What needs to be done for the digital transformation

What needs to be done for the digital transformation. A short list of what is necessary to overcome digital gender gap.

By Giulia Chinnici

1. Solve the infrastructural problem, there is still a lack of broadband, ultra broadband and high speed connection, so in this case national policies are really important and connected with the entrepreneurial environment, and they are crucial to overcome any digital gap

2. We need to organize a more friendly approach to digital transformation.

As it is mostly unknown it scares, we need a gentle push with a sort of digital path for Women Entrepreneurs and SMEs lead by women. In this case we need a bottom up approach for digital transformation.
As we have different levels of digitalization so we need different actions to be taken.

For example in micro and small enterprises an approach with a digital mentor can be organized. A mentor has the right knowledge, the networks and she or he can easily create the necessary empathy to design specific project works on digital transformation for your enterprise.

In bigger enterprises the role of research centres is crucial, I’m talking about a close connection where researchers, devices, data and studies can help the management to visualize the change and the progress their enterprise can make with a digital transformation.

In both the cases I mentioned a collaboration between associations, networks and chamber of commerce can speed the process. So basically associations and public and private entities, as WIN ON LINE partnership is doing, must create actions and projects where the first beneficiaries are women entrepreneurs.

3. As women entrepreneurs are mostly concentrated in services and commerce we need to figure out solutions for them as well. This can be the Phygital approach, so an experience for your client based both on the physical and digital methodologies. The use of technology to build a bridge between the physical and the digital dimensions, you can create a very strong customer experience even if you are an artisan. It is a new marketing strategy that help you to reach new markets and clients.

Or on a more basic level the use of social media for your brand and services. We are not talking about big investments, but it is a new approach for doing business and sell your product.

4. Talking about digital skills I think that the issue is to have the same access to digitalization. It is not the lack of digital competences, it is the lack of equal opportunities, it is the fact that still too strong stereotypes address women to specific careers and not to STEM (and entrepreneurial) careers. And here we need role models for girl and women and stronger public services for families, a new approach in education, learning by doing processes since the very first stage of education. So here you can see how digital transformation is strictly connected to a cultural transformation. Not an easy way, but I can see the change already happening in young generation.