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Digital transformation

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For signal processing, see Digital transform.

Digital transformation is the process of adoption and implementation of digital technology[1][2][3] by an organization in order to create new or modify existing products, services and operations by the means of translating business processes into a digital format.

The goal for its implementation is to increase value through innovation,[4][5] invention, improved customer experience and efficiency.[1] Focussing on efficiency and costs, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) defines digitalisation as

the practice of redefining models, functions, operations, processes and activities by leveraging technological advancements to build an efficient digital business environment – one where gains (operational and financial) are maximised, and costs and risks are minimised.[6]

CIPS has also observed that "digital capability" can be used to support supply chain transparency and remote working.[6]

However, since there are no comprehensive data sets on the digital transformation at the macro level, the overall effect of digital transformation is still too early to comment.[7]

A useful incremental approach to transformation called discovery-driven planning (DDP) has been proven to help solve digital challenges, especially for traditional firms. This approach focuses on step-by-step transformation instead of the all-or-nothing approach. A few benefits of DDP are risk mitigation, quick response to changing market conditions, and increased success rate to digital transformations.[8]

Ressources of the Digital Transformation Capability

Thus, an organization’s ability to undergo digital transformation (DTC) encompasses three different categories of resources: tangible, intangible and human.[9]

Tangible resources are the physical items that companies use to support and advance digital transformation. Informational and Communication Technologies systems encompass software and platforms essential for data management, while hardware refers to the physical devices that power and sustain these systems. The digital infrastructure acts as the backbone, connecting these technologies and facilitating seamless information flow. These elements are collectively pivotal, enabling organizations to adapt and innovate in the ever-evolving business sphere. This includes things like IT infrastructures, specialized equipement and software tools. For example, IT infrastructure is crucial for effectively using digital technologies like computing and big data. Equipements like servers, data centers and network devices provide the base for software and applications to run. Finally, software from database management systems to artificial intelligence solutions, is crucial for processing and analyzing data, helping companies to make decisions based on real information.

Intangible resources typically include an organization’s digital transformation strategy, its collective knowledge, and the reputation gained from using and achieving results with digital strategies. For instance, when implementing a digital transformation strategy, it is crucial to consider the organization’s digital culture. This means understanding that digital transformation isn’t just a one-time project, but a continuous effort that integrates technology, people, and processes. Everyone at all levels of the organization should be aware and involved in this process.

Human resources play a pivotal role in propelling digital transformation within corporations. As part of the digital transformation capability framework, human resources constitute the collective skills, knowledge, and competencies that the workforce wields. These elements are integral to the successful execution and maintenance of digital transformation endeavours.

To adeptly steer through the waters of digital transformation, organizations must hone various facets of human resources. This begins with digital technical skills. Employees are required to master advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, machine learning, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. Furthermore, digital leadership is paramount. Leaders with a profound understanding of technological trends and a clear strategic vision are critical for leading the charge in digital transformation.

Moreover, beyond the scope of technical acumen, employees must also excel in digital communication. The modern workplace values proficiency in teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability as much as it does technical know-how.

Lastly, considering the swift pace at which technology evolves, digital continuous learning and development cannot be overstated. Organizations must place a premium on ongoing education and growth to keep abreast of the latest technological advancements and stay competitive.

Barriers and enablers of digital transformation

Barriers

There are multiple common barriers that digital transformation initiatives, projects and strategies face. One of the main barriers is change management, because changes in processes may face active resistance from workers. Related to change management is the miscommunication between workers, which can lead to implementation delays or even complete project failure. Some companies are unable to develop a realistic cost projection due to a too optimistic view of the process. Companies may have legacy systems in place, which can lead to integration difficulties with new systems. Within organizations there may also be a lack of resources, top management support, workers’ skills, commitment, collaboration and vision.[10]

