Understanding Digital Technologies – Why Being Digital Is Vital to Your Business Future

Being Digital is a book about electronic, digital technology and their impact on society by technological author, Nicholas Negroponte. It was first published in 1995 by Alfred A. Knopf. I liked it. After reading it several times, I decided to take my University examination for a degree in electrical engineering, specifically digital electronics. I found the book very interesting and informative. I actually purchased it as a hard copy and read it in “the margin” – that is, without reading the table of contents or looking at the table of contents.

The book starts off with an explanation of what the terms mean and some history of digital capabilities. Then it describes some typical situations where these new digital capabilities are being put to use. It describes some of the current problems and what organizations can do about them. In the process it reveals how these organizations are already using these digital capabilities to serve their customers more effectively and how they are able to do so more cost effectively than was once possible.

The introduction chapter explains in understandable detail some of the digital technologies that are already in use. It then describes the current trends in these new technologies with an eye to giving organisations a clear understanding of what these real-time systems can do for them. Then it describes the current problems facing organisations that are trying to make good use of these new technologies. This chapter briefly reviews some of the key service and support requirements that are now covered by most digital technologies.

The second chapter looks at some typical organisational situations where these new systems are being used. It identifies three common situations: the adoption of a new way by new members of an organisation; the use of new skills in new ways in a new way; and the adaptation of existing systems to meet the new needs and demands. It also examines how the new way or the new skill can be deployed, the challenges and rewards faced by members of the organisation, and the impact on employees when such changes take effect. These are followed by a look at two other organisations that have recently been active in the field of digital technologies.

The third chapter looks at two typical scenarios from an organisation’s point of view. In both cases the focus is on a digital product that is newly launched digitally but the focus is different. In the first case the product is being digitalised for customer satisfaction reasons. In the second it is because the customer is not happy with the standard version of the product that the company has launched. Again the focus is on digital customer experiences.

In this concluding chapter the authors briefly review the recent past and look at some upcoming directions and issues that will be explored in upcoming books and research opportunities. They conclude that digital technologies will continue to evolve and form an important part of organisations for the foreseeable future. They recommend some research opportunities and key strategies to get the organisation ready for the next wave of digital technologies. The current book can be of assistance to managers who need to adapt to and manage digital technologies.

This was a very informative book. It presented several challenges and issues and discussed the challenges and opportunities that organizations will face as digital transformation occurs. It was clear from the discussion and examples that transformation does not happen in one day or even one year. Organizations will need to adapt and overcome the challenges that arise. However as a whole the message was that organizations and businesses need to have a common understanding of what transformational change means for them and how they can adapt to it.

Digital technology is not a static concept that takes shape and stays the same. It is ongoing and evolving. Achieving the transformation requires flexibility, adaptation and a plan that is flexible too. Being digital has many meanings and embracing it helps create a common understanding across the enterprise particularly in the realm of the CEO and the CIO.