CIOs and IT Leaders Who Foster a Culture of Digital Learning and
Shared Accountability Generate Greater Business Outcomes, a Harvard
Business Review Analytic Services Survey Sponsored by Red Hat Shows
RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
In order for organizations to compete and succeed in today's digital
world, leaders across the business - not just those in IT - must
prioritize their understanding of technology trends. The payoff for
educating business leaders on digital trends can be compelling. Companies
that excel in digital leadership were found to be significantly more
likely to have experienced revenue growth of 10 percent or more over the
last two years, according to the results of a Harvard Business Review
Analytic Services survey of 436 global business professionals,
commissioned by Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE:RHT), the world's leading provider
of open source solutions.
The report, "Driving Digital Transformation: New Skills for Leaders; New
Role for the CIO," explores whether business leaders have the digital
acumen to transform their organizations for today's digital economy. The
report revealed a gap between the knowledge and skills needed to drive
digital transformation and the reality within the walls of most
organizations. Less than a quarter (23 percent) of all survey
participants are confident their organizations have the knowledge and
skills to succeed in the digital aspects of their business.
The silver lining comes in the form of what the report calls Digital
Leaders: companies that employees rated highly in both digital
leadership and management. The report showcases that companies that have
a clear vision and strategy for digital transformation coming from the
top, as well as the people, processes and technology needed to execute
against that vision, were significantly more likely to see tangible
business results, such as revenue growth. While only a fifth of
respondents (19 percent) fell into the Digital Leaders category, these
employees were considerably more confident (67 percent) in their
company's ability to succeed in the digital age compared to the average
(23 percent).
The survey results reveal an overwhelming eagerness for digital
knowledge among business leaders - especially when it comes to data -
with close to three-quarters (73 percent) rating analytics extremely
important to their area of the business. Only a fifth (20 percent) rate
their own analytics knowledge and skills highly. Nearly half (45
percent) of survey respondents cite the lack of an appropriate forum the
biggest barrier keeping them from learning about new technology from IT
leaders. More than a third (34 percent) say their IT leaders are too
busy.
A significant percentage (46 percent) of survey respondents are looking
to their CIO to learn about digital trends. CIOs within companies that
the report calls Digital Leaders were more likely to be characterized by
their colleagues as digital coaches or masters (45 percent). Further, 60
percent of respondents within Digital Leader companies - triple the
percentage of respondents who rated their companies low in both digital
leadership and management - believe their CIOs seek to educate and
empower line of business leaders, and 67 percent have IT leaders who
understand what is relevant to each business area. The majority (70
percent) of respondents within Digital Leader companies also have IT
departments that provide useful knowledge to employees about technology,
compared to only a quarter (25 percent) in companies lagging behind in
digital leadership.
Supporting Quote
Lee Congdon, CIO, Red Hat
"It's clear that the role of the CIO and IT leaders is evolving. The
report demonstrates how imperative open collaboration and shared
accountability are for the entire enterprise. The results are a call to
arms for CIOs to get ahead of the industry shift and drastically
increase transparency between IT and other business leaders now, before
their competitors leave them behind."
Methodology and Demographics
Harvard Business Review Analytic Services conducted an online survey on
behalf of Red Hat to examine the link between digital acumen, business
transformation, and the role of the CIO. The survey polled 436
individuals in executive management, senior management or board-level
positions in companies with 500 or more employees. Forty-seven percent
(47 percent) of respondents were from organizations of 10,000 or more
employees, and a third (33 percent) of companies had 2013 revenues of $5
billion or more. Respondents represented major sectors, including
technology, financial, and manufacturing. Respondents were from North
America (35 percent), Europe (26 percent), and Asia (24 percent).
Fifteen percent (15 percent) were from the rest of the world.
Additional Resources
-
See these and additional results of the Driving Digital
Transformation: New skills for leaders; New role for the CIO study in
an infographic
-
Download the Harvard Business Review Analytic Services report
Connect with Red Hat
About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat is the world's leading provider of open source software
solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and
high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization
technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and
consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of
enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create
relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and
prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.
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View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150527005500/en/
Red Hat, Inc.
Emily Stancil Martinez, +1 919-301-3010
emartinez@redhat.com
Source: Red Hat, Inc.
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