It is not news that technology has revolutionised the way companies conduct business but for organisations to tap from the benefits, they have to acquire and apply programming, cloud computing, and Artificial Intelligence, a Google representative said.
Commenting on the top IT skills needed to excel in today’s business environment, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Director, Google West Africa told BusinessDay on the sidelines of the 2019 MBA Talent Forum Programme by Lagos Business School (LBS) on Wednesday that it is important to have IT skills that can enable organisations to create solutions across board.
In her words: “I think there is a lot more adoption of technology but there is room for doing more things because the systems and tools are getting more sophisticated and more can be done.”
She further stated that for organizations to scale, leaders need to look into scaling skills in terms of digital solutions.
According to a technology trend study by Deloitte which took into consideration ways some organizations are using IT to extend services and create new revenue streams, it stated that it will make sense for organisations to know the dynamics behind the changes that drive the confluence of business and technology.
“This is the digital age and it is very clear that technology is the future because it permits every sector. Technology is a critical asset within agriculture, finance, healthcare, construction manufacturing, and other sectors, so it is important that we are prepared,” Chiazor said.
Regardless of the size of an organization, checks by BusinessDay has shown that technology has important impacts on business operations. This includes both tangible and intangible benefits that will help in revenue generation and to also produce the results demanded by customers.
Survey has shown that technology is important in a business in five key areas such as communication with customers, the efficiency of operations, business culture, class relations & security, and research capacity.
According to industry sources, technology affects a firm’s ability to communicate with customers and in today’s busy business environment, employees must interact with clients quickly and clearly.
Technology also helps a business to understand its cash flow needs and preserve precious resources such as time and physical space, industry experts have said.
At the recent 25th Nigeria Economic Summit, Olatunde Olajide, senior manager for technology application services at Veraki who facilitated the summit’s industry breakfast meeting on information and communications technology, said there is a lot Nigeria can do in a global economy.
“Nigeria is home to the leading hubs for entrepreneurship on the continent thanks to several strengths, including our resilient entrepreneurs,” Olajide said. In his remarks, he stated that Nigeria’s huge population with increasing access to technology holds an opportunity for international investment.
“For most organizations to achieve their objectives, they need talents,” Enase Okonedo, LBS Dean said at the school’s 17th edition of the annual talent forum.
The highly anticipated networking and recruitment event in the academic calendar of LBS promotes interaction between participating organizations and full-time MBA candidates.
This year’s forum which took place at the Honeywell Group auditorium of the School was graced by over 25 participating companies hunting for potential talents from the MBA classes.
In his welcome address, Uchenna Uzo, the Director of MBA at LBS said the talent forum is a unique opportunity to showcase the talent that the school has and the gathering also gives room for industry collaborators to develop relationships with some of the brightest young business leaders in Nigeria.
“Over the years, we have built a very strong brand and reputation for turning out mangers who will have transformation effects on business organisations,” Uzo said.
According to LBS, the young talents programme is a platform for engaging with bright and talented university students, opening them up to possibilities in the MBA and Ph.D. programmes and shortlisting a select few for the Management Scholarship Academy, a two-year programme expected to prepare them for doctoral degrees.
ENDURANCE OKAFOR & BUNMI BAILEY
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