Digitization can now be found everywhere and is spreading like wildfire. I am therefore now writing a whole series of articles on the subject of digitization. My motivation behind this is that digitization means something different for every industry and type of company and I want to work out these differences. An illustration of the differences in different industries can be found in the following figure. In this section I would like to go into the real gist of this article and illustrate digitization in the health and insurance industry. Industry characteristics The health and insurance industry consists of health systems. These can in turn be subdivided into networks with different actors, such as health insurance companies, medical associations or hospitals. The decisions of these actors have a direct or indirect influence on the national health status. Since many different institutions and actors have an influence, great flexibility has always…

Digitization can now be found everywhere and is spreading like wildfire. I am therefore now writing a whole series of articles on the subject of digitization. My motivation behind this is that digitization means something different for every industry and type of company and I want to work out these differences. An illustration of the differences in different industries can be found in the following figure. In this section I would like to go into the actual core of this article and illustrate digitization in knowledge work. Industry characteristics Knowledge workers still play a crucial role for their employers, because knowledge is still traded as one of the most valuable resources of mankind. While knowledge work has so far primarily relied on the ability to think and act of the “human” worker, this industry is now also subject to a clear change and is increasingly tending towards work 4.0. In…

Digitization can now be found everywhere and is spreading like wildfire. I am therefore now writing a whole series of articles on the subject of digitization. My motivation behind this is that digitization means something different for every industry and type of company and I want to work out these differences. An illustration of the differences in different industries can be found in the following figure. In this section I would like to go into the real gist of this article and illustrate digitization in the telecommunications industry. Industry characteristics The telecommunications sector is defined by fixed and mobile networks as well as internet access services and the provision of radio signals. Nevertheless: Despite smartphones and the like, the actual use of the phone for making calls is steadily decreasing. But classic products such as broadband connections are also showing falling growth rates. Instead, customers are increasingly relying on a…

Digitization can now be found everywhere and is spreading like wildfire. I am therefore now writing a whole series of articles on the subject of digitization. My motivation behind this is that digitization means something different for every industry and type of company and I want to work out these differences. An illustration of the differences in different industries can be found in the following figure. In this section I would now like to go into the actual core of this article and illustrate digitization in the logistics industry. Industry characteristics For a long time, the main task of logistics was the storage, transport and handling of goods. However, due to globalization, this industry has changed increasingly. Their range of services now also includes monitoring and control, i.e. the management of entire supply chains. With this change came demands for more flexible and automated processes, which is why the logistics…

Digitization can now be found everywhere and is spreading like wildfire. I am therefore now writing a whole series of articles on the subject of digitization. My motivation behind this is that digitization means something different for every industry and type of company and I want to work out these differences. An illustration of the differences in different industries can be found in the following figure. In this section I would like to go into the actual core of this article and illustrate digitization in the financial sector. Industry characteristics The core task of companies in the financial sector, such as banks, has always been the management of money. However, banks will have to renounce this in the future, because thanks to digitization, key functions, such as the issuing of money, are already being taken over by other agencies such as supermarkets. The financial sector is therefore increasingly exposed to…

Digitization can now be found everywhere and is spreading like wildfire. I am therefore now writing a whole series of articles on the subject of digitization. My motivation behind this is that digitization means something different for every industry and type of company and I want to work out these differences. An illustration of the differences in different industries can be found in the following figure. In this section I would like to go into the real gist of this article and illustrate digitization in the retail industry. Industry characteristics Typical retailers such as hairdressers, florists, bakers and the like have always seen themselves as classic service providers. While for a long time it was common practice for customers to visit local retailers and thereby support them, the retail industry is now at a critical point. Small retailers in particular saw no need for digitization or the use of big…