SAPanoptikum October 2016
Untapped digital opportunities
German companies could exploit the potential of digital innovations much more.
Digitization represents one of the greatest opportunities for the German economy. This is the conclusion of the study "Two Faces of Digitalization" by TCS and Bitkom Research.
Almost all of the decision-makers surveyed recognize how important their digital technology development is for the future success of their entrepreneurial activities. According to the study, the automotive, chemical and insurance sectors are the most advanced in digitization.
While German companies recognize the strategic importance of digital innovation, they are not fully capitalizing on the opportunities it presents.
This is particularly true for SMEs, the backbone of the German economy. Half of the study participants are not yet moving decisively enough in the direction of digital transformation.
The study results come at an opportune moment in view of the German government's "Digital Strategy 2025". This aims to further strengthen Germany's leading position in the field of modern, integrated manufacturing technology.
As part of the Industry 4.0 initiative, the Digital Strategy 2025 forms the core of the development plan for German industry. It relies heavily on the ability to deploy digital technologies - from the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, supported by new developments in cloud-based services and mobile applications.