From streamlining automation processes and advancing toward unrivalled research and analysis, to shifting legacy applications to the cloud and leveraging digital technologies, GCCs are enabling a forward-looking agenda for global organizations in the context of digital transformation.
While efforts to create a digital-first economy have been ongoing, the pandemic propelled the adoption of digital strategies by businesses across a wide range of sectors ranging from retail and healthcare to automobiles to payments. At the core of this innovative digital transformation has been the silent and resilient role of Global Capability Centers (GCCs). GCCs play a pivotal role in enabling digital transformation and have emerged as innovation centers leading engineering, research and development mandates. Watch out for the following trends that are driving future growth for GCCs:
‘Digital Transformation Centers’ of the Future
GCCs are evolving to become ‘Digital Transformation Centers’, delivering much more than greater efficiencies and robust business continuity. From streamlining automation processes and advancing toward unrivalled research and analysis, to shifting legacy applications to the cloud and leveraging digital technologies, GCCs are enabling a forward-looking agenda for global organizations in the context of digital transformation.
Forefront of New-Age Technology
The expanse of emerging tech has been foundational to GCC growth in India. The days of associating digitalization with just one specific technology adoption are long gone. Automated business functions and processes, cloud conversions, data engineering, artificial intelligence, blockchain and machine learning, have all come center stage. The coming year will see a flurry of innovative solutions and offerings enabled by new age technology.
Strategic Ecosystem Partnerships to Thrive
GCCs are leveraging smart and meaningful collaborations with academia, start-ups, and the government. These include partnering with start-ups to create new business models and drive innovation, contributing towards nation-building by lending technical expertise to public organizations, and encouraging the study of emerging technologies at academic institutions. Such activities will see a significant uptake in coming years with an intent to build on India’s robust entrepreneurship and tech ecosystem synergies.
Talent Advancement
There has been a dramatic shift in workforce skills and capabilities. Transformation driven by automation has made it imperative to build a workforce that is future ready and aligned to changing customer requirements. To address workplace talent needs, three areas require immediate action: upskilling, reskilling and talent mobility; building in house expertise and skills; and providing new and challenging roles. We will also see more global roles and metrics being led out of India. GCCs need to be deliberate about leveraging India’s fresh tech talent at a global scale.
Aiming for High-Value Work
Positioning GCCs as “volume and value” proposition is the calling for the future, as GCCs focus on high value activities such as innovation, product modernization and integrations, building competencies in emerging tech and establishing centres of excellence. An example that comes to mind is how GCCs have driven impact at scale with automation. Innovation and process excellence will form an important part of a GCCs business strategy, and this shift will further catalyze the innovation center’s growth.
Digitization, the need for agility, hybrid work models, demand for new-age tech and skills, and a challenging talent landscape, are factors that will continue to redefine the operating model of GCCs and their impact on organizations in India and globally. It is the agility and adaptability of these centers, and how they respond to the needs of a very dynamic business and consumer environment, that will drive business strategy. This is just the beginning, the surface of what GCCs can deliver has just been scratched.
Source: Business World
