Tag: digitalisation

Global equities can continue to perform well in 2021, but tech may have to share the limelight with some unloved areas. Meanwhile, a number of mega-trends will continue to gather pace. Global equities are by no means cheap, but they are reasonably valued.

To prepare for uncertain times, we need to develop robust business models and structures that allow for experimentation and to see what grabs and what doesn’t grab. The engineering and construction sector has been operating in the same way for decades, is one of the least digitised industries in the world (21 out of 22 industries) and has not enjoyed significant productivity growth in recent years.

Digitalisation was a transformative trend sweeping across industries even before the global COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work, shop and interact. Society's ongoing transition to smart and sustainable living leverages information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life and unlock greater convenience. And ubiquitous and seamless access to digital services underpins this trend, with the digitalisation of banking a core enabler of the emerging smart economy.

A recent World Economic Forum report has highlighted evolving trends in the workforce, globally and in South Africa, as the local labour market faces the combined impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).

In a world where digital is now everywhere and data is driving everything, trust has become the currency of value. To trust is human. It’s through that invisible human bond that all business and societal relationships are developed and sustained.

Disruption taking place through isolated digital innovations are a thing of the past. Instead, a complete digital policyholder journey is becoming the expectation within insurance. This can be attributed to how innovation has become commonplace for a business to stay ahead of the curve.

Our recently released study takes an in-depth look at the state of innovation in South Africa specifically, however the study indicates that even though the majority of South African companies are expecting to be disrupted by innovations in their industries over the next three years, half of them are not prepared to cope with it.

Mid-size enterprises are at a crossroads. To innovate and thrive in the current economy, they need to be able to rely on sound data management. But data storage solutions can be costly. It’s tough right now for businesses to find a silver lining amid the unprecedented social and economic upheaval. But as with any mega-world event, the current situation also presents opportunities that were not previously planned.

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising was one of the many casualties of the hard lockdown, with marketers understandably finding it hard to justify their spend in a time where everyone was required to stay at home. With the levelled lockdown commencing on 1 May, movement has gradually started to return to the outdoor arena, providing OOH media owners and advertisers with new hope.

Renewed emphasis on digitalisation as a key strategy for sustainability is placing pressure on CIOs to ensure corporate systems are resilient. One certainty that has emerged from the COVID-19 crisis is that organisations embarking on digitalisation were better prepared to respond to the crisis.