Business
and IT leaders To Co-Drive Tomorrow’s Digital Success
and IT leaders To Co-Drive Tomorrow’s Digital Success
By Wong Heng Chew, Country President, Fujitsu
Singapore
Singapore
A seismic changeis needed to meet the ever-rising needs of the digital era. Singapore, as a
global business hub, has been at the forefront of a digital transformation.
Companies driven by digital technology have started to see positive results in
the areas of productivity, efficiency and quality. Still the digital movement is far from
finished and what we know as digital today may not be what digital will be
tomorrow.
Business leaders
will increasingly play a more influential and controlling role over the digital
strategies pursued as well. But while both business and technology leaders
embrace digital strategies, a recent research commissioned by Fujitsu Singapore
showed that understanding the needs of line of business (LoB) leaders can
kick-start the evolution to sustainable digital and business success.
will increasingly play a more influential and controlling role over the digital
strategies pursued as well. But while both business and technology leaders
embrace digital strategies, a recent research commissioned by Fujitsu Singapore
showed that understanding the needs of line of business (LoB) leaders can
kick-start the evolution to sustainable digital and business success.
Digital is a
familiar concept among Singapore business leaders, as one in two says their
organizations have already commenced a digital transformation. Over 95% of the
500 business leaders surveyed agreed that it has helped improve their
day-to-day work, and will change the way they work in future.
familiar concept among Singapore business leaders, as one in two says their
organizations have already commenced a digital transformation. Over 95% of the
500 business leaders surveyed agreed that it has helped improve their
day-to-day work, and will change the way they work in future.
Yet for
technology, LoB leaders identified challenges that are related to core and
well-established issues. Less than one in ten said that their organization’s IT
strategy is very mature, and more than 80% noted gaps where technology could
not address some of their needs. Main business challenges listed include manual
processes, connectivity, lack of support for new technology and IT’s failure to
listen. Due to the implementation of uniform technologies, some business units
have suffered as the technologies didn’t align with their needs. CIOs and IT
leaders need to know what CxOs’ want and to enable, not block them. For Singapore CxOs, it isn’t “shadow IT”. It
is just business.
technology, LoB leaders identified challenges that are related to core and
well-established issues. Less than one in ten said that their organization’s IT
strategy is very mature, and more than 80% noted gaps where technology could
not address some of their needs. Main business challenges listed include manual
processes, connectivity, lack of support for new technology and IT’s failure to
listen. Due to the implementation of uniform technologies, some business units
have suffered as the technologies didn’t align with their needs. CIOs and IT
leaders need to know what CxOs’ want and to enable, not block them. For Singapore CxOs, it isn’t “shadow IT”. It
is just business.
As technology
becomes central to achieving differentiation, LOB leaders desire an increased
say in the technology implementations and policies of the organization. Whether
it is marketing, finance, operations or HR leaders, they are increasing their
familiarity with digital ideas and technology.
becomes central to achieving differentiation, LOB leaders desire an increased
say in the technology implementations and policies of the organization. Whether
it is marketing, finance, operations or HR leaders, they are increasing their
familiarity with digital ideas and technology.
IT leaders need
to go deeper and gain a greater understanding of the priorities of the different
business units, the challenges they face and how they differ from each other. Thus,
they would have a broader, market-level view of the challenges and macro-trends
that influence business leader roles. There would be uniformities as well which
IT leaders can use to inform their decisions. The research found that while the
type of digital technologies Singaporean LOB leaders view as important are role
specific, the benefits available from these technologies are viewed as consistent
across all roles: real-time access to accurate information, achieving goals
more quickly or efficiently, and spending less time on manual tasks.
to go deeper and gain a greater understanding of the priorities of the different
business units, the challenges they face and how they differ from each other. Thus,
they would have a broader, market-level view of the challenges and macro-trends
that influence business leader roles. There would be uniformities as well which
IT leaders can use to inform their decisions. The research found that while the
type of digital technologies Singaporean LOB leaders view as important are role
specific, the benefits available from these technologies are viewed as consistent
across all roles: real-time access to accurate information, achieving goals
more quickly or efficiently, and spending less time on manual tasks.
