Review: Implementing the Internet of Things – A Practical Business Guide

Implementing the Internet of Things by Boban Vukicevic and Bob Emmerson is not a technical manual, although the title might suggest otherwise. It’s a business‑centric guide that covers strategy, implementation, and key considerations for organizations evaluating IoT solutions.

The authors highlight the profound impact IoT can have on business operations, emphasizing the critical managerial challenges that arise during implementation. They introduce the concept of a “strategic IoT hot spot”—a focus area that aligns closely with an organization’s core objectives.

The business case

According to the foreword, the business case for IoT rests on tangible benefits—greater operational efficiency, superior product and service performance, heightened agility, and the capacity to unlock new business models. Vukicevic notes that early adopters gain a competitive edge by swiftly leveraging the insights generated by IoT systems.

They advocate for a structured assessment of IoT’s potential influence on an organization’s products, services, resources, capabilities, customers, and competitors, as well as the broader operating environment. Evaluating competitive advantage should include emerging market entrants, not just current rivals, because IoT‑enabled offerings can erode traditional barriers and undermine incumbents’ core strengths.

Chapter 1.2 proposes constructing a confrontation matrix that maps Critical Success Factors (CSFs) to core internal processes. This exercise helps identify strategic objectives and associated KPIs. Common CSFs include customer preference drivers and cost levers that most significantly impact the bottom line.

Low hanging fruit

During the innovation phase, initial outcomes should be visible, viable, and tangible, delivering rapid financial gains. Such successes energize the organization, secure commitment, and nurture new IoT champions.

The book outlines three essential steps for IoT innovation:

1. Lower costs and improve operational efficiency
2. Generate more revenue per unit of sales by providing additional value to customers
3. Offer your product as a service

Illustrative cases cover pay‑per‑copy office equipment, air‑compressor services priced per cubic meter of compressed air, and pay‑per‑lux lighting solutions.

The authors also caution against strategic pitfalls, such as vendors overshooting the market by offering customers more than they require—or what they’re willing to pay for.

Use cases show what can be achieved

The book explores real‑world use cases, including intelligent transport platforms for smart cities, driver and fleet management, remote energy and meteorology monitoring, asset tracking, parking optimization, smart homes, bike sharing, telecare for the elderly or disabled, and mobile diabetes care.

This book is highly recommended for organizations embarking on their first IoT journey. Eschewing jargon, it frames IoT as a business strategy rather than a purely technical endeavor, prompting critical self‑reflection and helping readers sidestep common pitfalls. For inspiration, turn to Chapter 5.

Boban Vukicevic, Managing Director of Comgate.nl—a IoT technology enabler and consulting firm in the Netherlands—and Bob Emmerson, an English‑born electronic engineer and industry observer based in the Netherlands, co‑author this work.

Implementing the Internet of Things
By Boban Vukicevic & Bob Emmerson
einsteinbooks.nl             ISBN 9 789492 460219
58 Pages              Price: €10.00
https://amzn.to/2hcEO8D 

The reviewer is Jeremy Cowan, editorial director of IoT Now.