CIO OPINION
This may require a new form of leadership , one that acknowledges the interconnectedness of purpose and profit , and turn purpose into a core thread of the organisational fabric . It requires greater collaboration between the private sector , government , social enterprises and NGOs .
And it requires a total transformation in how we build , run and manage our businesses .
How can organisations reimagine themselves to fit into this wildly different world ?
Companies that prioritised Digital Transformation before this year ’ s lockdowns were implemented had a chance at navigating the stormy seas of 2020 . Those that hadn ’ t have been left adrift as constant change and widespread disruption end the prospect of business-as-usual .
Digital Transformation a ‘ survival tool ’
Today , Digital Transformation simply means one thing : survival .
Organisations need access to new tools and technologies to deal with new challenges
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THERE ’ S NO SUCH THING AS A BUSINESS STRATEGY OR AN IT STRATEGY : THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME . IT ’ S NOT UP TO IT TO TELL THE ORGANISATION WHERE TO PRIORITISE ITS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION NEXT . and opportunities emerging from a constantly-changing business environment .
Looking ahead , organisations will need to approach Digital Transformation in new ways . All leaders and executives should be well-versed in the language of technology and understand its impact on the organisation . There ’ s no such thing as a business strategy or an IT strategy : they are one and the same . It ’ s not up to IT to tell the organisation where to prioritise its Digital Transformation next . These decisions will shape the future of the organisation , and should be approached from a business strategy perspective .
What new markets do we want to unlock ? What new customers do we want to find ? What new services do we want to introduce to the market ? And , importantly , what role does technology play in enabling all of this ?
Growing skills crisis
We need to radically transform our approach to skills development and employment . Youth unemployment could quickly become a crisis to rival that of the pandemic . Africa introduces ten to twelve million youth into www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO 39 39