* By André Cioffi
Just the slightest sign of crisis on the horizon is enough for investments in new projects to be summarily cut off from the list of shares in companies. The reasons for this, of course, are not lacking. It is necessary to consider the variables, save when possible and ensure that the movements are made with great precision and care. But the best way is not always to freeze stocks. Sometimes, investing can be the solution to save - and that seems to be the case now, when we talk about digital evolution and the global scenario imposed by the coronavirus.
This does not mean saying that your company should spend what it has and what it does not have to hire new services and systems or adopt the technologies of fashion, which are gaining space around the world. Investing in evolution, in this case, means observing and sponsoring the use of resources that can enhance its operation, valuing the wealth and tools that the company already has. Makes sense?
A recent study published by IPEA (Institute of Applied Economic Research) highlighted, for example, the importance of research & development (R&D) actions to support the resumption of the national economy. According to the analysis, investment in areas such as automation and data intelligence can help to reduce operating costs and maximize companies' offer to the public.
It is this perspective that has led to the enhancement of innovation and R&D initiatives in technology around the world. Not by chance, despite the crisis, global surveys indicate that the Information Technology segment is expected to grow by around 10% in 2020, returning to the highest levels of growth already next year. The reason for this is simple: to make their processes more efficient, organizations are resorting to the use of high intelligence solutions to simplify and make the day-to-day business as practical and sustainable as possible.
As a result, it is worth mentioning that approximately two thirds of the executives of the largest global organizations believe that the coronavirus pandemic will leave an important legacy regarding digitization policies, especially in relation to the automation of tasks. They believe that the priority should be to review and re-discuss their plans, not to slow down their digitization efforts, but rather to improve the accuracy of their factories and offices.
Thus, it is necessary to make it clear that business and IT leaders are not simply being invited to “invest by investing”. More than that, the moment demands the reevaluation of processes, the understanding of the organizational culture and the perception of what can be improved through the use of new technology resources. It is possible to think of digital evolution not as a specific step, but as a continuous action that involves the entire management and leadership of organizations.
In this context, investing now means understanding the criticality of the moment - with its unique appeal - and seeking alternatives to make the routine of teams and departments more functional, balanced and productive. Likewise, for some sectors, conducting this analysis and digitizing the chain represents the chance to keep business in a real competitive condition.
Think, for example, of everything that has changed for your industry. Certainly, topics such as cybersecurity, relevance of e-commerce, logistical efficiency and connection with the client have gained new aspects and contours, going much further than what their teams thought was the scenario for 2020. It is a huge challenge, but investing innovation may be the key to simplifying this journey.
Whether for an operational need or a great business opportunity, the fact is that investing in the digital evolution of operations should be a practical way to leverage the future of companies, with technology taking on the great role of reducing daily expenses and unnecessary and finding new profitable paths.
The fact is that, at the moment, the only option to be disregarded is to stand still. It is not the time to spend on what is not necessary, but it is also not possible to leave until tomorrow what should have been done yesterday. The experience of those who live the digital evolution daily is there to help organizations to be more efficient, overcoming the crisis and its subsequent impacts. It is necessary to move on, leaving aside those who will just continue waiting for the storm to pass to focus on those who decided to reinvent their own tomorrow.
* André Cioffi, CEO of Grupo Squadra
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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