Unlocking nascent digital power in every organisation

THE word "digital" is usually associated with technology but it takes more than just deploying technologies to become a digital enterprise. Even the most sophisticated technology or a well-designed system can be undermined by a company's traditional mindset that can hinder the organisation from behaving like a digital native.

At the Red Hat Summit last May, Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst shared that companies typically run on the traditional top-down business model in which a small group attempts to forecast future business issues and needs, prescribes steps to address them and has the organisation execute those steps. While that model can work in a static, stable environment, it is likely not responsive enough to keep up with today's world, which is moving faster and becoming more ambiguous such that some plans become outdated even before they are completed.

Some organisations have appointed a chief digital officer (CDO) in an attempt to help address digital disruptions. While a CDO can help catalyse digital transformation by setting the general direction for the company, I believe they should not be the only one to shoulder the responsibility to innovate. Everyone in the company can play a part in innovation and have an opportunity to share their creative ideas. So what can organisations do to get individuals to contribute to this innovation?