usability issues, as do 41% of finance professionals, 41% of HR and 39% of those in sales, marketing and customer services / CRM roles.

"Organizations are looking to the cloud to change not only how they buy and consume IT, but also draw a clear line between technology and business impact. However, according to our survey, integration and usability come to the forefront as the key issues troubling Indian CIOs when it comes to cloud," said Shailender Kumar, VP, Fusion Middleware, Oracle India. "Oracle's Cloud portfolio has been built precisely to address these issues; it offers integrated cloud solutions for the whole enterprise. This is a unique capability which means that our customers can source all of their cloud requirements from one place and deliver integrated processes across all their lines of business with limited downtime and minimal costs."