Concepts like digital disruption and transformation seem to be consistently in the spotlight as of late, with companies from all industries feeling the pressure, according to a report released by Gartner this month.
While it’s clear to see that the technological world as we know it is changing, Gartner suggests that every business – no matter their vertical, may need to start making a plan for the future soon if they want to avoid getting left behind by their competitors. The research indicates that as soon as the digital revenue for a sector goes over 20%, then DX has become a rolling stone.
The World as We Know It: Becoming Digital
In some areas, it’s easier to spot the signs of digital transformation than others. For instance, we’ve seen the world of media and literature evolve from printed pages and magazines, into digital readers and online news sites. Entertainment is downloaded instantly on streaming services and virtual “play” stores, rather than being purchased in physical form.
Whether you can see a digital eventuality for your sector or not, the statistics suggest that it might be time for CIOs to begin finding their path among digital disruption. At least, that was the message delivered at the Gartner Symposium/ ITxpo this year.
In every sector, whether the path to digital is obvious or not, now could be the time to start exploring new opportunities, and taking advantage of the trends as they emerge. Already, some of the bigger brands around the world are rising to the challenge, trying to find ways that they can push ahead of their competition with new and innovative digital ideas.
Do Brands Need to Go Digital to Be Competitive?
According to the information released by Gartner, around two-thirds of all business leaders believe that they need to “pick up the pace” digitally if they want to stay competitive. This is putting some serious pressure on CIOs, who need to ‘go big or go home’.
The key, of course, isn’t to simply plug as much digital tech into your business as possible and hope for the best, but to find ways to respond to the needs of your customers, clients, and channel partners, using the innovations that might be available in your sector.
Part of making the most out of these changes will be taking advantage of new skills in the employment sector. As disruptive technology becomes an essential part of how we all do business, it makes sense that companies would be looking for new staff that could help them to understand and embrace trends like Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Digital Security.
The Call for Digital Leaders
Unfortunately, though Gartner believes that the demand for more digitally-focused professionals will increase in the coming years, it seems likely that most companies won’t be able to get their hands on the right talent – at least to begin with. There’s already a serious shortage of qualified candidates in the fields that are responsible for digital transformation, and as more verticals join the disruptive marketplace, the chances are that the talent pool will become shallower still.
According to some experts, the answer to this problem, in part, could lie in the development of even more life-changing tech – particularly in the world of AI. After all, if we can turn to artificial intelligence to help us understand and optimise the technology that’s emerging throughout countless professional fields, we might not have to worry as much about skill shortages.
For most companies, the key to a productive future in a universally disruptive marketplace will be in creating an appealing environment that attracts and engages the best people in the marketplace. AI could even help in this regard, by assisting HR managers and CIOs in finding the people that are best suited to a specific company culture.
