Collaboration key to transformation

South African ICT industry business leaders are still scared to share information on issues such as innovation, which is key to transforming the IT environment, delegates at Futurex heard yesterday.

According to IBM systems and technology group executive Werner Lindemann, the local IT industry needs to mature and realise the importance of sharing ideas in order to become more innovative.

At the 2004 IBM Business Leadership Forum, he pointed out, global CIOs and CEOs recognised the significance of innovation in the transformation of IT.

"Most local business leaders are still of the idea that sharing ideas might lead to stealing business secrets," said Lindemann.

"Local business leaders need to be open and understand what`s happening globally. The global environment does have an impact on SA and customers at large."

Businesses, he added, also need to commit to open standards, being collaborative, and being multifunctional inside and outside the organisation.

Lindemann acknowledged, however, that local CIOs are starting to embrace the idea of sharing ideas and are gradually realising the importance of collaboration.

"Innovation involves a strategy, technology and education," said Lindemaan, adding innovation sometimes gets inhibited by new applications, interfaces, operations and reputation risks.