In Emilia-Romagna, 33% of companies will increase investments in digital technologies and services in 2024, 3 points above the national average. Confirming a more mature production fabric, divided into districts with a greater industrial presence, medium-sized companies and a tendency to develop collaborations with partners and startups. This is the photograph that emerged during the fourth stage of the Assintel Report roadshow, held in Bologna at the Confcommercio headquarters and organized by Assintel, the national association of ICT companies And Confcommercio Emilia-Romagna. The research is carried out byIxé Institutesponsors of the project are Grenke, Intesa Sanpaolo, TIM and Open Gate Italia.
The three most present technologies in 2024 in companies in the region they are those that concern collaboration (PC and smartphone) for 76% of them, connectivity (ultra-broadband and wifi) with 72% and cybersecurity for 65%. But if these values are in line with the national average, there are other peculiar technologies: these are back-office and management applications (57%), IT infrastructures (52%) and data management (45%) , all between 6 and 8 points above average. Another difference is also striking: among the areas of innovation, those linked to increasing the relationship with the customer have less weight; Customer management is important for only 12% of regional companies, compared to 21.9% at a national level, and marketing and communication activities are important for 24.5%, compared to the national average of 31%.
On the front of emerging technologiesthe Internet of Things (16.6%) and artificial intelligence applications (11.4%) are above average, with projects already in the implementation and evaluation phases.
In general, for Emilia-Romagna companies there is less reporting of factors hindering 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 results that emerged confirm that Emilia Romagna continues to stand out as a fertile ground for digital innovation – he comments Luca Cavina, Coordinator of the Assintel Emilia-Romagna Committee -. This success is the result of a fruitful collaboration between the private sector and public institutions, with particular recognition of the constant commitment of the Emilia Romagna Region in promoting initiatives, tenders and incentives aimed at supporting businesses in the sector, including the notable impact of the Data Valley.” Emilia-Romagna companies – he continues – «aware of the importance of digitalisation, are using these technologies to optimize their production processes. This not only demonstrates a clear open-mindedness to continuous improvement, but also demonstrates an ability to adapt and innovate in keeping workflows dynamic. As Assintel’s regional committee, our objective is to promote ever-increasing collaboration between companies in the sector, encourage the sharing of knowledge and experiences, and raise awareness, especially among young students, of the opportunities offered by the Emilia-Romagna digital panorama”.
«The digital and technological transformation of the economic and territorial system represents a fundamental opportunity for Emilia-Romagna to consolidate its already recognized leading role in the country system – he comments Enrico Postacchini, President of Confcommercio Emilia-Romagna -. Our Region confirms itself as an attractive territory, a point of reference in the field of research and innovation and not only thanks to the strategic establishment of the Tecnopolo Manifattura in Bologna. Digital ecosystems must be leveraged for innovation, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. The challenge of the digital revolution is a question of substantial democracy, between people, between generations, between companies. Digitally enabling our businesses, even the most traditional ones – concludes Postacchini – means accepting the challenge of change to remain on the market and improve it “from within”. And to do all this, companies must be put in a position to make investments. Taxation, liquidity, capital solidity: it is an area on which much remains to be done.”
