Intel survey finds mobile computing makes Saudi business more competitive

The telephone-based research, conducted by UAE company Paradigm Research and Strategic Planning*, shows that the increasing trend towards mobile computing boosts productivity, and rather than allowing the workplace to encroach on the home allows for a better balance between personal and office commitments.

Mobile working with wirelessly connected laptop computers adds a competitive advantage to doing business, according to 76 per cent of respondents in the Kingdom. In the poll, 53 per cent attributed this competitive edge to the ability to access information around the clock, while 39 per cent identified the ease of access to data in 'real time' as the primary business gain of the technology.

"Increasingly, Saudi business professionals are identifying the positive impact of mobility** on their bottom-lines, and they are just as enthusiastic about its potential as their peers elsewhere in the region," said Samir Al-Schamma, General Manager of Intel GCC. "Mobile workers in Saudi Arabia clearly understand the wireless capabilities of enhanced battery life while maintaining PC performance on the move."

The Intel survey was completed earlier this year to mark the second anniversary of the release of its Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology, which is becoming synonymous with mobile computing for both work and pleasure. More than just a processor, it features fully integrated wireless LAN+ capability and delivers outstanding mobile performance while enabling great battery life in lighter, easier-to-carry laptop PCs.

A total of 225 business professionals, mostly middle and senior level managers and owners and entrepreneurs, took part in the Paradigm Research audit in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Lebanon. While the survey included a mix of nationalities, the majority of those interviewed were male, between the ages of 25 and 35 years, and degree educated.

In Saudi Arabia, 76 per cent of those questioned 'agree' that mobile working makes their business more competitive, while 71 per cent 'strongly agree' laptop computers allow for the flexibility to balance home and work responsibilities more satisfactorily. That compares to 52 per cent in Lebanon, and 68 per cent in the UAE.

'Total awareness' in Saudi Arabia of wireless hotspots was also higher than the average for the three countries, 68 per cent against 55 per cent. Portability and mobility, primary benefits of the Intel® Centrino™ technology, were identified as major plus points of using laptops by 68 per cent of respondents in Saudi Arabia.

Significantly, 42 per cent of mobile workers in the Kingdom attribute their greater work productivity to the ability to work wirelessly from any location, while 38 per cent put their enhanced output down to having 'more control over their work'.

Accessing emails was the main purpose of laptops for Saudi business people in the survey, with 87 per cent of respondents highlighting it as their top priority. Accessing work-related applications was second on the list (77 per cent).