RECAP: INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM "DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR SENIOR LEADERS: LESSON LEARNT FROM BEST PRACTICES ON STRATEGIC AND IMPLEMENTION” IN SINGAPORE

During the 06 days from July 18 to July 23, 2023, the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA), in collaboration with Nanyang Business School, a prestigious university under Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, successfully organized the international training program "Digital Transformation: Lessons in Strategy and Implementation"

Nanyang Technological University in Singapore renowned for its high-quality education in science, technology, and various fields, not only in Singapore but also in Asia and the world.

The program was joined by the participation of nearly 30 high-level executives from leading technology companies in Vietnam, such as Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Military Industry - Telecommunications Group (Viettel), Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin), PC1 Corporation (PC1), MCG Consulting Company (MCG), Daesang Vietnam, and others.

The program was designed using an advanced training model that involved providing knowledge to participants, creating an environment for sharing experiences, and learning from successful transformational entities in Singapore. This approach aimed to equip the learners with valuable insights and practical know-how, fostering an atmosphere of experience exchange and knowledge sharing to enhance their understanding of successful digital transformation strategies.

During the 06-day program, the participants engaged in intensive learning activities at Nanyang Business School's campus, guided by top-notch professors and experts from Singapore, specializing in digital transformation strategy, data analysis, and leadership development. Additionally, the learners had the opportunity to visit and learn from the experiences of leading global corporations such as Google Asia-Pacific, 5G & AIoT Center - Singapore Polytechnic, and Roland Berger, a world-leading consulting firm specializing in socio-economic development strategies, advising on various sectors including finance, banking, real estate, energy, industry, aviation, urban smart systems, and digital transformation technologies.

Throughout the learning journey, under the guidance of the professors, the participants had the opportunity to update and systematize their knowledge of modern digital transformation strategies.

Dr. Joo-Seng Tan, Associate Professor of Strategy, International Business & Entrepreneurship, gave the participants an overview of Digital Transformation (DT). He emphasized that DT is no longer just a silo activity for organizations. Instead, it should become the foundation that drives the organization's business model, customer experience, employee experience, and overall operational efficiency. Theoretical knowledge combined with practicals of building Digital transformation strategy frameworks and the successes and failures of businesses implementing DT strategies were shared by Dr. Joo-Seng Tan. These insights were valuable lessons for the participants to consider when implementing DT strategies in their organizations.

Moreover, considering the five maturity levels, the participants had the opportunity to reflect and evaluate where their respective businesses stood on the DT journey. This allowed them to understand their progress better and identify improvement areas in their DT initiatives.

Associate Professor, Dr. Joo-Seng Tan

The session with Dr. Chew Chee Hua (Neumann) helped the participants understand the significance of data in the context of Digital Transformation (DT). They learned about the distinction between analysis and predictive analytics. Making data-driven decisions is one of the critical objectives of DT. Data should not merely recount past events; it must be a tool that helps business leaders make actionable decisions for the future. The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies has made data-driven decision-making more feasible than ever.

Dr. Chew Chee Hua also shared tools for monitoring and evaluating DT strategies and notable case studies of successful DT implementation and deployment from Singaporean businesses like DBS Bank, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Great Eastern Life. These real-life examples demonstrated how organizations effectively leveraged data to drive their digital transformation initiatives.

Dr. Chew Chee Hua (Neumann)

Dr. Koh Cheng Boon provided valuable insights to the participants, who are top executives and managers of leading businesses in Vietnam, regarding the role and qualities of a leader in the digital age. The participants were guided through a systematic approach to leadership, from traditional leadership styles to leadership in the digital era. Understanding the Big 5 Traits model and leadership styles served as a tool for leaders and managers to reflect on and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. This self-awareness enabled them to choose ways to adjust and develop themselves, thus becoming true leaders who can inspire and lead the organization's digital transformation journey.

Moreover, the discussions on corporate culture were lively and captivating during the sessions with Dr. Koh Cheng Boon. Understanding the importance of corporate culture is crucial in digital transformation, as it plays a significant role in shaping the organization's values, behaviors, and overall success in adopting digital practices.

Dr. Koh Cheng Boon

Through these enlightening sessions, the participants had the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, gain self-awareness, and grasp the importance of corporate culture in driving successful digital transformation within their respective organizations.

Studying integrated with activities such as exchanges, discussions among students, field trips, and sharing experiences with leading global businesses provides learners with immediate opportunities to validate and apply their knowledge in real-world situations. It also encourages them to ask pertinent and practical questions during discussions, fostering meaningful and insightful conversations.

Dr. Koh Cheng Boon presents gifts to the students who won the Minigame Award

During the visit to the AI Lab at NTU, after listening to the representatives of the university sharing and demonstrating research on human driving behavior and the application of research findings in daily life, the participants experienced driving a vehicle on a simulation model. