NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte released its 4th Annual Tech Trends Report "Elements of Postdigital," highlighting the top 10 enabling and disrupting technology trends that are expected to be drivers for businesses as they move toward achieving the potential of the postdigital enterprise^TM.  At the core of achieving this vision, the report examines the convergence and controlled collision of five forces: analytics, mobile, social, cloud and cyber, where all five forces are mature, implemented, integrated and baked-in instead of bolted on.

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"The postdigital era, like the post-industrial era, reflects a 'new normal' for business and a new basis for competition," said Mark White, principal and CTO, Deloitte Consulting LLP.  "In post-industrial times, we didn't forego industrialization, we embraced it. The postdigital era is similar, but with digitalization as its core. Our report outlines the core technology trends for which forward-thinking organizations should consider developing an explicit strategy.  Whatever organizations may decide, they do not want to get caught unaware or unprepared."

Deloitte's annual report examines the ever-evolving landscape of technology to put to business use, focusing on the top 10 topics that have the potential to impact businesses over the next 18 to 24 months.  The trends are divided into two categories. "Disruptors" are opportunities that can create sustainable positive disruption in IT capabilities, business operations, and sometimes even business models.  "Enablers" are technologies in which many CIOs have already invested time and effort, but which warrant another look because of new developments or opportunities.

The top 10 technology trends for 2013 include:

Disruptors

• CIOs as the Postdigital Catalyst: Catalyzing value from the elements of mobile, social, analytics, cloud and cyber.  
• Mobile Only (and beyond): The enterprise potential of mobile is greater than today's smartphone and tablet apps.
• Social Reengineering by Design: How work gets done is no longer constrained by 19th century platforms.
• Design as a Discipline: Inherent, pervasive and persistent design opens the path to enterprise value.
• IPv6 (and this time we mean it):  Ubiquitous connected computing is straining the underlying foundation of the Internet.

Enablers

• Finding the Face of Your Data: Fuse people and technology to discover new answers in data – and new questions, too.
• Gamification Goes to Work:  Drive engagement by embedding game mechanics in day-to-day business processes.
• Reinventing the ERP Engine: Revving up data, hardware, deployment and business model architectures at the core.
• No Such Thing as Hacker-proof: If you build it, they will hack it. How do you deal with that?
• The Business of IT: After reengineering the rest of the business, IT's children deserve some shoes.

"What really stands out this year is the accelerated pace at which core trends like mobile, social, cloud, analytics and cyber are converging and being applied to create immediate, competitive impact," added Bill Briggs, deputy CTO and global lead, Deloitte Digital.  "All industries are affected and are taking advantage of these forces to incrementally improve their existing processes and offerings and fundamentally reshape their operating models, business models, and marketplaces.  Companies are not just doing the same things differently, but doing different things. Companies can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines."

Each chapter of the report includes a "Lessons from the Frontlines" section that provides an in-depth overview of three examples of real-life implementation of each trend in the market today, representing a range of industries. Additionally, a "My Take" is provided by CIOs, academics and other luminaries to provide additional perspective about the utility of the trend in business. 

"Postdigital's potential can spur both offensive and defensive responses," said Briggs. "On one side lies opportunity for innovation. On the other, the existential threat of disruption. Every industry may be affected by the underlying digital forces. Every market may be reshaped by their controlled collision."

"The role of the CIO hangs in the balance," concluded White.  "These trends are ready to be put to use in the business.  But who will lead the charge? The reports of IT's demise may be exaggerated, but there is often truth behind the rhetoric. How will CIOs reimagine their roles in business strategy? What will the corresponding IT department look like? One thing is for certain: the elements of postdigital will play a role."

To download the complete report and view videos that provide insightful perspectives for each chapter, please visit: www.deloitte.com/us/techtrends2013_release

About Deloitte Tech Trends

Deloitte's annual "Tech Trends" report identifies the 10 trends most likely to have an impact for CIOs in the coming year and beyond. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the predictions are based on insights from Deloitte's technology subject matter specialists, input from some of its largest clients and discussions with industry analysts and alliance vendors. A digital copy of this year's complete report is available at www.deloitte.com/us/techtrends2013_release

As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.

SOURCE Deloitte