Digital transformation – why building from within is essential for business success

The digital revolution continues to transform the energy and utilities sector, with advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and The Internet of Things reinventing how organisations cut costs, improve operational performance and create value for stakeholders.

In this year’s Digital Transformation Review, published by the Capgemini Research Institute, leaders of large multinationals from diverse sectors including energy provide fascinating insights on the challenges organisations face in fully embracing their digital futures. One CEO describes an increasing understanding that a fundamental change required to capitalise on the digital opportunity is the need for a combined top down – and bottom up – approach.

Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, formerly of the State Bank of India, stressed the vital role of digital champions in driving change, adding: “Whatever your strategy, if your people are not sold on it, there will be a problem.” Unilever Vice President Rahul Welde joined the debate, saying “digital is touching everyone” and that digital transformation is best achieved and embedded through a parallel process of cultural transformation.

It’s clear that employees want to be engaged and participate in business strategy more than ever, and that organisations embracing digital need to value and deploy the ideas, skills and motivations of as wide a cross-section of their people as possible.

From our work in the energy sector and beyond, we also know that profound change of this game-changing nature has to come from within, it’s not something that can be outsourced. And it’s often a daunting prospect too, especially for more conservative and traditionally hierarchical organisations. Culture change does not happen overnight, but it needs to!

Worryingly, our report also revealed that, of 1,300 executives surveyed, only 35 per cent felt they had the leadership capabilities within their organisations to “turn their digital investments into business success”, down from 45 per cent in 2012.

It’s just this sort of challenge that led to the creation of Capgemini’s Accelerated Solutions Environments (ASE), now a worldwide network operating in 22 countries, bringing together diverse talent and expertise in a unique collaborative forum to solve complex business and cultural issues.

For organisations wrestling with the digital conundrum, an ASE brings together stakeholders with a wide range of skills and perspectives, combining a broad mix of age and experience. Importantly, those with sincere, often strongly held reservations to the proposed change are crucial participants, alongside both evangelists and the yet-to-be convinced. With a rigorous, tried and tested methodology and process, multi-­disciplinary groups collaborate to bring fresh thinking to the table.

Inevitably some ­doubters remain just that, but in our ­experience, exploring the art of the possible, giving everyone a voice and building consensus and a culture of collaboration from within, are essential first steps on the journey to successful digital transformation.

For more about Capgemini Accelerated Solutions Environment events, visit:
www.capgemini.com or email: carl.haigney@capgemini.com