New Dell Technologies Research Reveals a Divided Vision of the Future

New
Dell Technologies Research Reveals a Divided Vision of the Future

Business
leaders in Singapore and around the world forecast the next era of
human-machine partnerships and how they intend to prepare

SINGAPORE – Jan. 31, 2018

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We’re entering the next era of human-machine partnerships with a
divided vision of the future, according to global research now available
from Dell Technologies. 58% of Singapore business
leaders forecast that automated systems will free up their time. Similarly, 58%
believe that smart machines will work as admins that connect individuals to
highly personalised goods and services, while 42% disagree. The findings reveal
that a reliance on machines will lead to greater efficiency, unity and
possibility than ever before.

Singapore business leaders (45%) predict this will impact their
ability to compete over the next decade. However, they are less prepared
compared to their global counterparts – citing a lack of digital vision and
strategy as a top barrier. Singapore business leaders are not progressing
quickly or deep enough and only 21% of those surveyed say digital is ingrained
in all they do, compared to the global average of 27%.

The quantitative research conducted by Vanson Bourne follows
Dell Technologies’ seminal story, “Realizing 2030: The Next Era of Human-Machine
Partnerships.” That study forecasted that by 2030, emerging
technologies will forge human partnerships with machines that are richer and
more immersive than ever before, helping us surpass our limitations.
Business leaders in the APJ region agree:
80% of respondents expect humans and machines will work as integrated teams
within their organisation inside of five years.

But Singapore
business leaders are also split by whether the future represents an opportunity
or a threat, and torn by the need to mitigate these risks.1 For
instance:

“You can understand why the business community is so polarised,”
comments Jeremy Burton, chief marketing officer, Dell Technologies. “There
tends to be two extreme perspectives about the future: the anxiety-driven issue
of human obsolescence or the optimistic view that technology will solve our
greatest social problems. These differing viewpoints could make it difficult
for organisations to prepare for a future that’s in flux and would certainly
hamper leaders’ efforts to push through necessary change.”

Eric Goh, Managing Director and Vice President, Singapore
Enterprise Business, Dell EMC commented: “We’re on the cusp of immense change,
fuelled by emerging technologies like AI and IoT, that are opening up new
frontiers in Singapore and on a global level. While there are differing views
in the way leaders forecast the future, Singapore remains ahead of the global
curve with more respondents believing in the transformative impact of
technology in overcoming the digital barriers ahead.”

The findings also revealed Singapore business leaders’ attitude
to the future of skills. 71% believe that schools will need to teach students
how to learn rather than what to learn to prepare them for jobs that don’t
exist yet, compared to the global average of 56%.

Beset by barriers

Furthermore, many businesses aren’t moving fast enough, and
going deep enough, to overcome common barriers to operating as a successful
digital business. Only 21% of Singapore businesses believe they are leading the
way, ingraining digital in all they do. 45% don’t know whether they’ll be able
to compete over the next decade, and the 53% of businesses are struggling to
keep-up with the pace of change.

Main barriers to becoming a successful digital business in 2030
and beyond in Singapore:

Unified by the need to transform

Leaders may be divided in their view of
the future and facing barriers to change, but they’re united in the need to
transform. In fact, the vast majority of businesses believe they’ll be well on
their way to transforming within five years,
despite the challenges they face.

Likely to achieve within five years in
Singapore:

Burton adds, “We’re entering an era of monumental change. Although
business leaders harbour contrasting views of the future, they share common
ground on the need to transform. Based on the many conversations I have with
customers, I believe we’re reaching a pivotal moment in time. Businesses can
either grasp the mantle, transform their IT, workforce
and security and play a defining role in the future or be left behind.”

Additional resources

·            For
more information on the quantitative research report, executive summary and
infographic, please visit www.delltechnologies.com/realizing2030

·            Additional
information on Dell Technologies Realizing 2030 initiative can be found, www.delltechnologies.com/realizing2030

·            Find
out more about how Dell Technologies is collaboratively solving customers’
biggest challenges by visiting Dell Technologies’ Annual Report to Customers

·            Connect with Dell
Technologies on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn

·            Tables
below show business leaders’ forecasts for the future, and how they are divided
about technologies’ upcoming impact on our lives, work and business in
general. 2

About the study

The research was commissioned by Dell
Technologies and undertaken by Vanson Bourne, an independent research company,
completed in June to August 2017 with 3,800 business leaders from mid-size to
large enterprises across 17 countries including ANZ, China, India, Japan and
Singapore. The respondents were drawn from 12 industries and key functions
impacting the customer experience (from business owners to decision-makers in
IT, marketing, customer service, R&D and finance, etc.). The research explores
the changing relationship between technology and people, emerging technologies’
impact on business and the way we work and how business leaders and CIOs plan
to succeed over the next 10 to 15 years.

About Vanson Bourne

Vanson Bourne is an independent specialist in market research
for the technology sector. Its reputation for robust and credible
research-based analysis is founded upon rigorous research principles and an
ability to seek the opinions of senior decision makers across technical and
business functions, in all business sectors and all major markets. For more
information, visit www.vansonbourne.com.

About Dell Technologies  

Dell Technologies is
a unique family of businesses that provides the essential infrastructure for
organizations to build their digital future, transform IT and protect their
most important asset, information. The company services customers of all sizes
across 180 countries – ranging from 98% of the Fortune 500 to individual
consumers – with the industry’s most comprehensive and innovative portfolio
from the edge to the core to the cloud.

1 Business leaders are
divided by what the shift into the next era will mean for them, their business
and even the world at large.

2 Below tables showcase business leaders’
forecast for the future, and how they are divided about technologies’ upcoming
impact on our lives, work and business in general:

Singapore Research Data

Our Lives

Our work

Business