UK businesses face digital divide

A digital divide is opening up across the British economy, with just over half (55%) of “pioneer” firms adopting digital technologies and processes, while the other half (45%) are falling behind. This is according to new research by the CBI and IBM.

Despite the UK taking top place globally for e-commerce and fifth place for the availability of technology, it ranks only fourteenth in the world for company-level adoption of digital technology, with many companies struggling to digitise their businesses at the rate of peers in other countries.
Companies cite a mix of connectivity challenges and security concerns as barriers to digital adoption, but predominantly they are hindered by a lack of appropriate skills inside their business (42% of firms) and an unclear return on investment (33%).
The problem is not lack of conviction about the potential impact. Nearly all firms believe that digital technology has the ability to revolutionise the business landscape, driving productivity (94%), growth and job creation, and almost three quarters (73%) see improved customer satisfaction and experience as its biggest benefit. To take advantage of digital technology across the economy, the CBI, the UK’s largest business group recommends that firms:
  • Appoint a Chief Digital or Technology officer to the senior executive team to drive digital strategy and execution
  • Increase the age and skills diversity of boards and board advisers, drawing on the expertise of a new generation of ‘digital natives’.
Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said: “Businesses globally are in the throes of an extraordinary digital revolution that is transforming productivity and creating a new generation of winning companies. But in the UK, too many firms are being left behind.  While pioneering firms are seizing digital opportunities, nearly half are struggling – a growing digital divide that is threatening UK competitiveness.
“It’s vital that businesses in all sectors – from manufacturing to retail – truly understand digital technology’s potential, from the boardroom to the shop or factory floor. Giving digital a human face by appointing a Chief Technology Officer will help businesses build the long-term digital strategies that will be critical to their futures.
“And by harnessing the expertise of the generation at the heart of the digital revolution, firms will be better able to make the right investments for their digital future.”
VMware Cloud Foundation helps Audi Modernize IT on the factory floor while reducing cost,...
Customers now have a single place to rapidly build, deploy, and orchestrate powerful enterprise...
Endava has launched its latest research report “AI and the Digital Shift: Reinventing the...
As per the five-year partnership, TCS will streamline operations, lead workforce transformation,...
Over one in four (28%) British small business owners have used AI tools to help run their business.
Asana Work Innovation Lab findings reveal AI adoption in many companies is happening in a...
Thales 2025 Digital Trust Index reveals most industries experienced a decline in consumer trust...
92% of UK businesses acknowledge the environmental impact of single-use data, but tackling it...