FEATURE : DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Hardly a day goes by without one reading a great deal about disruptive technology and enterprises that have collapsed due to inappropriate response to it . In Africa , the continent has seen governments at the forefront of embracing disruptive and emerging technologies . Industry pundits share with Intelligent CIO Africa , how disruptive technology is reshaping businesses in various sectors in the region ?

Blockbuster have in common ?

Most businesspeople familiar with consumer technology , photography and , home movie and video game rental services , will know what these industry giants once symbolised and have in common .

They are all companies whose footsteps you don ’ t want to follow . They were all market leaders that fell prey to disruptive technology . But how can your company avoid that fate today in an era where disruptive technology is changing the way enterprises and customers interact ?

A disruptive technology is one that displaces an established technology and shakes up the industry or a ground-breaking product that creates a completely new industry .

This relentless parade of new technologies is unfolding on many fronts . Almost every advance is billed as a breakthrough and the list of ‘ next big things ’ grows ever longer . Not every emerging technology will alter the business or social landscape-but some truly do have the potential to disrupt the status quo , alter the way people live and work , and rearrange value pools .

A report from the McKinsey Global Institute identifies 12 technologies that could drive truly massive economic transformations and disruptions in the coming years and estimates that these technologies have a potential economic impact between US $ 14 trillion and US $ 33 trillion a year in 2025 .

Given the impact disruptive technology is having on various businesses across different industries , the spotlight is again on CIOs and how they can develop competencies and master the digital disruption happening before them .

Khaled AlShami , Director , Solution Consulting , Middle East and Africa ( MEA ), Infor , said : “ We have seen two extremes as some companies realised early on that they were in the eye of the digital storm and redefined their strategy . This enabled them to seize opportunities to develop new services and work with customers and businesses that are embracing digital . On the other hand , organisations that were rigid and failed to adapt , are now struggling , similar to Kodak and Blackberry who left their throne because they failed to notice and act when the dynamics of the market were changing .”

AlShami said businesses and their customers are today more focused on technologies that can help streamline processes , enabling them to do more with less , while improving customer experience , boosting productivity and quality .

Rudeon Snell , Senior Director : Industries and Customer Advisory , SAP MENA , said with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution , every company has to reinvent itself by becoming a digital company in order to survive and thrive in today ’ s economy .

Snell explained that new opportunities , new markets and new value adding capabilities are now at the disposal of those ready to embrace the potential these transformation technologies offer companies to drive value in unique and differentiated ways .

“ Those who are willing to experiment , embrace calculated risk taking and lead the creation of value through use of these disruptive technologies will gain lasting competitive advantage over those who don ’ t ,” he noted .

46 INTELLIGENTCIO www . intelligentcio . com