Digital doesn’t
live in isolation. It happens in the real world with day-to-day issues. Thus, a
prudent approach for IT leaders would be to engage with LOB leaders and
collaborate to get insights into their challenges. The research showed that
changing customer behavior, which relates to the increased demands customer
place on businesses in the present era, is viewed as the trend which will have
the most impact in 2017 for marketing, operations and HR leaders.
live in isolation. It happens in the real world with day-to-day issues. Thus, a
prudent approach for IT leaders would be to engage with LOB leaders and
collaborate to get insights into their challenges. The research showed that
changing customer behavior, which relates to the increased demands customer
place on businesses in the present era, is viewed as the trend which will have
the most impact in 2017 for marketing, operations and HR leaders.
Digital
technologies have varying importance across the organization. However, despite
the concerted push in recent years to adopt social business and other
collaboration approaches, email remains the most important digital technology
amongst Singapore CXOs, according to the study. This is followed by industry or
role-specific technology reflecting the focus that LOB leaders have on
improving performance. With the growth of emerging technologies like payment
systems, Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence, IT leaders will
need to watch out for their impact and how the business units within the
organizations adapt to the changes. The technology solutions available will
need to be one step ahead to ensure smooth functioning of the business.
technologies have varying importance across the organization. However, despite
the concerted push in recent years to adopt social business and other
collaboration approaches, email remains the most important digital technology
amongst Singapore CXOs, according to the study. This is followed by industry or
role-specific technology reflecting the focus that LOB leaders have on
improving performance. With the growth of emerging technologies like payment
systems, Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence, IT leaders will
need to watch out for their impact and how the business units within the
organizations adapt to the changes. The technology solutions available will
need to be one step ahead to ensure smooth functioning of the business.
Singapore CXOs
are already gaining discretion over the IT budgets and this trend is expected
to continue in the coming years. IT leaders can take a few key steps to ramp up
their efforts to meet the needs of Singapore CXOs along with organizational
goals:
are already gaining discretion over the IT budgets and this trend is expected
to continue in the coming years. IT leaders can take a few key steps to ramp up
their efforts to meet the needs of Singapore CXOs along with organizational
goals:
·
Give your digital strategy a
health check. Establish a robust and ongoing review and engagement process
between IT and CxOs.
Give your digital strategy a
health check. Establish a robust and ongoing review and engagement process
between IT and CxOs.
·
Jointly identify with CXOs on
projects that should be undertaken and prioritized in 2017, collaboratively
with multi-stakeholder teams and include both core issue and emerging
technologies
Jointly identify with CXOs on
projects that should be undertaken and prioritized in 2017, collaboratively
with multi-stakeholder teams and include both core issue and emerging
technologies
·
Optimize core technology in
line with the specific challenges of users
Optimize core technology in
line with the specific challenges of users
·
Consider the macro-trends which
will be influential to the CXOs and how they will impact their technology needs
Consider the macro-trends which
will be influential to the CXOs and how they will impact their technology needs
The consensus is
clear – business leaders want IT departments to do more to evolve their
policies and meet the needs of different business units. Understanding and enabling
business leaders’ needs can make a significant difference in the success of any
digital strategy, with direct impact on day-to-day work. With this starting
point for strategy setting and execution, business and technology leaders can
jointly explore how tomorrow’s digital can help achieve new business goals.
clear – business leaders want IT departments to do more to evolve their
policies and meet the needs of different business units. Understanding and enabling
business leaders’ needs can make a significant difference in the success of any
digital strategy, with direct impact on day-to-day work. With this starting
point for strategy setting and execution, business and technology leaders can
jointly explore how tomorrow’s digital can help achieve new business goals.
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