Winning the Digital Talent War

As companies attempt to compete in an increasingly digital world, they face a wide range of challenges. Somehow, with limited resources and competing priorities, they must develop the capabilities they need so that their activities, people, culture, and structure are well-aligned with their organizational goals in a changing competitive environment. One of the most critical issues is finding the right people—something many companies appear to be struggling with—and designing paths forward that meet their needs. In a 2016 digital business study and research project that MIT Sloan Management Review and consulting firm Deloitte LLP conducted, we found that the ability of companies to attract and retain talent was one of the most serious—and most overlooked—digital threats companies faced. Seventy percent of the more than 3,700 executives, managers, and analysts we surveyed agreed that their organizations needed a new or different talent base to compete effectively in a digital world.