Those achieving the most with cloud —
"Continuum Competitors" — treat cloud as an operating model for
innovation
TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2021 /CNW/ - A new global report from
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has identified a select group
of organizations spanning several industries that treat cloud
as a new operating model to continuously reinvent their businesses
using innovative, multi-cloud capabilities — across public, private
and edge — realize greater business value, well beyond cost
savings.
Based on a survey of nearly 4,000 C-suite executives at both
private- and public-sector organizations globally, including 200
Canadian executives, the report, titled "Ever-ready for Every
Opportunity: How to Unleash Competitiveness on the Cloud
Continuum," explains why looking at cloud as a one-time migration
to a static destination — essentially as a cheaper, more-efficient
data centre — is limiting for most organizations, including those
in Canada. In fact, a narrow focus
on cost savings can actually put organizations at a competitive
disadvantage compared to those using cloud more strategically
across its many dynamic forms, including public, private and
edge.
"While Canada is at the
forefront of cloud adoption, many organizations today are deploying
a mix of public, private and edge clouds, with little integration
between them," Jennifer Jackson,
Technology and Cloud First Lead for Canada at Accenture. "This siloed approach
limits organizations from reaping the greatest value from the
cloud. However, our research found, a small percentage of Canadian
organizations are viewing the cloud differently – as a continuum of
technologies with diverse locations and types of ownership. They
are using cloud as a launch pad for innovation and to develop new
operating models, resulting in far greater value than just cost
savings and operational efficiency."
The report reveals that while Canadian organizations plan to
migrate more than two-thirds of their workloads to cloud, on
average, over the next three to five years, only half are using the
full potential of cloud in its various forms to transform their
day-to-day business operations, carry out knowledge work and
modernize applications to meet business needs.
Accenture defines the organizations leading the way in cloud as
"Continuum Competitors." These organizations — about 12-15% of
respondents globally — stand out by extending the experience they
gained from public cloud to their private data centers and edge
locations to transform daily business operations. As a result, they
achieve substantial gains from their continued cloud engagement and
outperform competitors. Continuum Competitors are also much better
positioned to withstand future shocks, according to the
research.
Continuum Competitors include organizations such as Carlsberg,
for example.
"A company's future competitiveness hinges on choosing the
right type of cloud for the right applications, and choosing
cloud-based services across the continuum," Jackson said.
"Technologies like artificial intelligence, smart contact centres,
edge computing, robotic computing and extended reality can give
Canadian companies that competitive advantage. But all require a
cloud-first approach, which allows for better customer experiences,
smarter business processes and more sustainable products."
Unlike organizations whose cloud efforts focus primarily on
one-time migration to cloud for cost savings and efficiency,
Continuum Competitors in Canada
are:
- 1.6x more likely to see outcomes such as AI-augmented knowledge
work;
- achieving 1.3x greater cost reduction than organizations
focused mainly on data migration;
- targeting at least 1.3x better in financial and operational
goals, such as increased customer value, lower operating costs,
financial growth and flexibility, and scaling new innovations;
- 3.6x more likely to use the cloud for at least two
sustainability goals, such as using green energy sources, designing
for lower power consumption, and using servers more efficiently to
reduce energy consumption.
By studying Continuum Competitors' use of cloud, Accenture has
identified four winning cloud approaches applicable to any
organization:
- Know where you want the continuum to take you. An
organization must first develop a strategy with a vision that
clearly states the core values and future aspirations, identifies
competitive vulnerabilities and classifies capabilities relative to
where the company is today and its future aspirations. They must
develop these strategies by taking into account the constant
evolution of cloud capabilities across the continuum.
- Establish cloud practices to support and augment your
technologies. Organizations need to couple technology adoption
with practices that bring discipline and help change non-technology
areas at the pace of computational improvements. Agility is the
most critical mindset to being a Continuum Competitor; it infuses
cloud-first apps, talent transformation, information technology
experimentation and compute awareness, among other
areas.
- Accelerate innovation to deliver exceptional
experiences. Continuum Competitors prioritize their investments
in one area: experience. They use a combination of human-centered
design and cloud-based technologies such as edge computing to
rethink experience to push it closer to where their customers,
partners and employees engage. This is done by driving the
experience mindset throughout the organization, including products
and services, employee experience and delivery models.
- Provide continuous strategic commitment. Leadership
needs to establish business objectives, set appropriate risk levels
and promote a culture of agility and growth. Organizations must
also recognize the "all-hands" nature of the challenge: everyone
across the organization needs to be informed of the cloud's
ever-improving potential and best practices.
Accenture's "Ever-ready for Every Opportunity: How to Unleash
Competitiveness on the Cloud Continuum" research arrives at a time
when Canadian organizations have been forced by the pandemic to
provide their customers with unique experiences and serve them in
new and virtual ways. Prior global research from Accenture
found that companies, including those Canada, that scaled technology innovation
during COVID-19 are growing revenue approximately five times faster
than lagging adopters of technology innovation.
About the Research
In late 2020 and early 2021, Accenture surveyed nearly 4,000
C-suite executives, in both information technology (IT) and non-IT
roles, across 25 countries and 16 industries. The research — which
included interviews, case study research and economic modelling —
focused on collecting data on adoption and scaling of technologies
associated with cloud, each organization's cloud journey, strategy,
and goals, management practices around cloud, multiple measures of
financial and operational performance, and the impact of cloud on
innovation and sustainability outcomes.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company with leading
capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched
experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries,
we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and
Operations services — all powered by the world's largest network of
Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 569,000
people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity
every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace
the power of change to create value and shared success for our
clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us
at www.accenture.com.
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SOURCE Accenture