Redrawing the business landscape – Are you a ‘Digital Leader’?

Authored by Alok Ohrie, President and Managing Director, India Commercial, Dell EMC

In today’s time and day, it has become essential for businesses to rethink their investments and understand why investing in digital is the need of the hour. We’re at a juncture – where technology, business and humans collaborate to work together, and make a better and smarter world. With unprecedented access to game-changing technologies such as a hybrid cloud, IoT technologies, AI and cognitive systems, a huge business opportunity is within grasp. The next digital era has arrived and organizations planning their future strategy need to ensure that digital forms a major part of their future planning. 

Due to the velocity of this change, organizations across the globe are transforming to adapt to a new dynamic between man and machine, in the digital age. The Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index in partnership with Intel, maps the progress of digital transformation for mid to large-sized companies and how through the years, organizations are reacting to digital. 

As per the findings of the report, it is interesting to note that digital leaders in India have increased to 12% from 8% in 2016. The Index has used the following groups to categorize the growth of digital adoption amongst the Indian enterprises- the Digital Leaders, Digital Adopters, Digital Evaluators, Digital Followers and Digital Laggards. 34% of businesses now are categorized as Digital Adopters (a 5% rise on 2016). These companies have advanced digital plans and innovations in place to power their transformation. The percentage of Digital Followers (a digitally immature group) has also dropped, from 21% in 2016, to 14% in 2018. 

However, too many companies are either coasting in the Digital Evaluator group or stuck in the bottom two groups, meaning they’re either moving too slowly or don’t even have a digital plan in place, circling back to the importance of investing in digital immediately. However slow, enterprises are starting to realize and prioritize investment in emerging technologies and cybersecurity to mitigate security implications of operating in a hyper-connected world. As many as 67% of Indian businesses intend to invest in IoT technologies and 62% of Indian businesses intend to invest in multi-cloud. A small but significant number of businesses are even planning to experiment with nascent technologies. 37% will be investing in blockchain, 31% in quantum computing and 42% in VR/AR. 

In an ever changing world, technology is reshaping the way we live, work and conduct business. While businesses are optimistic about technology adoption they still have a long way to go in a short span of time. The movement is however, in the right direction.