Is DX what only IT division matters?
(This is translated version of pervious post.)
Hello, I'm Yuichi Koshiba, Learning & Development Manager of DHL Supply Chain Japan.
This is my very fist time to post my blog. Our topic today is DX (Digital Transformation).
Hey, why YOU saying something about DX?
Yeah... you might think like that only if you refer to my job experience in LinkedIn. Starting with Hardware Engineer, however most of my career is related to HR.
Here are some supporting information about me:
- I have M.A. of Computer Science. Graduated more than 10 years before, though...
- I had been in a company where selling DX as their service. I was not an engineer, though...
It's true that I'm not a geek DX professional, so I want you to just stay relax to read this blog :) At the last, some HR topics are included.
What was DX?
This time, let's refer what Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in 2018:
企業がビジネス環境の激しい変化に対応し、データとデジタル技術を活用して、顧客や社会のニーズを基に、製品やサービス、ビジネスモデルを変革するとともに、業務そのものや、組織、プロセス、企業文化・風土を変革し、競争上の優位性を確立すること
Sorry, I tried to translate it into English, but it was so long sentence that I cannot make it... Well, this sentence is saying 2 major points.
The first is "to create new values." Means, create 1 from 0. For companies, the most common activity is to create new services or products through data and digital technologies.
The second is "to reduce cost." Means, lower 100 costs to 0 as much as possible. There are many kinds of costs like personnel costs or capital investment, but here, DX is spotlighted to improve productivity which is quite hard to make it numerical. If someone are said that their work productivity will be improved through data and digital technologies, who will refuse from there?
Most of DX activities cannot clearly be categorized whether it is the first or second. For example, DHL Supply Chain is very active to implement robotics in our warehouse. Not only reducing our personnel costs, but also there is chance to create new value to customer through generated insights and data from the robot.
Is DX what IT division do?
Ok, here is our main topic. Who does take care of DX?
Everybody thinks of IT division. Well, it's true that they are necessary to prepare infrastructure for DX and its implementation as a software, however if you are thinking that they will do everything for us, that's a dangerous idea.
Firstly, they are so busy. IT engineers does not exist everywhere. And if they have to take care DX, we have to pay extremely expensive salary or they will go to another company. It is impossible to say "please do everything" to them. They are so busy working for the most prioritized "creating new values" mission, and they don't have any room to help our daily work productivity improvement.
"None of my business" is not true
Understanding IT division is so busy that it takes time to help us, and if you think like "Ok, then DX is none of my business," it's also a very dangerous mindset.
Today, Japan is in the ultimate labor shortage. Birthrate is declining and population is aging. For the coming several years, the "baby boomer generation (dankai-sedai)" is about to reach to their retirement. It means, the number of working people declines, and to hire new people becomes difficult. We have to be prepared to do same amount of work with less headcount. There should be no other way but to increase productivity through DX.
And one more. the young generation holds DX as their natural knowledge. This is just a one example, "Information" will be included as their required subject for their university exam from 2025. If your company is doing your work "without" the power of digital, imagine if they will be willing to join your company.
So. These circumstances lead us to the conclusion that each of us has to prepare for DX, learn it, and use it. This means company has to invest DX education to their employees. However, if you keep saying that "my company doesn't do anything for me" and escaping from DX, maybe you will not be interested from any company outside to hire you.
Then, what should I do?
No problem. Even you are not an engineer, or not from computer science degree, you have plenty things you can do. Let me write another blog.
In this blog, I introduced robotics in DHL Supply Chain. We are looking for our new family to create our new supply chain future (robotics is just one of the example). If you are interested in, please visit our website.
