Companies fear the consequences of digitization
At CeBIT 2016, ERP provider godesys asked visitors about the biggest challenges currently facing companies. The most frequently mentioned answer: the digital transformation. The greatest concern in terms of digitalization is the associated higher security risks and increasing complexity.
A full 45 percent of the participating trade visitors consider digitization to be the biggest task they will have to face in the next five years. In second place is globalization (20 percent), closely followed by the energy transition and resource scarcity (16 percent). Even though the digital transformation is seen as a major challenge by the majority, this trend is not taken into account in the business strategy by twelve percent of respondents. For 14 percent, the plans for a digital strategy are in place, but implementation is not yet taking place. In contrast, almost three quarters of the CeBIT visitors surveyed are taking a proactive approach to digitization: 41 percent have a comprehensive digital strategy in place and its implementation is well underway. 33 percent are already implementing digital projects in individual areas.
Security, complexity, costs: these are the biggest concerns
But what aspects are companies most concerned about when it comes to digitization? 38 percent of all survey participants stated that higher security risks are their number one concern. Rising complexity, meanwhile, clouds the expectations of 22 percent of respondents. At least one in five is frightened by the high costs for technology, for example, that could be incurred as a result of digitization. More than half estimate the level of these costs for their company as medium to very high (58 percent). Asked about the area in which there is primarily a need to catch up in terms of digitization, 22 percent named workflow. This is followed by production with 17 percent and sales with 16 percent.
Diffuse fears
"The topic of digitization is often accompanied by a mixture of timidity and diffuse fear in this country," comments Godelef Kühl, founder and CEO of godesys AG. "However, those who optimize their workflow in a planned manner and drive process automation forward with the necessary expertise will benefit from the opportunities of the development. This is precisely where we support companies in all industries with the appropriate user-friendly and agile business software."
Source: www.godesys.de
