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How Malaysia can embrace technological change the right way

A recent report noted that while we place a high value on antiques, in terms of quantity (financial worth) and quality, the opposite is the case in management. While antique paintings and etchings are priceless because of their antiquity, the inability to adapt to technological change in management would result in obsolescence.
In 1999, a Malaysian research institute organised a seminar that touched on how converging technologies would change the way we live and do things. The take-home message from that seminar was that technology is fast-changing to the extent that one day, all we need is just a device in our hands to get things done.
At the time, one had to dial a four-digit number to access the Internet and the best a mobile phone could do was to send simple text messages. It was not surprising, therefore, to see most participants in that seminar dismissing the message as a far-fetched dream.
Fast forward to 2018, one would find it difficult to imagine living without smart devices.
As a result of technological advancements, the world is becoming more interconnected and complex. Data is an invaluable asset. Barriers, such as physical distance, geographical borders or time zones, are irrelevant. Communication is in real time.
These changes demand that individuals and organisations respond quickly and adapt effectively.
In other words, they must be prepared to change with the times. This is what a famous author wrote in his book, which was published over two decades ago. He urged readers to equip themselves “with strategies to lead when the only rule is the change”.
It is imperative that at every level of management and society, technological changes should not be resisted, but be cautiously embraced with wisdom.
This means that we have to ensure that technological changes work for us, rather than against us. We must be wise in deciding what technological change is beneficial and what is detrimental.
It is necessary for leaders to map out strategies and skills needed to enable the creation of opportunities that arise from “destructive technologies”.
The author correctly pointed out that new leaders are those who benefit most from these changes, and that most of the changes are created by the new leaders themselves.
We can analogise these leaders as surfers who ride the waves of change, harnessing their skills and knowledge to make them go where they want. Instead of repelling change or surrendering blindly to change, they adapt it into their leadership style.
Today, people are talking about the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum outlined three key clusters that will see profound changes — physical, digital and biological.
In the physical cluster, technological changes can be seen in the development of autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, advanced robotics and the introduction of new materials that are lighter, stronger, recyclable and adaptive.
In the digital cluster, we have the Internet of Things, where people are connected with each other using technologies and platforms.
Rapid advancements in the fields of “omics”, such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, are driving changes in the biological cluster.
The challenge is not whether we are ready for change, as it is already here. Instead, what we should think about is how to tackle the changes brought about by technological advancements.
In the context of Malaysia, it is important for the country to identify niche technological areas that can be harnessed and developed. Realistically speaking, we would not be able to be involved in the development of everything under the sun.
In view of this, the Academy of Sciences Malaysia has identified five broad areas that Malaysia should focus on in the next three decades:

  1. Biotechnology;
  2. Digital technology;
  3. Green technology;
  4. Nanotechnology; and,
  5. Neurotechnology

The ability to learn, master, utilise and develop these technologies is crucial in ensuring that Malaysia is not left behind.
Leaders at all levels must realise that learning is a continuous pursuit and that adopting and adapting to technological change using wisdom is the key to success.

PARTNER

Qlik’s vision is a data-literate world, where everyone can use data and analytics to improve decision-making and solve their most challenging problems. A private company, Qlik offers real-time data integration and analytics solutions, powered by Qlik Cloud, to close the gaps between data, insights and action. By transforming data into Active Intelligence, businesses can drive better decisions, improve revenue and profitability, and optimize customer relationships. Qlik serves more than 38,000 active customers in over 100 countries.

PARTNER

CTC Global Singapore, a premier end-to-end IT solutions provider, is a fully owned subsidiary of ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) and ITOCHU Corporation.

Since 1972, CTC has established itself as one of the country’s top IT solutions providers. With 50 years of experience, headed by an experienced management team and staffed by over 200 qualified IT professionals, we support organizations with integrated IT solutions expertise in Autonomous IT, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure, Workplace Modernization and Professional Services.

Well-known for our strengths in system integration and consultation, CTC Global proves to be the preferred IT outsourcing destination for organizations all over Singapore today.

PARTNER

Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work. Our solutions enable organizations to connect the business from ideas to impact, empowering companies to accelerate the achievement of what matters most. Planview’s full spectrum of Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions creates an organizational focus on the strategic outcomes that matter and empowers teams to deliver their best work, no matter how they work. The comprehensive Planview platform and enterprise success model enables customers to deliver innovative, competitive products, services, and customer experiences. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with locations around the world, Planview has more than 1,300 employees supporting 4,500 customers and 2.6 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.planview.com.

SUPPORTING ORGANISATION

SIRIM is a premier industrial research and technology organisation in Malaysia, wholly-owned by the Minister​ of Finance Incorporated. With over forty years of experience and expertise, SIRIM is mandated as the machinery for research and technology development, and the national champion of quality. SIRIM has always played a major role in the development of the country’s private sector. By tapping into our expertise and knowledge base, we focus on developing new technologies and improvements in the manufacturing, technology and services sectors. We nurture Small Medium Enterprises (SME) growth with solutions for technology penetration and upgrading, making it an ideal technology partner for SMEs.

PARTNER

HashiCorp provides infrastructure automation software for multi-cloud environments, enabling enterprises to unlock a common cloud operating model to provision, secure, connect, and run any application on any infrastructure. HashiCorp tools allow organizations to deliver applications faster by helping enterprises transition from manual processes and ITIL practices to self-service automation and DevOps practices. 

PARTNER

IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

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