As mobility shifts from a new initiative to a foundational capability for the enterprise, organizations are expressing new needs from their enterprise mobility programs, according to new research from Apperian, an Arxan company, provider of mobile application management (MAM) and security solutions. The 2017 Executive Enterprise Mobility report reveals key trends, challenges and strategies for driving adoption of enterprise mobile apps.

The report, conducted in conjunction with CITO Research, found that 43 percent of respondents listed improved productivity as their primary goal of enterprise mobile apps -- a 20 percent jump over 2016. Additionally, 22 percent of those surveyed listed new revenue or service delivery opportunities -- a 17 percent increase from last year. These findings suggest enterprises expect mobility to drive bottom-line impact, not just improve business processes or employee satisfaction.

According to a September 2016 Gartner report, "the demand for mobile apps continues to grow at a very rapid pace, leaving most IT organizations questioning their ability to respond to the demand. Mature mobile enterprises, albeit a very small percentage, often have portfolios of mobile apps that number in the hundreds; enterprises should assume that this will be the norm rather than the exception going forward."

Furthermore, market maturity means mobile apps are no longer only feasible for large corporations with expansive budgets. Businesses of all sizes and industries are looking into ways to adopt a mobile strategy. Additionally, enterprises are looking for more sophistication, with 85 percent of respondents believing a combination of apps will improve productivity across the organization and create the biggest impact on mobility programs. This is a shift from early adopter programs, which used basic apps to mobilize workforces.

Key findings

• Apps expected to increase ROI - 22 percent of respondents reported their primary goal was new revenue or service delivery opportunities, up from just 5 percent in 2016.
  
  
• Continued expansion of mobile apps - 80 percent of those surveyed state they plan to expand their app portfolio over the next 12 months.
  
  
• Variety in app portfolios - 85 percent of individuals believe their organization will be most impacted by a combination of apps that improve productivity company-wide, in addition to apps that enable mobile sales and field service.
  
  
• Security concerns remain top of mind - 57 percent of respondents are concerned about corporate data on personal and other non-managed devices. This concern is on the rise, up 13 percent from last year.
  
  
• Addressing non-managed devices - 45 percent of those surveyed are concerned about addressing BYOD, contracted workers or other users in the extended enterprise -- a 14 percent increase over 2016.
  
  
• Identifying the most important apps for users - 33 percent of respondents find it challenging to identify the most important apps to create next, those that would deliver most value to users.
  

"The increasing sophistication of, and expectations for, enterprise mobility efforts is becoming clear," said Mark Lorion, President and General Manager of Apperian. "This year's research findings show that executives now see enterprise mobility as a key enabler in new revenue and service delivery opportunities for their organizations. Not only are mobility programs becoming more strategic, but they also are increasing in reach. Enterprise apps are now deployed to much broader communities of users, extending well beyond traditional full-time workers."

Survey Methodology and Participant Demographics

This data is based on a survey of more than 100 mobility professionals across over 10 industries, examining key mobile trends and describing drivers of success while providing recommendations for expanding enterprise mobility programs.
To read the complete Apperian 2017 Executive Enterprise Mobility Report, visit: www.apperian.com/resources/2017-executive-enterprise-mobility-report/.