ICT and its influence on business productivity
..........................................
Las TIC y su influencia en la Productividad empresarial
Edgar Olmedo Cruz Micán
Indira
Montiel Payares
Pedro
Navarro Gardeazabal
Johan Yeferson
Castaño Martínez
ABSTRACT
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have become a key
strategy for improving business productivity. Effective implementation of these
technologies can have a significant impact on productivity, however, there are
also risks associated with their adoption. Therefore, it is important to
evaluate how ICTs impact business productivity and what factors need to be
taken into account for successful implementation. In this constant
technological change, we see how every day companies become more competitive
thanks to well-defined strategies, likewise, it is important to note that
technological support is essential when seeking to improve competitiveness, an
important point that makes the difference in the different services available
in the market, regardless of whether the company is small, medium or large,
since there is already a portfolio for each of them. This research has
identified that ICTs are a key factor in improving business productivity. The
effective implementation of these technologies has been beneficial for
companies, allowing them to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve the
quality of products or services. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that
the adoption of ICTs also involves risks such as implementation complexity and
cost, so it is important to identify the most appropriate technologies for each
company and carefully evaluate their implementation to maximize their benefits.
Keywords: ICT; Business productivity; Effective
implementation; Emerging technologies; Influencing factors.
RESUMEN
Las Tecnologías
de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) han pasado a ser una estrategia clave
para mejorar la productividad empresarial. La implementación efectiva de estas
tecnologías puede tener un impacto significativo en la productividad, sin embargo,
también hay riesgos asociados con su adopción. Por lo tanto, es importante
evaluar cómo las TIC influyen en la productividad empresarial y qué factores
deben tenerse en cuenta para lograr una implementación exitosa. En este
constante cambio tecnológico, vemos cómo cada día las empresas se vuelven más
competitivas gracias a estrategias bien definidas, así mismo, es importante
señalar que el respaldo tecnológico es fundamental a la hora de buscar mejorar
la competitividad, un punto importante que marca la diferencia en los
diferentes servicios existentes en el mercado, sin importar que la empresa sea
pequeña, mediana o grande, ya que ya se encuentra un portafolio para cada una
de ellas. La presente investigación ha permitido identificar que las TIC son un
factor clave para mejorar la productividad empresarial. La implementación
efectiva de estas tecnologías ha sido beneficiosa para las empresas,
permitiendo mejorar la eficiencia, reducir costos y mejorar la calidad de los
productos o servicios. Sin embargo, es necesario tener en cuenta que la
adopción de TIC también implica riesgos como la complejidad de implementación y
el costo, por lo que es importante identificar las tecnologías más adecuadas
para cada empresa y evaluar cuidadosamente su implementación para maximizar sus
beneficios.
Palabras clave: TIC;
Productividad empresarial; Implementación efectiva; Tecnologías emergentes;
Factores de influencia.
Introduction
Today, Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT) are present in all aspects of society.
Businesses are no exception, and increasingly, ICT adoption has become a key
strategy for improving business productivity and efficiency. However, it is
necessary to evaluate how ICTs influence business productivity and what factors
need to be taken into account to achieve a successful implementation.
The overall objective of this research was to analyze the influence of ICT on
business productivity. To achieve this objective, three specific objectives
were set: to identify the emerging technologies most commonly used in business,
to evaluate the relationship between ICT adoption and business productivity,
and to analyze the factors that influence effective ICT implementation.
The research question guiding this research was: What is the influence of ICT
on business productivity and what are the factors that should be considered for
a successful implementation? To answer this question, a qualitative research
methodology including document analysis and literature review was used.
This research is highly relevant, as effective ICT implementation can have a
significant impact on business productivity. However, there are also risks
associated with ICT adoption, such as cost and complexity of implementation.
Therefore, it is important to identify the most appropriate technologies for
each company and carefully evaluate their implementation to maximize their
benefits
In an increasingly
digitized world, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have become a
key tool for business development and growth. However, many companies still
face challenges in the effective implementation of these technologies and their
impact on business productivity. How can companies maximize the potential of
ICTs to improve their productivity?
Although ICT
adoption has increased in enterprises in recent years, there remains a
significant gap in the adoption of emerging technologies. Implementing these
technologies can be costly and complex, and many companies may not have the
resources and technical know-how to carry them out. What are the emerging
technologies most commonly used in companies and what is their impact on
business productivity?
In addition to technical challenges, there are other factors that can influence
the effective implementation of ICTs and their impact on business productivity.
Lack of training and resistance to change are some of the challenges that
companies may face. What factors can influence effective ICT implementation and
how can companies overcome them?
