Strategizing Digital Transformation

Dr. Jayshree Pandya, Founder of Cyber-Security Risk Research Center discusses "Strategizing Digital Transformation" with George Niece, Chief Digital Officer at Digital Transformation Strategies. The “Digital Global Age” is upon us! Nations: its Governments, Industries, Organizations, Academia and Individuals (NGIOA-I) have entered a time in which digital technologies enables them to not only be in constant communication with each other, but also be in contact with physical devices and platforms to access and share information across cyberspace-geospace and space (CGS)—and as a result to find new ways of doing things. Digital Transformation: Introduction Digital technologies are becoming a survival necessity to each and every nation: its government, industries, organizations, academia and individuals (NGIOA-I). While they help develop much needed alertness, adjustment, adaptation and create new opportunities in cyberspace-geospace and space (CGS), it is the ability to adapt quickly to the changes brought on by the digital technologies of the digital global age that emerges as a vital necessity and capability-for digital transformation today. In addition to the ability to adapt quickly, it is also important to understand that it is the strategy and scope, not technology, that fundamentally drives digital transformation of a digital global age. Digital transformation is all about people and it is the people: and its ability to adjust, adapt and innovate-- not technology, that are the most important pieces in the NGIOA digital transformation puzzle in CGS. For a successful digital transformation, each and every entity within and across NGIOA must learn to “forget” old ways of thinking and doing things to uncover how digital technology can help them disrupt and find new ways of doing things to overtake competitors of a digital global age. Digital Technologies: Disruption While “Digitalization” can extend the reach of entities across NGIOA to improve decision making ability, broaden their horizon and help speed the development of new ideas, innovations, products and services, the disproportionately rapid adaptation and adoption of digital technologies will most certainly disrupt traditional business models of isolation age across nations and create complex security risks. Each and every entity across NGIOA need to carefully walk the path towards digitalization with a specific strategy to channel its strengths and mitigate its imminent security challenges in CGS. As the digital transformation is becoming the ultimate challenge of a digital global age, it influences and impacts not only the current structures within, between and across NGIOA and its strategic positioning but all levels of an entity: every task, activity, process, model and its extended supply chain and ecosystem. Digital Transformation: Technologies While it is not the scope of this “Risk Roundup” to discuss different digital technologies, the strength of digital technologies — irrespective of social, mobile, data analytics and cloud —stems from how entities across NGIOA integrate them to transform their initiatives / businesses and how they work for their respective goals and objectives. Looking at the current digital technologies, it is important to understand that these technologies are only the beginning—and more advanced technologies are emerging that would fundamentally transform the way nations and all its components (NGIOA) operate and conduct its business. So, how does the digital technologies work and what is a digital transformation- What is a Digital Transformation? There are many who define “digital transformation” as going paperless. Is that an accurate definition of digital transformation? Probably not! Broadly speaking, digital transformation refers to the changes associated with the application of digital technology in all aspects of nations: its government, industries, organizations,