The future of work lies in organisational intelligence

How effective digital transformation is making information capture a critical business competency

 

According to new research published by PFU EMEA Limited in the Fujitsu Image Scanners Organisational Intelligence Research Report 2020, 86 per cent of European busi­nesses struggle to manage the amount of data in their business, with 35 per cent still lacking even a plan for digital transformation.

 

With many organisations identifying gaps in both skills and even their knowledge of where to begin, it is apparent that the perceived scale and complexity of these tasks is an issue.

 

Legacy issues and future problems

 

The report reveals that, while 50 per cent of organisations currently engaged in digital transformation said growth was a key driver of their efforts, many still face the challenges of data being siloed in discrete collections of products, processes, employees, profit centres and tasks. Micro-challenges associ­ated with this type of setup include:

• Information not being readily available
• The difficulties of sharing information with others
• Laborious processes required to obtain information

 

 

 

This has far-reaching impacts – oppor­tunities generated by the use of advanced analytics, machine learning and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) all rely on the data within an organisation being accessible, consistent and secure. According to a 2017 Gartner report, “By 2022, 90 per cent of corporate strategies will explicitly mention information as a critical enterprise asset and analytics as an essential competency.” When data underpins the platform for change, data management becomes a mission-critical concern.

 

A new perspective: organisational intelligence

 

To escape the stymying effects of limited data access, a new way of thinking is essential – and an organisational intelli­gence-led approach can provide just such a perspective.

 

Organisational intelligence is the capacity of an organisation to derive maximum value from the data it has access to – through creation of flexible knowledge pathways that add value at every stage to every employee.

 

When an organisation is viewed and designed as a single integrated knowledge management system, design thinking allows data to become a readily accessible source of competitive advantage, both tactically by improving operational efficiency, while also providing the insights that can lead to better strategic decision making.

 

Simplifying the road to business transformation

 

Recognising the perceived complexity of this topic, PFU EMEA has created a three-stage maturity matrix aimed at giving organisations an at-a-glance understanding of where they sit in their digital transformation journey, enabling them to quickly decide what the appropriate next steps may be.

 

Business transformation is of course the ultimate goal of successful digital transformation. Through intelligent ap­plication of data come insights that can revolutionise customer experience and generate new business models with the potential to disrupt existing markets or even create new ones.

 

Getting there, however, requires the transformation of knowledge management processes themselves, making use of advanced analytics to synthesise available data into actionable insights that drive better business decisions.

 

Many will begin at what we at PFU EMEA call “first step transformation”. Automating the digitisation of physical-format data can fuel progress through accessibility, ensuring the key building blocks are in place for future stages to occur at a fast pace, in an efficient manner.

 

Low-risk opportunity

 

Effective scanning and information capture becomes a critical first step towards effective and efficient information management. The role this technology plays is widely acknowledged and trusted by companies across Europe, making it a low-risk route to both action and progress. In fact, 54 per cent of the organisations in our research already make use of scanners as an enabler for digital transformation and view it as the starting point for long-term company efficiency and growth.

 

It is also notable from the report that 80 per cent of organisations reported seeking external expertise to help them realise their digital transformation vision. Experienced partners are a rich source of knowledge about available technology as well as wider knowledge domains such as effective in­formation management. They can also bring confidence to an organisation’s deci­sion-making processes, by ensuring it has followed robust solution evaluation, devel­opment and deployment practices.

 

Organisational intelligence – the future of work

 

by Steve Chad, Customer Engagement Manager, PFU (EMEA) Limited