Digital disruption is sweeping all industries and countries, and the pace of change brought about by technology innovation will only accelerate. Asia-Pacific, Japan and China (APJC) is primed for opportunity in the age of digitization, but the landscape of digital preparedness is perhaps as varied as the countries and cultures that constitute the region.
Many developing markets in APJC find themselves at an advantage, with digitization presenting brand new opportunities for countries and organizations to leapfrog their more developed neighbors who are encumbered by the weight of legacy. In the same way, a smaller company’s efforts to digitally transform can no doubt be buoyed by agility, versus the complexities a larger enterprise can face in the pursuit of transformational change.
But whether big or small, one thing is very clear – in order to keep pace, compete, and differentiate, organizations today must be ready for the digital battle. And the success of any efforts to digitally transform will be dependent on having the right expertise and weapons to win: a robust digital strategy and the IT infrastructure and technologies necessary to bring it to life. Business and government leaders everywhere understand the imperative for digital transformation, but there is more work to be done to bridge the divide between digital strategy and the IT investments that need to be made.
With the emergence of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, exponential growth of data volumes, the need to navigate a multi-cloud world, and the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks, we have reached an inflection point. An organization’s future (and fortunes) will rest with its ability to harness technology to reach new goals, overcome new challenges, and anticipate - not just respond to - customer needs and shifting market conditions.
Being ready for battle – and recognizing whether you are or not – has never been more important.
