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talking points
New survey from Microsoft Canada reveals a gap between what business’ leaders say is good for business and their actions. Almost two-thirds (61 percent) of Canadian business leaders agree that data — and knowing how to draw actionable insights from that data — are key to business success in today’s economy. However, only about one-third (34 percent) say their business has a comprehensive data strategy in place and even fewer (31 percent) feel their organization is a data-led business. These are some of the key findings in a new survey from Microsoft Canada, exploring whether business leaders are effectively leveraging data to drive growth and innovation, stay competitive and improve the customer experience. Microsoft surveyed 658 business decisionmakers from Canadian organizations, including public sector, private sector and non-profits and ranging from micro (fewer ❱ DMN.CA
than 10 employees) to large enterprises (500+ employees). The survey revealed that there is a significant delta between what business leaders say they need for success and what they're doing to achieve it. For instance, while 71 percent of those surveyed say their company is either on par within the industry or a leader in its level of digital sophistication, only 4 out of 10 say their organization currently uses the cloud. This despite a nearconsensus across global consulting firms which agree the cloud is critical to meet the demands of a modern business. In fact, in a recent study, Deloitte found that cloud adoption is a competitive necessity in today’s economy. Along with low cloud adoption, only a few respondents (34 percent) from Microsoft’s research indicate that making better use of the data they have will be a priority for their organization in the coming year. “Data has become the most valuable currency for organizations in a digital, cloudfirst world,” said Kevin Peesker, president of Microsoft Canada. “Regardless of the size or type of organization, leveraging AI, data and analytics is crucial for Canadian organizations to foster innovation, deliver on evolving customer demands and ultimately stay competitive in the global economy as we continue to recover from the pandemic.” While nearly half (46 percent) of survey respondents say their organization aims to become more data-savvy, only 34 percent currently use data analytics tools or services. Further, of those not using data analytics tools or services, fewer than a fifth (18 percent) have any plans to adopt such tools in 2022. “What the findings reveal when it comes to how most business leaders prioritize data as part of their digital strategy is alarming,” says Peesker. “Many organizations invested in technology such as the cloud and AI to manage disruption in response to the pandemic. Time to impact, innovation and secure scalability has been proven. Now, it’s critical for these organizations to optimize their investments to enable real digital transformation. That includes deriving the right insights from the wealth of data available to them so they can compete in their industry and on a global scale.” Last March, Microsoft announced the creation of the Data Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE) as part of its new Toronto headquarters opening this year. DICE, Microsoft’s first dedicated data and innovation centre of its kind, will help Canadian private, public and non-profit organizations harness the power of data and cloud technology to accelerate their digital transformation and co-innovate on cuttingedge solutions. To better serve the unique needs of customers and partners within the public sector, Microsoft has established the
Microsoft Government Innovation Centre located in Ottawa. “Organizations that are using their own data to implement solutions tailored to their specific needs, may not only bolster business resilience but also improve operations and become more responsive to evolving citizen and customer demands,” said Peesker. “With DICE, we’re empowering organizations to take advantage of the data they create to develop comprehensive strategies that solve some of their most pressing business challenges and accelerate growth.” These results are drawn from a survey conducted by Fuse Insights on behalf of Microsoft Canada. A total of 658 business decision-makers from across Canada, representing a range of company sizes and industries were surveyed online in English and French in December 2021. ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
An $80 million investment from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada will see 29 organizations give 3 million training opportunities to help youth gain coding and digital skills. Canada needs a workforce that is strong in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and capable of taking on challenges to compete in the digital economy. To make sure the next generation of young Canadians can thrive in that digital reality, the Government of Canada is supporting millions of students in improving their digital skills. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the 29 organizations across the country that are receiving $80 million in funding in the third phase of the CanCode program. This investment will enable these organizations to offer 3 million training opportunities for students, from kindergarten to Grade 12, to learn digital skills, like coding, data analytics and digital content development. Since 2017, CanCode has helped provide over 4.5 million coding and digital skills training opportunities to students and over 220,000 to teachers. This means 7.5 million training opportunities will help millions of young Canadians be better prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. CanCode also helps Canadian teachers acquire the know-how to incorporate new digital skills and technologies into their classrooms. As well, the program has a focus on encouraging under-represented groups, like Indigenous youth, Black youth and girls, to pursue careers in STEM. CanCode also aligns with Canada‘s Digital Charter, a principles-based approach to building trust in the digital world. The first principle of the Charter is focused on ensuring FEBRUARY 2022
