Information technology (IT) departments in the Philippines are more responsible for business innovation than ever before, a new survey by technology management firm ManageEngine said.
ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation, recently announced the results of its comprehensive study focused on the Philippines market titled IT at work: 2022 and beyond.
The research revealed that 84% of respondents (IT decision-makers [ITDMs]) believe that the IT department is more responsible for business innovation than ever before and 77% of decision-makers felt that IT could drive greater innovation if it had a stronger leadership position.
Accelerated digital transformation and strategic responsibility coupled with increased emphasis on business resilience, innovation, and agility have reinvented the role of IT teams.
IT teams are implementing advanced tech while facilitating business growth. About 65% of ITDMs said that their organization uses AI and ML to defend systems from cyberattacks. At the same time, 78% said that their organization uses advanced data analytics to detect anomalous behavior, and 67% said that it is deployed to gain correlation and contextualization.
While IT teams are responsible for facilitating digital innovation and ensuring networks are cybersecure, the survey indicated IT departments felt they lacked the required support from their organizations to effectively take on this responsibility.
The research revealed that 59% of ITDMs in the Philippines felt that their organization should have supported them more in the last two years. In addition, 47% of ITDMs felt that their opinion was not taken into regard while organizations were embracing hybrid work models.
As the tech landscape is witnessing tremendous transformation, 60% of business decision-makers (BDMs) in the Philippines indicated that a lack of training is a barrier employees face in trying to take full advantage of technology.
This is the highest when compared to both the global average of 47% and the data from ASEAN peers like Singapore (48%), Malaysia (45%) and Indonesia (47%). However, 78% of BDMs in the Philippines said that their department receives training in technology processes and tools from an internal training team.
“IT departments play a crucial role in developing value-added strategies and providing deep insights into organizations’ digitization potential,” Arun Kumar, regional director for APAC at ManageEngine, said.
“IT teams need to work together with non-IT departments by equipping non-IT staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to embark on a digital innovation journey. With this collaboration and shared knowledge, IT and non-IT employees can form a strong and resilient barrier that will keep critical resources secure from cyberattacks while leading tech advancement.”
The study was conducted by Vanson Bourne and involved 150 ITDMs in various organizations across the Philippines. Respondents were surveyed on topics like the role of IT, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and cybersecurity.
