12 AlixPartners Disruption Index 2023
Growth companies are more likely to make successful use of
market and industry research to guide digital investments
Perhaps because almost by definition the road to future growth is less well mapped and documented. Understanding-or
partnering with someone who understands the landscape is essential for success.
Successful use of market and industry research to guide digital investments
By company growth orientation
48%
GROWTH ORIENTED
24%
BALANCED
13%
EFFICIENCY ORIENTED
Are you chasing the hottest new tech or are you starting
with a business problem that needs to be solved? Investing
in technology for technology sake is a wasteful strategy,
particularly for small- and mid-cap firms without resources
to burn. A practical digital approach means tying tech
investments to business goals. By focusing specifically on
the business problem, you can understand the revenue- and/
or profit-implications of those investments, and measure ROI.
Who is responsible for the success or failure of your tech
investments? Are they the same people-or do they report
to the people-who are responsible for the business and
operational strategy? How will their performance be
measured and rewarded? A tech strategy that is siloed
within IT, without clear ownership by the business should
be avoided at all costs. To some extent this is a leadership
problem, as we will see in the next section.
Does your tech plan have a finite timetable, with clear
milestones and measurable KPIs? Vague, multi-year
plans without these constraints are a sure and proven
recipe for disaster.
To get digital right, executives must understand how their
industry is changing, how technology is advancing, and how
the two interact. That's not easy. Changing technologies
make competitive dynamics change, like a small, rapidlyturning
gear that makes a bigger gear turn faster. Even
the most successful companies say that failing to use
market and competitive research is a major reason digital
investments don't pay off.
TECH PLAN CLEARLY ALIGNED TO
BUSINESS STRATEGY AND OUTCOMES
ACTION-ORIENTED
GOVERNANCE
CLEAR, TIME-DEFINED GOALS
WITH DOCUMENTED ROI
DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
1
3
2
4
Stay focused on your digital priorities
12
AlixPartners Disruption Index 2023