GYİAD organized Success is At Digital Transformation Conference, “Traditional ways of doing business must be changed”
Young Executives and Business People Association (GYİAD) organized Success is At Digital Transformation Conference for the family companies and SMEs. During the event held on October 26, the reasons of digital transformation, how the digital transformation should be in family businesses and SMEs were discussed. Importance of digitalization for Turkey was addressed at the conference where examples on digital transformation from the sector were provided.
Young Executives and Business People Association (GYİAD) organized Success is At Digital Transformation Conference for the family companies and SMEs on October 26 under the leadership of Digital Working Group. During the conference with different sessions and speeches, the reasons of the digital transformation, how the digital transformation must be in the family companies and SMEs and case examples are explained.
“Traditional ways of doing business must be transformed”
Making the opening speech, GYİAD Board Chairman Yiğit Savcı stated that the family companies and SMEs are resisting to the innovations and approach hesitatingly and mentioned that digitalization is in such a position in Turkey. “However, this hesitative approach brings the fact that we will face an inevitable end in front of the bosses at all the times. Instead of sitting at our companies and sighing about something, we have to rack our brains on what to do to minimize the technological difference between our country and the developed countries and we have to prepare an action plan. Digital transformation brings great opportunities for the family companies and SMEs” said Mr. Savcı and added: “I would like to underline once more that we have to focus on the opportunities that reveal by means of the technology. Digital transformation brings great opportunities for the family companies and SMEs. We all have to review our way of doing business. In the following period, we have to transform the second generations of the families or our traditional ways of doing business through in-house entrepreneurship.”
“It is possible to catch an opportunity of 25 billion dollars in economy through digitalization”
GYİAD Vice Chairman and Digital Working Group Chairman Fuat Pamukçu emphasized the contributions of the digitalization in his speech: “Unfortunately, the rate of high and middle technology utilization of our SMEs, which have sixty percent of the added value and seventy-five percent of the labor in Turkey and activating in the production and export markets, is at 10 percent level. This level is half of the country average. In a research carried out at the companies having a turnover of more than 500 million TL in our country, the digitalization rate has been determined as sixty percent. This level of our companies is twenty-five percent less than the average of our international competitors. In case the digitalization level of our SMEs and family companies reach to the levels of our large sized companies, then it is possible to have an increase of between 1,5 percent to 3,0 percent in the economy in the following 10 years, in other words, this corresponds to an opportunity of between 25 to 35 million dollars in total.”
“Digitalization is a must to compete”
During the conference in which he participated as keynote speaker, TÜSİAD Chairman Erol Bilecik pointed out that the business world must transform for digital transformation: “It is impossible to respond to the requirements of the current century with the solutions of the previous years. When these solutions no longer meet new expectations, change begins and makes quick moves. Digitalization issues are handled with special importance both in the world and in our country. In the 2018 Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum, we ranked 61st in 140 countries in global competition. We don't have the comfort of staying behind. Digital transformation is important to compete. The process of digitalization is expected to create new business lines and different investment areas. The emergence of new professions focused on innovation and creativity is inevitable. For this reason, it is very important to transform the education system of the new generation and the competencies of the existing employees and to give the young population the ability to think analytically and critically. ”
“Family companies need to plan their 10-year projections”
In the first session of the event, “Secrets of Success: Why and How Digital Transformation” was discussed. Speaking at the session, Türk Telekom CEO Paul Doany said, “In particular, family companies should plan their 10-year projections on digital transformation. They should examine how their business will develop, what they will need, and what is happening in the market. At this point, managers, owners of the companies and decision-makers need to take the initiative and move. Due to his nature, man resists change and sometimes even refuses. But those who refuse or cannot adapt to digital transformation will not be able to hold in the future. For this reason, companies need to tell their management, board of directors and CEOs that this is a requirement. In fact, external support should be obtained when needed. ”