The IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Digital Transformation 2021 Predictions reports that despite a global pandemic, direct digital transformation (DX) investment is still growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.5% from 2020 to 2023 and is expected to approach US$6.8 trillion as companies build on existing strategies and investments, becoming digital-at-scale future enterprises.
The firm’s 2021 Worldwide Digital Transformation include:
Prediction 1: Accelerated DX Investments Create Economic Gravity. The economy remains on course to its digital destiny with 65% of global GDP digitalized by 2022 and will drive over $6.8 trillion of direct DX investments from 2020 to 2023.
Prediction 2: Digital Organization Structures and Roadmaps Mature. By 2023, 75% of organizations will have comprehensive digital transformation (DX) implementation roadmaps, up from 27% today, resulting in true transformation across all facets of business and society.
Prediction 3: Digital Management Systems Mature. By 2023, 60% of leaders in G2000 organizations will have shifted their management orientation from processes to outcomes, establishing more agile, innovative, and empathetic operating models.
Prediction 4: The Rise of the Digital Platform and Extended Ecosystems. By 2025, driven by volatile global conditions, 75% of business leaders will leverage digital platforms and ecosystem capabilities to adapt their value chains to new markets, industries, and ecosystems.
Prediction 5: A Digital First Approach. While "digital first" prevails in every experience, 60% of enterprises will invest heavily in digitalizing employee experience in 2021, transforming the relationship between employers and employees.
Prediction 6: Business Model Reinvention. By 2021, at least 30% of organizations will accelerate innovation to support business and operating model reinvention, fast-tracking transformation programs to future-proof their businesses.
Prediction 7: Sustainability and DX. By 2022, the majority of companies will realize greater value by combining digital and sustainability, giving rise to digitally-driven and sustainably-enabled projects as the de-facto standard.
Prediction 8: Digitally Native Cultures. To thrive in digital supremacy economy, 50% of enterprises will implement the organizational culture optimized for DX in 2025, based on customer-centric and data-driven.
Prediction 9: Accelerating Digital Experiences. By 2022, 70% of all organizations will have accelerated use of digital technologies, transforming existing business processes to drive customer engagement, employee productivity, and business resiliency.
Prediction 10: Business Innovation Platforms. By 2023, 60% of G2000 companies will build their own business innovation platform to support innovation and growth in the new normal.
According to Shawn Fitzgerald, research director, Worldwide Digital Transformation Strategies, "Organizations with new digital business models at their core that are successfully executing their enterprise-wide strategies on digital platforms are well-positioned for continued success in the digital platform economy. Our 2021 digital transformation predictions represent areas of notable opportunity to differentiate your own digital transformation strategic efforts."