Enablers

In addition to the several barriers to digital transformation, there are also numerous enablers of digital transformation. The primary enablers are; organizations resources and capabilities, workers’ skills, technologies and culture. The aforementioned enabler “Organizations resources and capabilities” refers to the ability of an organization to adapt to contemporary issues arising in the business environment, as well as their capabilities in the field of data analytics. In regards to “Workers’ skills”, workers must be able to develop valuable insights with the use of data, have significant emotional intelligence and effectively part-take in the development of new products. Thirdly, technology is also a vital enabler of digital transformation. Companies can benefit from having access to artificial intelligence, data analytics softwares and effective usage of social media. Lastly, “Culture” pertains to the extent the organizational culture is data-driven and the quality of the top management support and engagement within the corporation. [10]

History

Digitization is the process of converting analog information into digital form using an analog-to-digital converter, such as in an image scanner or for digital audio recordings. As usage of the internet has increased since the 1990s, the usage of digitization has also increased. Digital transformation, however, is broader than just the digitization of existing processes. Digital transformation entails considering how products, processes and organizations can be changed through the use of new digital technologies.[11][12] A 2019 review proposes a definition of digital transformation as "a process that aims to improve an entity by triggering significant changes to its properties through combinations of information, computing, communication, and connectivity technologies".[2] Digital transformation can be seen as a socio-technical programme.[13][14]

Adopting digital technology can bring benefits to a business,[15][16] however, some company cultures can struggle with the changes required by digital transformation.[17]

A 2015 report stated that maturing digital companies were using cloud hosting, social media, mobile devices and data analytics, while other companies were using individual technologies for specific problems.[18] By 2017, one study found that less than 40% of industries had become digitized (although usage was high in the media, retail and technology industries).[19]

As of 2020, 37% of European companies and 27% of American companies had not embraced digital technology.[20][21] Over the period of 2017-2020, 70% of European municipalities have increased their spending on digital technologies.[20][22] By 2019, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply found in a survey of 700 managers, representing over 20 different industries and 55 different countries, that over 90% of the businesses represented had adopted at least one new form of information technology, and 90% stated that their digitalisation strategies aimed to secure decreased operational costs and increased efficiency.[23]

In a 2021 survey, 55% of European companies stated the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for digital technology, and 46% of companies reported that they have grown more digital.[24] Half of these companies anticipate an increase in the usage of digital technologies in the future, with a greater proportion being companies that have previously used digital technology.[25][26] A lack of digital infrastructure was viewed as a key barrier to investment by 16% of EU businesses, compared to 5% in the US.[20]

In a survey conducted in 2021, 89% of African banks polled claimed that the pandemic had hastened the digital transformation of their internal operations.[27]

