Hong Kong organizations are lagging behind in cultivating a data-driven culture for improving their business performance, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted by US Tableau Software and IDC, interviewed 700 organizations in seven Asia-Pacific countries and regions to gauge their data readiness index (DRI). Data readiness is defined as an organization’s capability to make data central to their business through widespread adoption of analytics.

Hong Kong ranks fifth out of the seven markets with an average DRI score of 2.67, indicating that Hong Kong organizations are in the developing band and skew toward the lower end.

Australia (3.54), Singapore (3.52) and Japan (2.74) are ranked in the leading band, indicating that organizations in these countries are enhancing workers’ data analytics proficiency.

According to the survey, organizations in Hong Kong prioritize governance and process in their past and future investments, reflecting the primary concerns of the financial services industry. Hong Kong organizations are recommended to strengthen employee’s data skill sets and bolster companywide collaboration to drive their business performance.

To effectively drive data readiness, Hong Kong organizations need to place greater emphasis and investment in its people because they hold the power of putting strategy into action to create a data culture

Joe Ho, Tableau Software’s head of enterprise for Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao

“To effectively drive data readiness, Hong Kong organizations need to place greater emphasis and investment in its people because they hold the power of putting strategy into action to create a data culture,” said Joe Ho, Tableau Software’s head of enterprise for Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.

Robert Walters, a global specialist recruiter, agrees that demand for talent in the technology and innovation industry is growing.

Ricky Mui, managing director at Robert Walters Hong Kong, said, “High-tech companies and startups are continuously looking for the placement of strategic positions for innovation research in Hong Kong. This drives demand for talent specialized in data, innovation, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and software development.”

In addition to data analytics, Hong Kong enterprises are also urged to embrace all kinds of technological adoption to sharpen their business competitiveness.

According to a study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by mainland computer hardware maker Lenovo, less than 25 percent of the surveyed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Asia are technology-savvy enough to attract employee loyalty.

The survey, which interviewed more than 750 SME employees and device buyers across seven markets in Asia, revealed that there are wide gaps between management understanding and employee expectations.

For example, while 77 percent of employers believe that their company offers a good employee experience, only 55 percent of employees felt satisfied at work. Another finding: Although 74 percent of SMEs in Asia say they are already enabling a productive work environment, only 60 percent of their employees concurred.

“SMEs should aim to provide what employees will need, not only today but in the years to come. Employees want to be more mobile and flexible at work in general, and it is up to SME decision-makers to make informed decisions on which solutions will best meet their needs now and in the future,” said Ronald Wong, Lenovo’s general manager for Hong Kong and Macao.

oswald@chinadailyhk.com