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SA companies falling behind in digital era

Johannesburg – South African companies are falling behind when it comes to investing in digital transformation, according to a report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The report is based on a survey of over 2 000 business and technology executives regarding the challenges they face.

It showed that less than half (47%) of South African companies rate their organisation’s digital IQ over 70%. Compared with the continent, over half (52%) of African companies score their digital IQ 70% or greater. Digital IQ measures an organisation's ability to profit from technology.

“Despite notable advances in technology, company leaders are no better equipped to handle the changes coming their way than they were in 2007, according to the survey results,” said Tielman Botha, digital lead of PwC South Africa.

Botha added that companies are struggling to raise their digital IQ. There is an awareness that digital capabilities are needed for success, but leaders are still challenged when it comes to integrating digital into their company culture.

Only 50% of South African respondents saw their CEOs as a champion for digital. Many respondents said other senior executives remain disengaged from digital transformations, the report said.

South African companies are likely to focus on technology platform integration in the next three years.

The report indicated that most companies are not “better prepared” to adopt emerging technologies than they were 10 years ago. And even though companies are considering emerging technologies, they may not have the processes to execute such strategies.

Opportunities identified

In Africa, 87% of executives have identified opportunities to digitise but only 63% have taken steps to consider an emerging technology. Currently African executives are focused on investing in the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, and plan to do so over the next three years.

“African firms are more focused than their global peers on virtual reality, with 21% investing significantly compared to 7% of others,” the report said. African executives are also networking with industry leaders and vendors as they explore emerging technologies. They are however less likely to use industry analysts or competitive intelligence.

Addressing the human experience also remains a challenge for African companies. African companies lack the necessary digital skills in terms of user-experience and human-centred design. Currently 65% of companies are updating their talent model to keep up with changing digital skills.

“It is vital that companies invest in digital solutions if they want to be successful. It is even more important that they think through how their investment in digital can drive new business models and financial results,” said Botha.

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