"[Office 365] gives us that ability to share information, share desktops, but also to see the availability of these individuals and have chat- conversations," he says. "Whether it's through an instant-messaging solution like link or whether it be through video link and actually talking to a shared desktop, that then improves collaboration."

Aston Martin's internal use of consumerisation is mirrored by an external view. Being a consumer-facing company with a select customer base, the luxury car manufacturer cannot ignore the way its clients have embraced smart mobile devices. Social networking technology is a valuable tool for the company in keeping in touch with a loyal customer community.

From what Callow has said, being able to offer a highly integrated set of back office applications appears to be a sensible response to users' varied needs on the move.

Full portfolio

Intel's Shakespeare offers a similar point of view, with the assumption that the CIO can still have a hold on the procurement decision and still satisfy a demand from employees for consumer-type technology.