| | April 20158CIOReviewopinionin myThe Changing Business through Digital Transformation in the21st CenturyBy Sven Denecken, Global VP-Cloud Solutions, SAP We will see conquering disruption through Digital Transformation, and we are seeing it already now. As growing digitization and evolving consumer demand rapidly change the marketplace, executives must find new ways to innovate for business advantage. By embracing digital transformation--the use of new technologies like cloud, mobile, and Big Data, and social networks--companies can capitalize on new opportunities and optimize existing operations to achieve significant business improvement. But to transform themselves, they must have the right digital assets in place first to protect their own operations from disruption.Technology innovation that can deliver real-time data and connectedness enables businesses to adapt quickly to change. Can the same be said for IT? Changing business needs require changing IT focus. Today's decision-makers must become part of the new and evolving digital conversation--or become obsolete. We all need to develop a Point of View on Digital Transformation fast.It's clear to see that technology is disruptive. This is precisely why we need to talk about digital transformation. Driven by the combination of ever-growing digitization and evolving consumer demands, digital transformation is the use of new technologies to drive significant business improvements. This includes capitalizing on new opportunities as well as effectively transforming existing business.Let's take a look at the key elements behind the disruption of digital transformation.Swamped by growing digitization of competitors' business processes combined with evolving consumer demand, companies worldwide tell us they must accelerate the pace at which they adapt to change by innovating more rapidly. It would enable not just their businesses but their clients to keep up. These decision makers see only two choices: fully embrace digital transformation--the use of new technologies to drive significant business improvements--or sustain the disruption the effects digitization would cause to their companies as nonparticipants. To outpace today's market disruption, businesses must equip themselves with technology that will help them adapt quickly to change.Think cloud computing. We know it can increase an organization's capacity for transformation. When combined with mobile technology, in-memory computing, and predictive analytics, cloud computing becomes a driving force, enabling businesses to innovate with the speed required to achieve the specific outcomes they desire. If used wisely.Simply putting everything on the cloud and providing mobile devices to employees is not enough. Digitizing what you already have isn't innovation. Business leaders Sven Denecken
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