Brand South Africa welcomes South Africa’s ranking in the Dell Digital Transformation Index
Brand South Africa welcomes South Africa’s performance in the Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index II which indicates that the country ranks among the top 10 countries leading the digital transformation change required to compete in 21st century economies.
The research conducted by Dell Technologies in partnership with research from Vanson Bourne was launched in 2016 with the aim of mapping out businesses’ status of digital transformation and how they are performing in the digital age.
The second instalment of the index which was released this week, measured 4 600 medium-to-large corporate leaders across 42 countries and sub-regions to determine their organisations’ digital transformation methods by investigating their information technology (IT) policies and workforce transformation programmes.
Commenting on the index, Brand South Africa’s General Manager for Research, Dr Petrus de Kock says South Africa’s performance is pleasing and demonstrates that corporate South Africa is leading in digital business maturity through innovative workplace systems.
“There is no question that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us. That it is taking place globally at unpredictably fast rates is common cause. The biggest unknown - is the size of the seismic change ahead of us and its impact on the developing world, particularly the African continent.
“However, it is an attractive and competitive attribute that we are seeing more South African private companies partnering with African countries to scale up digital skills training. All these initiatives are important because they facilitate the meaningful participation of Africans in the digital economy and empower them to do so on their own terms,” says Dr de Kock.
As Africa’s leading industrialised nation, South Africa has been preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution for several years across various sectors of the private and public sectors. All industries are being digitally disrupted, which presents an opportunity for a growing digital economy. Dr de Kock says the Fourth Industrial Revolution provides us with a new and unique opportunity to address unemployment by adapting our education models to catalyse innovation and upskill the next generation for digital transformation.
“The Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index II is testament that South Africa has shown its digital leapfrogging capabilities through successful digital transformation programmes. However, neither science nor technology is value neutral, meaning that the potential disruptive consequences of the 4th Industrial Revolution on economies and societies need to be interrogated as much as the promise it holds. We as a nation are ensuring that we are part of the important global discussions pertaining to the Fourth Industrial Revolution because South Africa, and indeed the African continent, cannot afford to be left behind,” adds Dr de Kock.
To this end, Brand South Africa in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) will be hosting an Industry 4.0 workshop on 07 March 2019, under the theme ‘How is Africa responding and adapting to the emergence and impact of the fourth industrial revolution?’ The platform will be utilised to assess policy implications, and to unpack what South African business and government can do, to collectively manage the potential challenges, while leveraging opportunities that will arise from the transition to industry 4.0.
For more information on the Brand South Africa and World Economic Forum Industry 4.0 workshop please contact:
Tsabeng Nthite
E-mail: tsabengn@brandsouthafrica.com
