A new IBM study of global C-Suite executives revealed that nearly six in ten organizations have accelerated their digital transformations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, 66% of executives said they have completed initiatives that previously encountered resistance. In India, 55% of Indian executives plan to increase their prioritization of digital transformation efforts over the next two years.
The IBM Institute for Business Value study “COVID-19 and the Future of Business,” includes input from more than 3,800 C-Suite executives in 20 countries and 22 industries, including 172 executives from India. During the pandemic, traditional and perceived barriers to digital transformation like technology immaturity and employee opposition to change have fallen away. Now, executives see organizational complexity, inadequate skills and employee burnout as the biggest hurdles to overcome — both today and in the next two years. The study shows that over the next two years, most executives plan to focus on internal and operational capabilities, such as increasing prioritization of workforce skills and flexibility – critical areas to address in order to jumpstart progress.
“In the last few months, we have witnessed year-long digital transformation and adaption compressed into weeks. Companies in every industry have been encouraged to initiate digitisation measures, propelled by the infusion of automation and AI, and look forward to building cognitive enterprises of the future,” said Kamal Singhani, Country Managing Partner, Global Business Services, IBM India/South Asia. “Looking ahead, I believe that our focus on Cloud & AI is going to be our competitive advantage as we propel our clients and businesses to achieve this vision while they quickly recover and sustain their path to growth, business continuity and resilience.”
