Getting Tech Investments to Stick and Deliver ROI

Four fundamentals for realizing maximum potential and business value from technology investments 

TAKEAWAYS:
● Despite economic challenges, global digital transformation spending is set to soar by 2026, emphasizing its resilience-building role and response to workforce issues.
● Manufacturers aim to enhance digital maturity by 2030, with 91% planning higher tech spending, including a 20% focus on AI.
● Extracting tech value remains tough, with limited focus on business cases. Max ROI needs strategy, proof, execution, and staff engagement.  

Despite continuing economic concerns, the pace of digital transformation is not slowing. By one projection, global spending on digital transformation is projected to reach $3.4 trillion by 2026 — representing a 57% increase from 2023. Transformation is key to building agility and maintaining growth amid challenges such as a shrinking labor force.

Most manufacturers view themselves in the middle in terms of digital maturity. But by 2030, they expect digital operations to deliver tangible benefits in the form of speed and flexibility, customer satisfaction, and financial returns.

To support their digital aspirations, manufacturers expect to increase technology investment relative to current levels. In research for the Manufacturing in 2030 Project, 91% of organizations said they expect to increase spending on technology — 29% expect increases to be “significant.” Moreover, 20% expect investments in artificial intelligence (AI) to increase by at least 50%.

Expectations for return on investments are high. But in the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s 2023 Digital Leadership Survey, one finding stood out: There is relatively little focus on the value derived from technology. Only 16% said their executive management team wants to know the business case for and payback from digital transformation, and only 14% said management wants to know which digital use cases will drive the most value for the investment.

If manufacturers are to get maximum value from their technology investments — including forays into AI and other emerging digital capabilities — they must be laser-focused on value and their approach to delivering it.

Why manufacturers have struggled to derive value from technology

It is hard to fault those who are struggling to maintain the trajectory of digital transformation amid a procession of major — if not generational — macroeconomic challenges. These issues of the moment are critical and have commanded attention. That said, short-term focus often creates a fragmented approach to longer-term strategy. And present cost-containment imperatives run the risk of derailing critical projects — particularly those in early stages that have not yet produced a return on investment. When the markets rebound and attention shifts from cost to growth, manufacturers that have paused or cut critical projects will be behind.

Continuously evolving technology trends can also cause transformation to stray from “the plan.” There is perhaps no better example of this than the recent surge in interest around generative AI and its potential to assist with challenges such as worker shortages and the need to do more with less. The fact is, this technology does not necessarily have immediate impact potential for all manufacturers, but many have probably shifted resources away from critical initiatives to explore it.