According to the latest Dell Technologies Digital Transformation (DT) Index, South Africa is the 9th Most Digitally Mature Country in the World.
Despite the relentless pace of disruption, the latest Dell Technologies Digital Transformation (DT) Index Global Results shows worldwide many businesses’ digital transformation programs are still in their infancy. South African businesses, however, are making strides to become digital adopters and leaders on the world stage. This is evidenced by country’s ranking in the recently released Digital Transformation Index.
Dell Technologies, in collaboration with Intel and Vanson Bourne, surveyed 4,600 business leaders from mid- to large-sized companies across the globe to score their organizations’ transformation efforts.
The study revealed that emerging markets are the most digitally mature, with India, Brazil and Thailand topping the global ranking.
South Africa ranks 9th out of 41 countries with a maturity score of 50 – not far from India’s 58 (No other African Country made the list). The US, the only developed nation in the top 10, is ranked 6th with a score of 52. Australia is ranked 13th, China 16th and the UK 19th.
Countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore – often seen as technology leaders – sit at the bottom end of the index.
“It’s very good to see South Africa rank so highly, but not that much of a surprise,” said Doug Woolley, GM of Dell EMC South Africa. “Local businesses are careful and even conservative, but they are also interested in efficiency and progress.”
Behind the Curve
But most countries are not evolving fast enough. Dell Technologies study revealed that developed markets are slipping behind: Japan, Denmark and France received the lowest digital maturity scores. What’s more, emerging markets are more confident in their ability to “disrupt rather than be disrupted” (53%), compared to just 40% in developed nations.
The DT Index II builds on the first ever DT Index launched in 2016. The two-year comparison highlights that progress has been slow, with organisations struggling to keep up with the blistering pace of change. While the percentage of Digital Adopters has increased, there’s been no progress at the top. Almost four in 10 (39%) businesses are still spread across the two least digitally mature groups on the benchmark (Digital Laggards and Digital Followers).
“In the near future, every organisation will need to be a digital organization, but our research indicates that the majority still have a long way to go,” says Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies. “Organisations need to modernize their technology to participate in the unprecedented opportunity of digital transformation. The time to act is now.”
About Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies is a unique family of businesses that provides the essential infrastructure for organizations to build their digital future, transform IT and protect their most important asset, information. The company services customers of all sizes across 180 countries – ranging from 99 percent of the Fortune 500 to individual consumers – with the industry’s most comprehensive and innovative portfolio from the edge to the core to the cloud.
 Index, South Africa is the 9th Most Digitally Mature Country in the World){kind=link}