Mobile work is a strategic priority for many companies, but the fundamental decisions that enable it are too often based on short-term thinking and ad hoc policies.
To better understand the value of various approaches to device adoption, Oxford Economics worked with Samsung in early 2018 to survey 500 senior IT executives, CEOs, and other senior managers across the United States. We focused on the costs and benefits of different ways of providing mobile devices to workers, and on the goals companies have for their mobile efforts. Our research shows that up-front savings do not always maximize long-term value. Companies that depend on employees to provide their own mobile phones—an approach commonly known as Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD—do save money on acquisition costs. But over time there are other costs to consider, while factors such as increased productivity and operational efficiency can make policies that provide phones to some or all employees worth considering.