In summary, the
problem statement focuses on the influence of ICT on business productivity and
the factors that influence effective implementation. To address this problem,
it is necessary to identify the emerging technologies most commonly used in
business, assess their relationship with business productivity, and analyze the
factors that can influence effective implementation. The answer to these questions
can help companies maximize the benefits of ICT adoption and improve their
business productivity, which led us to generate the following research
question:
What is the influence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on
business productivity and how can they be effectively used to improve
production processes and business operations, identifying their benefits and
costs?
Theoretical framework
The impact that
technology has on companies and how it has contributed significantly during the
last 30 years to the growth of companies has played an important role for
growth on a significant scale, reviewing the history in Colombia, talking about
internet was not so common since it had only been intended for teaching and
research use.
To contemplate a robust system was very limited because only the state, large
companies were those who could acquire them and take advantage of their full
potential, to meet the needs there are specific areas with the necessary staff
to meet every need, before everything was manual, today you only need a device
and an internet connection to send the required messages.
In the case of
meetings, these were called with a long time in advance so that the different
people called could attend, today, virtual meetings are essential and can be
attended in any space, before, telecommunications were analogous and cell phone
service was for a few. We can say that all economic sectors changed to
the technological incursion and with the evolution of the same,
telecommunications gradually managed to reach many parts, licenses were given
for the penetration of the internet to the private that with its infrastructure
deployment began to close the digital gaps in the country, this achieved the
growth that is required for the different industries to achieve the necessary
growth to develop , in the last according to the ICT report of 2021 already
have more than 8 million fixed connections (Mintic, Quarterly Bulletin 2021
,p.9).
In the analysis of
the last three decades in Colombia the dominant markets were hydrocarbons,
agriculture, manufacturing and a consolidated financial business, but there was
nothing that could be called technology as an economic sector that registered
any number in the GDP, according to procolombia (Software and IT services
(2022), p.1).
The ICT sector today represents 3.5 percent of the Colombian economy and has
grown at a rate of 9.9 percent annually during the last decade, according to
estimates by Fedesarrollo (2021), the director of the Colombian Chamber of
Informatics and Telecommunications, Colombia has become a very good opportunity
for foreign investment according to Mintic due to the ICT modernization taking
place in the country (Findeter, Aporte PIB, 2021).
According to
figures for 2019, guarantees are sought in the information and communication
technologies sector and to demonstrate that there are great opportunities for
investment (Mintic, ICT Modernization), as an important milestone, connectivity
in the country has grown as reported by Mintic in 2011 (Mintic, Locomotora
TIC).
What you want is
to have a loyal customer, have a very good image and corporate efficiency, this
means that I must have a specialized human resource in all areas that demand
the correct use of these technologies, each area must have the ability to
perform their activities with the resources that are available both as hardware
and software, in the following chart we can see an example of how in the areas
of IT the investment of technological transformation is distributed.
A good strategy that can be implemented in organizations is to train the
necessary talent to carry out the necessary transformations for the so-called
Industry 4.0 where Colombia requires more than 200,000 professionals in
everything related to information and communication technologies is where the
Ruta N project (ACI, IT Talent).
ICTs are the tool that summarizes the efficiency, productivity, competitiveness
and development of companies, in the countries of the region have recognized
the importance of its implementation in the productive sector that is why the
importance of measuring the transformations and impacts that ICTs have had on
the lives of people, in the various sectors of society and organizations is
highlighted (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2011).
Digital Transformation has become a more than complex challenge for traditional
companies and industries. While various technological visionaries have
described this era in which organizations are living as the 'beginning of the
fourth industrial revolution', the truth is that for companies the digitization
of their businesses has not been a simple task.
Methodology
Research design: The research was descriptive. The population to be studied
were companies from different productive sectors that use ICT to improve their
productivity. The sample was selected intentionally and different selection
criteria were taken into account, such as the size of the company, the number
of employees and the type of ICT used.
Data collection:
Several techniques were used to collect the data necessary to meet the
objectives:
Participant observation of production processes and business operations.
Analysis of company documents and records, such as financial reports, sales
reports and other relevant documents. Data analysis: A qualitative analysis of
the data collected was carried out, following the thematic analysis. Thematic
analysis involves the identification and coding of recurring thematic patterns
in the data, and the development of thematic and sub-thematic categories. Data
analysis software (Atlas TI) was used to help manage the data and identify
recurrent themes.
Validation of the results: Triangulation of the data was carried out, meaning
that several data sources were used to confirm the results. Validation of the
data collected was sought through comparison of data obtained through different
research techniques, review of company documents and records, and observations.
