Digital transformation: 93% Indian firms face major hurdles, finds Dell-Intel study

Almost 93% of Indian businesses are facing major impediments to digital transformation, a research by computer maker Dell Technologies and US chip manufacturer Intel Corp. said.

The report maps the digital transformation progress of mid- to large-sized companies and examines the digital hopes and fears of business leaders. 

While there has been minimal growth in the digital leadership group, the study has tracked movement across other groups.  

For instance, 34% of businesses surveyed are now categorised as digital adopters (a five per cent rise on 2016). And, 14% of businesses in 2018 are digital followers, down from 21% in 2016.

Ninety one per cent of Indian business leaders surveyed in 2018 believe that digital transformation should be more widespread throughout the organisation (compared with 84% in 2016), the research added.

The study said Indian businesses have started using digital technologies to accelerate the development of new products and services. It added that Indian businesses are also sharing knowledge across functions, by equipping infotech (IT) leaders with business skills and business leaders with IT skills.

More than half of Indian businesses (61%) surveyed are developing in-house expertise and building security and privacy into all devices, applications and algorithms, the study said.

Companies are also turning to emerging technologies and cybersecurity to power (and secure) their transformation. There are a couple of planned investments within the next one to three years which include infusions into cybersecurity, Internet of Things, multi-cloud, blockchain, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.

Almost half (48%) of India business heads surveyed believe their firms will struggle to meet changing customer demands within another five years. 
 
A quarter (25%) fear they will be left behind (compared with 38% in China), according to the research by computer maker Dell Technologies and US chipmaker Intel Corp.