Based on the large number of contributions, eager readers of the digital evolution blog have probably noticed that there are different perspectives regarding digitisation. At first sight, outside observers might conceive the idea that is only about bits and bytes. However, digitisation is much more than the implementation of new technical procedures. It deals with changing an organisation, i.e. to design and organise work, to generate added value and to find out about which innovations bring the company forward in future. Or – in case of a delay – to fall behind. This is the reason why the digital transformation also includes an extremely psychological component that influences the actions of decision makers and implementation staff. The “Innovation Alliance”, an amalgamation of eleven medium-sized companies from the direct environment of the US-American corporation Cisco, examined in the research study “Psychology of Digitisation“ the question how medium-sized companies react to digital change. IT-daily.net subsequently summarised the results.
Decision Makers do not Trust Digitisation – Women are More Open-minded
The direct involvement with digitisation triggers different user feelings. For more than 75 %, digitisation constitutes a rational must-attend. For almost half of them, it denotes a risk and almost one in three decision makers associates negative feelings with digitisation such as “fear” and “loneliness”. Surprising: Women (28%) in decision-making roles are less afraid of digitisation than men (35%).
Medium-sized Companies Stand at the Dawn
The companies, realism prevails: only a small minority (12%) believe that they had already mastered half of the way leading to digitisation. 18% stand at the beginning, 37% have taken first steps, and 27% deal in depth with digitisation.
The Speciality Departments Set the Agenda
Several years ago, there was the simple equation – digitisation equals IT. With 21%, the decision makers in IT form the largest group followed by management (15%) and production (11%). In marketing, however, only 3% of all digitisation decisions are taken.
One in Three Decision Makers Feel Left Alone
The feeling of isolation and fear is not spread everywhere in the same manner. The largest concerns prevail in production (43%) and in sales (40%). In R&D, HR and production (25% each), the digitisation causes no reason for concern.
Digitisation Fights Tradition
Digitisation means putting the existing systems and work procedures into question and to break new ground. To do so, 29% of the management must overcome internal opposition. In the speciality departments, these obstacles even are higher – in sales/marketing 49%, in finance/controlling and production (43% each) struggle against obstacles.
Digitisation is a Must-Attend Event
Digitisation is a process connected to responsibility, correctness, performance and status. To carry out this duty, confidence is needed, too. In production (86%), the confidence is most prevalent. Marketing (67%) and – interesting enough – the IT-department (69%) are less enthusiastic.
Digitisation Can Also be a Pleasure
To think ahead, to have delight in changing things. In IT, human resources and marketing (all more than 75%) digitisation stimulates positive emotions. Management (68%) and controlling (65%) generally see the topic in a more pedestrian way.
DARZ can fully endorse this appraisal. We assume that we live in a time of economic changes that the world has not seen ever since the industrialisation. The British author Charles Dickens worded it “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness (…).” Digitisation is consequently about what you make out of it. And we make the most of it!
Nobody digitises by himself.