Bologna, 10 May 2024 – “In Emilia-Romagna 33% of companies in 2024 it will increase investments in digital technologies and services, 3 points above the national average”. This is the photograph described by Andrea Ardizzone, general secretary of Assintel, during the fourth stage of the “Roadshow Assintel Report”, held in Bologna at the Confcommercio headquarters and organized by Assintel, the national association of ICT (Information and communication technologies) companies and regional Confcommercio, while the research is managed by the Ixé institute. The project sponsors also participated in the round table, including Grenke, Art-Er, Intesa Sanpaolo, Tim and Open Gate Italia.
In short, the event was an opportunity to discuss the results of the investigationwhich shows that today more than ever digital is the key to the evolution of our economic system. And the issue of training and skills also becomes fundamental. “We must have these technologies but we must also be able to govern them and make the right mediation between technology and humanism, therefore to have additional skills.
In addition to accompanying them in these investments small-medium enterprises“, speaks Vincenzo Colla, regional councilor for economic development, work and training. The Region, therefore, confirms itself as a mature, articulated productive fabric with medium-sized companies tending to develop collaborations with partners and startups.
Businesses, however, to do all this “must be put in a position to make investments”, according to Enrico Postacchini, regional president of Confcommercio. TOSo, “the challenge of the digital revolution is a question of substantial democracy, between people, between generations, between companies”, concludes Postacchini. “This success is the result of a fruitful collaboration between the private sector and the public”, comments Luca Cavina, coordinator of the Assintel regional committee. Even though it is an Italy divided in two: “Part of the business invests, while small-medium sized businesses are still struggling,” says Ardizzone.
In general, for Emilia-Romagna companies there is less reporting of impeding factors to digital transformation. This also applies to the two major obstacles: the financial one, present in 26.9% of them, and that of digital culture and skills, present in 28.1% of companies, both more than 4 points below the average.
The three most present technologies in 2024 in regional companies concern collaboration (PCs and smartphones) for 76% of themconnectivity (ultra broadband and wi-fi) with 72% and cybersecurity with 65%. But if these values are in line with the national average, there are other peculiar technologies: “Back-office and management applications (57%), IT infrastructure (52%) and data management (45%), all between 6 and 8 points above average,” he reads Alex Buriani, research director of the lxè Institute. Another difference is also striking: among the areas of innovation, those linked to increasing the relationship with the customer hold less weight.
“Customer management it is important for only 12% of regional companies (21.9% the national average), marketing and communication activities are important for 24.5% (31% the national average). On the emerging technologies front, the Internet of Things (16.6%) and artificial intelligence applications (11.4%) are above average, with projects already in the implementation and evaluation phases”, continues Buriani.
