Today we are literally surrounded by technology. Data permeates each of us syncing our cars, our phones and our tablets. It even makes our TVs ‘smart.’ Cellular traffic, ubiquitous to even the most remote locations, feeds our growing appetite for information. It even communicates on our behalf when geographical or linguistic limitations impede our ability to effectively articulate location or intent.

The U.S. state, local and education (SLED) sector represents one of the largest marketing demographics in the world with purchases of roughly $1.5 trillion annually and nearly a half million competitive sales opportunities for businesses. Based on market size alone, the opportunity to grow a SLED portfolio is huge and can make even the most apathetic, teem with enthusiasm. However, given the size and variety of potential solutions involved in a SLED proposal, these ‘target rich’opportunities can be highly complicated and daunting.

Before 2018, sustainability may have meant separating out your plastics and paper, but over the past several months, it has become an important topic – whether it’s at the dinner or conference table. In an effort to create more sustainable pathways for the future, paper straws are being offered in place of plastic. Some cities and countries have even enacted complete bans on single-use plastics.

In a recent Authority blog post discussing the rate of change taking place with technology, Moore’s Law was cited claiming that technology doubles itself every 18 months (Transforming at the Speed of Cloud). This certainly appears true as next-generation technologies continue to evolve our industry at a mind-numbing rate. Given the dynamic and disruptive nature of the digital transformation underway, it’s no surprise that the protocols and concepts associated with the way technology is delivered are also changing.

The genesis of the term “cloud computing” may be somewhat cloudy (some point to a Compaq business plan from 1996), but it’s clear that internet-based computing has had a substantial impact on our lives. The challenges associated with adapting to the “everything-as-a-service (XaaS)” business model are considerable, especially for long-established original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who grew up on margin-rich product sales. Newer OEMs face challenges,

IDC predicts that 35 percent of Fortune 1000 companies will have a Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) agreement in place by 2019¹. Tech Data’s Tech-as-a-Service (TaaS) program provides the ability to deploy only what’s needed, increase worker productivity, and reduce IT and procurement workload. This beneficial program cuts costs by bundling hardware, software, accessories, activations, services and more into a single subscription. With technology transforming at a

If the next logical step for your company’s growth is international expansion, learning everything you can from those who’ve done it before is probably at the top of your to-do list. We met with senior executives from 11 global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to discuss the challenges they faced initially. Here are the top five takeaways.

This summer saw some real movement in government IT transformation. In July, the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Energy (DOE), and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), were awarded $45 million in total funding to modernize their technology infrastructures. The funding came from the recently passed Omnibus spending bill, giving $100 million to the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF). Additionally, in early August, the President signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), allotting $717 billion in spending for the Pentagon for defense spending.

I recently saw a great quote that serves as a testament to the digital evolution we all are experiencing. It eloquently articulated what I have come to believe about advancements in technology and the expectations created by the rapidity of their advancements. “The only thing advancing faster than technology is consumer expectation.”

Expanding Internationally: Big Differences and Big Rewards

Your business is booming and now you’re contemplating expanding internationally. You’ve done your homework; global markets are ripe for what your company has to offer and it’s exciting to think about the opportunities that await from expanding your business. However, before taking that leap, make sure you’ve done your due diligence.