Author: Contributor
by Argantic CEO Garry Ackerman Despite Microsoft’s constant reminders, many businesses are still struggling to migrate from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. With the end of Skype for Business fast approaching, companies need a safe, secure and effective migration plan. Customers need to move to Microsoft Teams before the end of July 2021. There has been a major shift to Teams since remote working empowered more people to move to the cloud. Microsoft Teams is the hub for team collaboration in Microsoft 365 that integrates the people, content and tools that any team needs to be more engaged and…
COVID-19 vaccine supplies are available in various parts of the world. But it’s clear that distribution is not symmetrical. High-income countries have access to disproportionate quantities of limited supplies. Vaccine nationalism, stockpiling and profit-driven strategies of global pharmaceutical manufacturers have shown up global health inequities. More than 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally to date. Only about 200,000 (0.2%) have been in Africa. South Africa is one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to procure vaccines. The country has some of the highest reported cases of COVID-19 in the region. But, despite hosting a clinical…
By Nomtha Lusu and Piet Wolmarans Just trying to keep your head above water and taking it day-by-day might seem like the best way to manage your personal finances during 2021. Not planning or making financial commitments might seem like a safe option as the ‘corona coaster’ has taken many on an unpredictable financial ride last year. However, it is possible to plan and take control of your finances. Here are a few simple ways to help you manage your finances responsibly. Let us start at the beginning – what is financial wellness? Nomtha: Financial wellness has little to do…
By Frans Hiemstra With 2021 in full swing and the economy slowly adjusting to new realities, many businesses need to relook their offerings to suit the changing needs of their consumers and communities. While some businesses, especially in the retail sector, may sadly never reopen, the survivors find themselves doing business in a new world of partitions, mandatory masks, temperature checks and sanitiser stations. A key question remains: Has the way apps operate like Uber and Uber Eats operate changed forever? The answer is yes! However this isn’t a bad thing and in 2021, businesses like Uber will continue to…
by John Maddison Organizations have distributed data and workloads across both cloud environments and on-premises data centres. As a result, IT teams have to deploy, manage, and secure increasingly complex and hybrid networks. And even though many organizations have moved many of their workloads into the cloud, the majority of them still operate hybrid environments. Hybrid environments allow organizations to keep important data on-premises. This allows them to maintain full control over sensitive assets, while also taking full advantage of the scalability and agility the cloud provides. However, as organizations become more hybrid and distributed, their security needs to be able…
By Helen Kruger Flexibility, agility, diversity and a superior experience will drive the future of work. This is according to a recent survey by Citrix that reveals that employees will seek opportunities with companies that share their vision and give them space and tools they need to succeed and advance their careers. The pandemic has forever changed the way people view jobs. If businesses want to attract and retain top talent, they need to understand their mindset and requirements and develop models to accommodate them. As everything returns to normal and the job market begins to recover, there will be…
By Lionel de Oliveira The pharmaceutical industry is faced with a multitude of challenges, including a rapidly changing landscape, competitive pressures, and the supply chain challenges wrought by the global COVID-19 outbreak. With a COVID-19 vaccine likely to be available in early 2021, we can expect even more pressure on the distribution chain. Besides the key need of having a solution which is designed specifically for pharmacies, other needs of this sector are an integrated approach to centralised management of pharmacy outlets; interoperability between systems; real-time financial solutions; optimal revenue generation and collection; and integrated financial reporting. What does the…
By Alain Tshal In 2020, the world changed overnight in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As more organisations adopted and accelerated digital strategies – and with most of us relying on the internet to go about our everyday life – cybercriminals were presented with a huge range of new opportunities to exploit. This year will be no different. Here are some important cybersecurity trends for South African organisations to look out for in 2021. Phishing and fraud to the fore According to a recent TransUnion survey, 42% of South African households have been targeted by COVID-19-related scams, an increase of…
By Prof. Josef Langerman The human body doesn’t like change, especially when that change is brought on by some sort of trauma or injury.  When a part of your body is injured, it becomes inflamed. Inflammation or swelling is part of the body’s natural healing system and helps fight injury and infection. It is your body’s way of protecting itself from traumatic change. Businesses are often the same. Organisational and cultural change has the same effect on a business as inflammation in the human body. Businesses, and the people who work for them, often reject the change if it is seen as traumatic or…
by Mark Kayser Digital transformation is no longer an option, it’s a must for everyone organisation that wants to stay relevant and compete in an ever-changing world. Trillions of dollars are being allocated to strategic programs each year but billions are being wasted on failed digital transformation projects. Strategic programs are crucial for business to adapt, but why do 70% of these programs fail to achieve their goals? In short, it’s due to lack of executive buy-in, wrong execution strategy, poor timing and resistance to change. To succeed, strategic programs need to deliver business value on time and within budget.…