Todd Pruzan, HBR
Welcome to the HBR Video Quick Take. I’m Todd Pruzan, senior editor for analysis and particular initiatives at Harvard Business Review. Over the previous few years, midsize firms have made big leaps in adopting expertise to outlive, enabling their workers to work remotely, switching to on-line shops, bettering provide chain visibility, and providing on-line studying.
Today, we’re speaking about that with David Hamilton, senior vp and chief advertising officer at SAP Concur and chief advertising and options officer at SAP Midmarket. David, thanks for being with us.
David Hamilton, SAP
Thank you for having me.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
David, how did expertise play a job for firms to outlive all these latest disruptions?
David Hamilton, SAP
It’s been actually powerful. These have been difficult occasions. IDC Research, commissioned by SAP, confirmed midsize firms which have accomplished or [are] in superior levels of digital transformation have been rather more profitable in persevering with to drive development in income and market share. And they have been capable of positively navigate the pandemic.
These leaders have adopted applied sciences which will have appeared out there solely to giant enterprises in the previous. For occasion, one instance is, of these main firms, 92% of them have adopted or plan to undertake an ERP system.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
Ninety-two %—that’s fairly spectacular. David, as you mentioned, many of these applied sciences solely appeared acceptable for the large guys in the previous. So what’s modified?
David Hamilton, SAP
It is absolutely fascinating. I feel what we’ve seen is that this democratization for these midsize firms. And it’s the potential to eat expertise via the cloud that’s at the coronary heart of that as a result of the cloud permits firms of all sizes to undertake superior tech performance with out having to take a position in servers or increase their IT departments.
For occasion, firms can profit from expertise with embedded AI and machine studying with out having to be consultants. It’s a real-time value-add, since software program frequently will get extra clever. Also, firms which have greater adoption of cloud expertise, as a result of it’s pushed on to workers, can instantly use it.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
Well, that is smart. David, how does expertise assist development?
David Hamilton, SAP
Well, expertise helps development in many various methods. It can present connections throughout the enterprise. It might help automate repetitive duties, which helps groups to be extra environment friendly, releasing them to focus on initiatives that drive enterprise worth. Technology can present elevated visibility throughout the enterprise and provide you with scale to align with firm development. Technology may additionally assist with flexibility and agility. You can seize alternatives in new markets with out having to fret about compliance, or reply to new buyer calls for and revolutionary merchandise, and take care of provide chain disruptions extra rapidly. It is at the core of development alternatives for firms of all sizes.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
OK, so what do you suggest midsize firms do to take the subsequent step to be prepared for development?
David Hamilton, SAP
The very first thing I actually suggest is firms do an inside evaluate of their largest ache factors. Perhaps it’s the potential to handle workers remotely or enhance provide chain diversification—it might be many various issues—and based mostly on this, make the proper expertise choices to assist these ache factors.
For occasion, one of the first issues to contemplate is probably going a core ERP resolution that may function the basis for development and assist handle a quantity of ache factors. An ERP resolution may give visibility throughout the enterprise, lowering the information wanted to make choices, automate processes, and scale back prices.
Todd Pruzan, HBR
OK, nicely, that’s a fantastic overview. David, thanks a lot for a fantastic dialog, for all of your insights at present.
David Hamilton, SAP
Thank you a lot for having me.
Learn extra.
David Hamilton is the senior vp and chief advertising officer at SAP Concur and chief advertising and options officer at SAP Midmarket.
