According to the survey „The Barometer of digitalization 2020” conducted by Valoria in collaboration with Doingbusiness.ro, although only 4 out of 10 companies (41%) gave responsibility for this process to a member of management, 6 out of 10 (63%) say that their way it will change radically in the next 3-5 years due to digitalization.
„The Barometer of digitalization is the survey that shows how companies in Romania approach digitalization. The report shows relevant results by the distribution of respondents according to industry, revenue, leadership position as well as comparative data from the three editions conducted so far. Like a contrast agent, this study highlights the approach companies are taking now. The classification of companies by maturity levels, the identification of the obstacles they face and the measurement of the impact of digitalization on turnover, profit, number of employees or company value make the Barometer of digitalization a valuable reference”, says Constantin Măgdălina, Trends and Technologies Expert Emerging, co-author of the research.
Only 8% of companies are leaders in digitalization
The digitalization process is a complex one because it is related to many aspects of a company’s life, from business model and field of activity, to strategy, processes and resources. Compared to the results of the 2018 study, in this year’s edition the percentage of companies with inappropriate technologies that lead to a limited use of digital data decreases slightly, from 23% to 21%. The largest decrease, from 37% in 2018 to 31% in 2020, is seen in companies that have started to implement digital technologies and/or develop a strategy for digital transformation.
Although companies that are leaders in digitalization and have reaped substantial benefits from digital transformation have grown by only one percentage point to 9% as well as companies advanced on this path, the percentage of companies that have a strategic direction for digital transformation is growing by at 24% in 2018 to 30% in 2020.
Obstacles to digitalization
Furthermore, the main obstacle that companies see in the way of digital transformation is the very perception they have at the moment that they do not have digital consumers. This indicates the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms of digital interaction with consumers, given that the preference for online shopping is intensifying. In second place, 35% of companies in 2020 vs. 38% in 2018, say that the main obstacle is resistance to change, followed by third place of 33% in 2020 vs. 40% in 2018 who perceive the associated costs as too high.
In 2020, resistance to change is seen as an obstacle for 20% of companies strongly influenced by digitalization, but only for 13% and 7% of the medium and slightly influenced by this transformation process, respectively. The lack of digital skills in management has percentages ranging from 10% to heavily influenced companies, to 9% to medium-influenced ones and then to 13% in the case of those little influenced by digitalization.