In 2022, 53% of businesses in the EU reported taking action or making investments in becoming more digital.[28][29][30] 71% of companies in the US reported using at least one advanced digital technology, similar to the average usage of 69% across EU organizations.[28][31][32]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Mirzagayeva, Shamiya; Aslanov, Heydar (2022-12-15). "The digitalization process: what has it led to, and what can we expect in the future?" (PDF). Metafizika. 5 (4): 10–21. eISSN 2617-751X. ISSN 2616-6879. OCLC 1117709579. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-11-12. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  2. ^ a b Vial, Gregory (2019). "Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda". The Journal of Strategic Information Systems. 28 (2): 118–144. doi:10.1016/j.jsis.2019.01.003. S2CID 115202292.
  3. ^ Warner, Karl S. R.; Wäger, Maximilian (2019-06-01). "Building dynamic capabilities for digital transformation: An ongoing process of strategic renewal". Long Range Planning. 52 (3): 326–349. doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2018.12.001. ISSN 0024-6301. S2CID 158197061.
  4. ^ Schmarzo, Bill (31 May 2017). "What is Digital Transformation?". Archived from the original on 2019-11-30. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  5. ^ Wren, Hannah (1 December 2020). "What is digital transformation? Definition, Examples, Main Areas". Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, Digitalisation in procurement and supply 2020, accessed 13 August 2023
  7. ^ Kretschmer, Tobias; Khashabi, Pooyan (August 2020). "Digital Transformation and Organization Design: An Integrated Approach". California Management Review. 62 (4): 86–104. doi:10.1177/0008125620940296. ISSN 0008-1256. S2CID 221042306.
  8. ^ McGrath, Rita; McManus, Ryan (2020-05-01). "Discovery-Driven Digital Transformation". Harvard Business Review. ISSN 0017-8012. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  9. ^ Queiroz, M.M. and Wamba, S.F., 2022. Managing the Digital Transformation: Aligning Technologies, Business Models, and Operations. CRC Press. pp. 15-17.
  10. ^ a b Wamba, Maciel M. Queiroz, Samuel Fosso (2022-10-12). Managing the Digital Transformation: Aligning Technologies, Business Models, and Operations. Boca Raton: CRC Press. doi:10.1201/9781003226468. ISBN 978-1-003-22646-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Matt, Christian; Hess, Thomas; Benlian, Alexander (2015). "Digital Transformation Strategies". Business & Information Systems Engineering. 57 (5): 339–343. doi:10.1007/s12599-015-0401-5. S2CID 30892786.
  12. ^ Hess T, Matt C, Benlian A, Wiesböck F. Options for Formulating a Digital Transformation Strategy. MIS Quarterly Executive. 2016;15(2):123-139.
  13. ^ Hartl, Eva and Hess, Thomas, (2019). "IT PROJECTS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: A SOCIO-TECHNICAL JOURNEY TOWARDS TECHNOCHANGE". In Proceedings of the 27th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS), Stockholm & Uppsala, Sweden, June 8–14, 2019. ISBN 978-1-7336325-0-8 Research Papers. https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2019_rp/162
  14. ^ Butt, Aurangzeab; Imran, Faisal; Kantola, Jussi; Helo, Petri (2021). "Cultural Preparation for Digital Transformation of Industrial Organizations: A Multi-case Exploration of Socio-technical Systems". Advances in Physical, Social & Occupational Ergonomics. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems. Vol. 273. pp. 457–463. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-80713-9_58. ISBN 978-3-030-80712-2. S2CID 237298363.
  15. ^ Aleksej Heinze; Marie Griffiths; Alex Fenton; Gordon Fletcher (2018). "Knowledge exchange partnership leads to digital transformation at Hydro-X Water Treatment, Ltd". Global Business and Organizational Excellence. 37 (4): 6–13. doi:10.1002/JOE.21859. ISSN 1932-2054. Wikidata Q56622208.
  16. ^ Westerman, George; et al. (2014). Leading Digital: Turning technology into business transformation. Harvard Business Press. ISBN 9781625272478.
  17. ^ McConnell, Jane (28 August 2015). "The Company Cultures That Help (or Hinder) Digital Transformation". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  18. ^ Kane, Gerald; et al. (14 July 2015). "Strategy, not Technology, Drives Digital Transformation". MIT Sloan Management Review. Archived from the original on 2015-07-17. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  19. ^ Bughin, Jacques; et al. (9 February 2017). "The case for digital reinvention". McKinsey Digital. Archived from the original on 2017-02-09. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  20. ^ a b c "EIB Investment Report 2020-2021". European Investment Bank. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  21. ^ "Unlocking Private Investment in Climate Adaptation and Resilience". World Bank. March 4, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  22. ^ "Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth" (PDF). OECD. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-30.
  23. ^ Galea-Pace, S. (17 May 2020). "CIPS: Digitalisation in Procurement and Supply 2019". Supply Chain Digital. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  24. ^ EIB Investment Report 2021/2022: Recovery as a springboard for change. European Investment Bank. 2022-01-12. ISBN 978-92-861-5155-2.
  25. ^ "EIB Investment Report 2020-2021". European Investment Bank. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  26. ^ "EIB Corporate Digitalisation Index 2020/2021: Most EU countries are trailing the United States in digitalisation". European Investment Bank. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  27. ^ Finance in Africa: for green, smart and inclusive private sector development. European Investment Bank. 2021-11-18. ISBN 978-92-861-5063-0.
  28. ^ a b EIB Investment Survey 2022 - EU overview. European Investment Bank. 2022-11-08. p. 14. ISBN 978-92-861-5397-6.
  29. ^ "Digital economy and society statistics - enterprises". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  30. ^ "COVID-19 digital transformation & technology | McKinsey". www.mckinsey.com. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  31. ^ "Europe's migration to digital services during COVID-19 | McKinsey". www.mckinsey.com. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  32. ^ PricewaterhouseCoopers. "Business needs a tighter strategy for remote work". PwC. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
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