The IQ Business Group and electronics group Reunert have established a joint venture focusing on developing and delivering products and services arising from the convergence of technology, primarily in the corporate office environment.
The new R30 million venture, IQ Works, will be headed up by IQ`s recently appointed deputy CEO, Kevin Potter, who says IQ Works` chief objective will be to prepare companies for "the way business will be done in the office (or lack thereof) in future".
"If we`re to continue to gain real benefits from office technology, it must be designed in a way that takes account of and supports the way people think - rather than working against them," he says.
"The challenge is commercialising the tools that will change the way people work and interact in the future."
Potter says the transition process is not going to be quick but rather a long-term approach of partnering with clients.
"How their staff interact with the digital environment today and a road map on how this will be implemented in the future is critical to gain competitive advantage as the new waves of technology arise.
"What we aim rather to achieve is to help companies prepare themselves for digital integration of the office technology, by taking incremental steps towards the converged environment. There is huge potential in this process alone."
Reunert CEO Gerrit Pretorius says the IQ Works venture is a natural expansion of Reunert`s activities in the office automation environment.
"Reunert`s philosophy is based on providing total solutions, and we want to apply this in the office automation environment as well. We need specialised IT skills to enable us to do this."
IQ Works` strategy will be rolled out in three key areas: work space management; network management; and the creation of "smart and zooty" application tools for devices such as palm pilots and cellular phones.
Growth is expected to be both organic and through the acquisition of a few key technology companies and competency areas.
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