Leaders must pioneer digital transformation

Illustration photo

Although the Internet has only been around for three decades, it has changed the entire world with its rapid developments. The role of the Internet is so important that the right to access the Internet is defined as a human right by the United Nations. Along with the Internet, humans have constantly invented new inventions. Among them, digital technology has become a leading powerful means.

Now, between any two points on earth thousands of kilometers apart, people can communicate instantly by images. When using smartphones, computers, TVs, etc., people automatically fall into digital space. In digital space, sitting in one place, people can work with partners at any other point on earth; any human step can be tracked from satellites via Google Maps. Global satellite positioning technology has brought national defense into the era of digital racing. Wars are decided from space. Any country's army that is inferior in technology will surely fail. Any country that is slow to transform digitally will also face backwardness. Digital transformation has "legalized" "digital citizenship" as a human right.

The United States is a leading country in digital technology. The US government has “legalized” the digital transformation process with the “Digital Government Strategy”. The United States is also a leading country in digital transformation in the military field. The US Department of Defense has unveiled the document “Army Digital Transformation Strategy”, which clearly states that the “Army Digital Transformation Strategy” must comprehensively deploy technology, processes and people. The goal by 2028 is to have a comprehensive “Digital Army”, capable of excelling in multi-domain operations.

The EU has also made great strides in digital transformation. Determined to realize the “Digital Decade”, the EU Commission proposed an independent digital transformation strategy. The EU’s goal of digital transformation serving people is promoted by “legislating” the concept of “digital citizenship” as a human right with 3 core rights: People at the center, Freedom of choice, Safety and security.

Citing two advanced regions in digital transformation, the United States and the EU, we see that Vietnam must carry out digital transformation urgently and comprehensively. Below are 5 key areas of digital transformation.

Illustration photo.

Building advanced digital infrastructure

Digital infrastructure is the foundation that determines digital development. Therefore, everywhere from the highlands to the lowlands, from rural to urban areas, at every location must be covered by Wi-Fi, access to high-speed internet, with the ability to transfer large amounts of data.

Vietnam is a user, not an inventor, of digital technology. To keep up with global progress, Vietnam needs to buy the latest technology available commercially, not wait for the latest technology in the research phase in the laboratory. Specifically, Vietnam must deploy 5G technology immediately.

In this respect, among the ASEAN countries, Singapore is the country with a reasonable strategy. Regardless of the field, when the latest technology appears on the market, Singapore immediately buys it. Thanks to that, although Singapore is not a country that invents technology, it is a country that is always in a state of using advanced technology.

Therefore, Nghe An's first priority in the digital transformation process is to build a developed information technology infrastructure.

Management, post and telecommunications, and banking sectors must conduct digital transformation first.

In our country, the state manages comprehensively, the state economy plays a leading role, so the digital transformation process must start from there.

- The block of state administrative agencies, provincial departments and branches must be the first place to carry out comprehensive digital transformation. All administrative procedures, all administrative decisions, all management operations must be executed in a digital environment. The leadership of state management agencies in the digital environment automatically forces businesses and individuals to participate.

- The postal, telecommunications and banking sectors must be pioneers in digital transformation. Digital transformation in these two sectors has an important impact on digital transformation in other sectors.

Digital transformation of the post and telecommunications industry has an important impact on digital transformation in other fields. Illustrative photo

Digital transformation of businesses is the key

The urgency of businesses' need for digital transformation is reflected in the following scale.

- Foreign and foreign invested enterprises.

- Businesses that sell products abroad and purchase goods from abroad.

- Enterprises with foreign cooperation elements.

- Businesses related to import and export.

- Businesses that want to reach national, regional, and international levels.

The above order does not mean that it has to be sequential in practice. In fact, every business can claim the right to be the first to digitalize.

“Digital transformation for the whole population”

Digital transformation is to better serve people. In other words, people are at the center of digital transformation. Comprehensive digital transformation is to bring the digital environment to everyone, turning every citizen into a digital player. “Digital citizenship” affirms the trend of “universal digital transformation”.

E-payments and e-commerce must stay one step ahead

Currently, only a small percentage of Vietnamese people know how to use the internet for production, business, trade and services. We must promote all citizens using the internet to become participants in the digital commerce market. Electronic payment is a group of tools that need to go one step ahead. Next is participating in the e-commerce market.

In addition to the 5 things mentioned above, to effectively carry out the digital transformation process, it is necessary to pay attention to the following things.

“Digital culture"

To possess digital technology, the pressures of life are not enough, but also need “digital culture”. That means turning digital into an “instinctive need”.

“Digital culture” is not simply a hobby, a passion, or a compulsion, but must have an educational foundation. An educational foundation so strong that it becomes “tradition”. When “digital culture” has a foundation to the point of “tradition”, it is when the need for technology has permeated life and become a habit, when the application of technology becomes an attribute, like an instinctive action in every person. That is also the time when a part of human knowledge about science and technology becomes instinctive - when the level of human knowledge about technology and science is raised to a new level.

The level of scientific and technological knowledge of a nation always has an important influence on the leading position of a country in the global rankings. The higher the level of scientific and technological knowledge of a nation, the more opportunities the country has to be at the forefront of human progress.

When it comes to “digital culture” with a traditional foundation, it is also a reminder that those in power must lead by example. That is, leaders must have “digital culture” before their employees, adults must have “digital culture” earlier than children, teachers must have “digital culture” to teach students… In short, those with “power” must have “digital culture” before those with “less power”.

Value domestic and international cooperation

For the digital transformation process to proceed quickly, it is necessary to cooperate with businesses that have expertise and rich experience in the field of digital transformation. The easiest cooperation to find is domestic partners. When transforming digitally, you should first seek the help of Vietnamese businesses, both to save costs and to create opportunities for domestic businesses to develop together.

Another effective form of digital transformation is cooperation with foreign partners. Foreign enterprises, thanks to their country's digital transformation platform, own the entire set of equipment and software packages of enterprises operating in the digital environment. The method of cooperation with foreign enterprises is the shortest way to bring Vietnamese enterprises to the international platform.

In addition to the United States and the EU mentioned above, the G20 group has also mentioned the digital transformation strategy. Specifically, in “Key issues for digital transformation in the G20”, 11 recommendations were made (https://www.oecd.org/.../key-issues-for-digital...).

International digital giants such as Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook… are examples of challenges for Vietnamese businesses. The above mentioned companies, from the beginning, were little known, did not know how to apply technology to develop. But with time, experimentation, change, after failures, they learned how to adapt, develop and mature remarkably.

Leaders must take the lead

Digital transformation is a process. It is the application of new technology. It is characterized by success and failure, but the overall result is continuous development and expansion. Every business has the opportunity to develop and expand, but to develop and expand requires courage. Courage makes people dare to challenge for the chance to win.

Courage must first come from leadership. Leadership must be at the forefront of digital transformation. At the heart of digital transformation, first and foremost, is digital transformation in the thinking and actions of leaders.