Results report: A final report was prepared presenting the results of the
research, including findings and conclusions. The report was organized
according to the specific objectives of the research and responded to the
research question formulated. Examples and quotes from observations were
included to support the results presented.
Resultados
Specific objective number one sought to identify the ICTs used by companies
to improve their productivity. The results indicate that companies use a
variety of technologies, the most common being business management software,
online communication tools and process automation. Companies are also using
emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial
intelligence (AI) to improve the efficiency of business processes.
Specific objective number two sought to assess the impact of ICT on production
processes and business operations. The results show that ICT has significantly
improved the efficiency and quality of production processes and operations.
Companies can better track and control their processes and data in real time,
which has allowed for greater accuracy and speed in decision making. In
addition, ICTs have improved the quality of customer service and reduced
waiting time for customers.
Specific objective
number three sought to determine the benefits and costs of ICT implementation
on business productivity. The results show that the benefits of ICT
implementation on business productivity are significant, including increased
efficiency, quality and customer satisfaction. However, the costs of ICT
implementation can be high, especially for smaller firms. Implementing new
technologies often requires significant investment in infrastructure and
employee training.
The research
question sought to understand the influence of ICT on business productivity and
how it can be used effectively. The results indicate that effective ICT
implementation depends on several factors, including the selection of
appropriate technologies, investment in the necessary infrastructure, and
employee training. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the size
and sector of the company to determine which technologies are the most
appropriate for each case.
In conclusion, the
research results indicate that ICTs have a significant influence on business
productivity. Companies that use ICT effectively have experienced improvements
in process efficiency and quality, as well as in customer satisfaction. However,
ICT implementation also entails significant costs and requires careful planning
and investment in infrastructure and employee training. Overall, the research
highlights the importance of careful and effective ICT implementation to
improve business productivity.
The results
obtained indicate that companies are using a variety of technologies to improve
their productivity, reflecting the importance that ICTs have acquired in the
business environment. Companies are adopting emerging technologies, which shows
that they are open to exploring new solutions to improve their performance.
This suggests that companies that are not using ICT may be at a competitive
disadvantage.
The research
results also show that ICT has a significant impact on production processes and
business operations. Companies can better control and monitor their processes
and data in real time, enabling them to make more informed and timely
decisions. In addition, ICT improves the quality of customer service and
reduces waiting times, which enhances the customer experience.
The benefits of
ICT implementation are obvious, but the investment in infrastructure and
employee training can be costly. Smaller companies may find it difficult to
finance the implementation of new technologies, which may explain why some
companies have not yet adopted ICT to improve their productivity. It is
important that companies make a careful assessment of the costs and benefits of
ICT implementation before making a decision.
It is important to
note that ICT implementation does not automatically guarantee productivity
improvement. Companies need to adopt a holistic approach, taking into account
factors such as the selection of appropriate technologies, employee training
and ongoing evaluation of results. Companies should also consider their size
and industry to determine which technologies are best suited to their specific
needs.
Overall, the research results indicate that ICTs are a valuable tool for
improving business productivity, but their implementation requires careful
planning and adequate investment. It is important for companies to assess their
specific situation and make informed decisions about ICT adoption. Companies
that adopt a well-planned ICT implementation strategy can significantly improve
their performance and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the
research shows that ICTs have a strong influence on business productivity.
Companies that use emerging technologies to improve their processes and
operations have a competitive advantage over companies that do not. Investment
in ICT can be costly, but it can have a significant impact on profitability and
business performance.
The research also highlights the importance of careful planning prior to ICT
implementation. Companies must assess their specific situation and determine
which technologies are best suited to their needs and objectives. Employee
training is also essential to ensure successful implementation and effective
use of technologies.
ICT has an impact on various aspects of the business, from production and
operations to customer experience. The benefits of ICT implementation include
improved efficiency, service quality and more informed decision making. It is
important to note that ICT implementation is not a one-size-fits-all solution
and that companies should consider their specific needs before making a
decision.
The research also highlights that ICT implementation does not automatically
guarantee improved productivity. Companies need to adopt a holistic approach,
taking into account factors such as the selection of appropriate technologies,
employee training and constant evaluation of results. Companies must also
consider their size and sector to determine which technologies are best suited
to their specific needs.
In summary, ICT implementation is a valuable strategy for improving business
productivity. Companies that adopt a well-planned ICT implementation strategy
can significantly improve their performance and gain a competitive advantage in
the marketplace. However, it is important for companies to carefully assess
their needs and make informed decisions before investing in ICT. Ongoing
training and evaluation are also essential to ensure effective and sustainable
ICT implementation.
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