The study conducted in June 2015 surveyed 613 marketing and IT decision-makers to assess the status of digital business transformation in German companies, focusing on its understanding, relevance, and challenges. Results indicated that digital business transformation is primarily viewed as the digitalization of corporate processes and new business model development, with a notable gap in strategic implementation, especially in smaller companies. The report provides recommendations for initiating digital transformation strategies, emphasizing the importance of leadership commitment and defining key performance indicators.

1. Study
Digital Business
Transformation
Brief Information
Frankfurt am Main, 23 September 2015

2. Study Profile
In June 2015 Dexperty, the digital experts at Messe Frankfurt, joined with the market
researchers of INNOFACT AG to question a total of 613 marketing and IT decision-
makers on the status of Digital Business Transformation in their companies. 18
questions were put to investigate the following subject areas:
• Central IT megatrends
• Digital Business Transformation – empirical figures from companies
• Digital Business Transformation in marketing
• Trade fair marketing goes digital
The results of the study were prepared in a 36-page report. They can be found in our
blog http://connected.messefrankfurt.com/en/ and they are touched upon by way of
example in the following slides.
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3. Objectives of the Study
The aim of the survey was to examine the understanding, practical relevance,
development status and any hurdles in relation to Digital Business Transformation in
German companies.
Furthermore their effects on marketing and, in greater depth, the development of digital
trade fair marketing were highlighted.
In addition the research team wished to provide interested parties with ideas and
benchmarks for the digital transformation of their companies.
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4. Digital Business Transformation – What is it?
Digital Business Transformation is seen by those surveyed primarily as the ditialisation
of all conceivable corporate processes, but also as the development of new business
models or the digitalisation of the customer interface.
Despite the lack of a generally valid definition and elaborated characteristics the subject
is dealt with on a higher level, it is interpreted as a question of business and not
technology and is also seen as highly relevant for business success.
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5. Management Summary I
Digital Business Transformation is primarily seen as the digitalisation of all conceivable
corporate processes, but also as the development of new business models.
The subject of "Digital Business Transformation" has a very wide variety of starting
points at operative locations in the company.
The challenges as well as opportunities of Digital Business Transformation are
identified. Purposeful digital strategies are already being developed and corresponding
marketing budgets are being made available (also and in particular in the environment
of trade fairs).
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6. Management Summary II
Digital Transformation awareness is more evident among IT decision-makers than
among marketing decision-makers.
Smaller companies (<2.5 million euros annual turnover) also see great significance for
business success.
Digital Transformation in the trading domain in particular occupies a comparatively
conservative position (relevance, implementation).
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7. Extracts from the Study Report
Digital Business Transformation
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8. IT megatrends and Digital Business Transformation
Security aspects are among the most
important IT megatrends.
Other trends:
• Cloud Computing
• Mobile Trends
• Big Data
Lesser significance:
• Collaboration
• Social Computing
• Computing Everywhere
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9. Understanding and relevance of "Digital Business
Transformation"
By "Digital Business Transformation" both IT and marketing decision-makers
understand:
• Digitalisation of all conceivable corporate processes
• Development of completely digital business models
• Digitalisation at the customer interface
"Digital Business Transformation" is understood in different ways and there does
not (yet) appear to be a generally applicable definition.
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10. Empirical figures from companies
Main drivers of Digital Business Transformation in the company
• New business opportunities (for 60% under the Top3)
• General technological change (more in large companies)
• Change in customer requirements which involves a need for appropriate action
Overriding strategy lacking, especially in marketing and small and medium-sized
companies
Only a good third currently have an overriding, company-wide strategy for digital
transformation.
Smaller enterprises and trading companies in particular are clearly lagging behind the
development.
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11. Digital Business Transformation in marketing
Activities relating to Digital Business Transformation differ very considerably. Only
around one third have a strategy.
Marketing decision-makers see the greatest added value in digital measures such as
websites, blogs, newsrooms, mobile marketing, are well as trade fairs and public
relations.
Budgets for digital marketing are growing: with 64 per cent of those surveyed 20 per
cent of the marketing budget is already spent on digital measures.
It is striking that IT decision-makers rate the maturity of these measures substantially
more positively than their marketing colleagues.
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12. Trade fair marketing goes digital
67 per cent of those surveyed indicated that their company took part in trade fairs.
Onsite advertising on the trade fair site, social media activities, online advertising and
an all-year-round presence on online platforms of the event organiser are considered as
important for trade fair success by just under 50 percent.
The instruments of communication all around trade fairs have undergone a clear
enrichment process within the last ten years.
As compared to the Dexperty study "Kommunikation im Messeumfeld“ ("Communication
in the Trade Fair Environment") (2014) digital development is making great advances.
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13. PRACTICAL
RECOMMENDATIONS
Prospects
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14. Practical recommendations
We have compiled 15 simple
recommendations for making a start on
Digital Business Transformation.
The complete list of the practical
recommendations can be found in the
Study as published.
• Build up your know-how, get information on
the subject from the web, the literature or the
media and identify the best practices applied
in larger companies from which you can
learn.
• Secure the commitment of top management.
• Define the KPIs and benchmarks which
depict the status quo and render your
progress measurable in the future.
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15. Further information on the Study
More information on the study can be
found in the Connected Blog of Messe
Frankfurt:
http://connected.messefrankfurt.com/en/
Request the complete report on results
of the Study at : http://m-es.se/Kc36
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16. Thank you for your interest.
More information online at:
http://connected.messefrankfurt.com/en/
16Dexperty, Messe Frankfurt