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Article by Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh - Every Company Must Become an IT Company Like TAG.Global

01-Feb-2023 | Source : AG-IP-News Agency | Visits : 2447
Article by Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh - Every Company Must Become an IT Company Like TAG.Global

Special to AG-IP-News Agency 

By Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh

I have been a strong proponent of technology for all my life having taken my first computer course at High Wycombe, UK in 1965 that was hosted by IBM on their new data processing mainframe which was the size of a large office room. Ever since, I have been adamant that IT form an integral part of TAG.Global and have invested greatly in technology and the technical human capacity, as well as encouraging a culture of technology throughout the organization. 

In today’s digital age, there is no getting away from technology. In order to face a chance of survival in what are unprecedented times, every company must become an IT company as technology has become an integral part of almost every business operation. It has become necessary to compete in the modern world, an opportunity to become leaner and greener, as well as to serve customers better, stay ahead of the competition and remain operational during difficult times.

I often get asked how TAG.Global was built into an IT company and would like to share certain prescriptions that I see as fundamental in order for any enterprise to succeed in this endeavor.

1. Employing IT Literate Staff

Organizations are hierarchical structures which are run by managers and their staff. They understand the intricacies of how the organization functions and how operations can be improved as this is their daily work. They are in the best position to advise on how IT could be implemented to help achieve better efficiencies. This is why in TAG.Global, I have made it a condition of employment to only hire those that are highly fluent in IT and English; the default language of technology. It is only through an educated workforce can you hope for any technology implementation to succeed. It is fundamental to employ leaders that understand IT, lead technology implementations and can promote a technology culture among departments which in turn filters down to employees. I did this with initially with my Intellectual Property firm AGIP and rolled this out to the rest of TAG.Global which has paid enormous dividends, resulting in a technology based organization with all the efficiencies that come with this. 

2. Develop an IT Mindset

As one of the main purposes of becoming an IT firm is to achieve efficiency, one must be ready to take a long, hard look at ones operations to improve departments and alter processes so that they become more efficient. This is an important exercise in order to identify inefficiencies and ensure that the inputs which feed into technology implementations are sound. Organizational data must be also be identified, organized and normalized for it to be used meaningfully in AI and business analytics solutions. No matter how good the technology is, it will only automate what you already have in place, which is why it is imperative to clean up shop before embarking on a digital journey. Having an IT mindset means recognizing the central role that it plays in business and adopting a culture that values continuous improvement and innovation.

3. Wise Technology Selection

Technology should never be implemented for technology’s sake and does not mean a total overhaul in a firm’s technology portfolio. What it means is to accurately pinpoint what will be of most benefit and look for low barriers of entry to explore the disruption with minimal effect on running business. The Cloud is greatly facilitating this as the majority of solutions are now cloud based, allowing an organization to explore possibilities with low investment. Quite often, it is a combination of technologies that can deliver a positive experience. This is why it is essential to have qualified business personnel that understand IT well. It is only by having such professionals can opportunities across the technology spectrum be recognized and leveraged.

At TAG.Global, I have a variety of IT consultants, software developers, business analysts and projects managers to help the firm navigate and decide on what technologies are most suitable for the firms needs to avoid unnecessary spending, as IT implementations are costly and time intensive. This includes understanding what value technology will bring to the firm and its customers.

4. Change Management, Reskilling and Communication

Technology implementations bring with them uncertainty particularly among low skilled workers. This must be used as an opportunity to develop skills across the board so that each person can see how they fit into the company’s future. If this is done properly, the process of technology adoption and change resistance that plague so many digital projects will be minimized. Employees feel engaged, understand where they fit into the company’s future and will be more likely to support technology projects. It is also important to employ effective communication and keep all staff aware of developments so that they feel a part of the overall process.

I am proud to say that these prescriptions have served TAG.Global well on its journey to become one of the largest professional service firms in the World which has IT at its very core. I welcome others to benefit from our great success.

Talal Abu-Ghazaleh

 
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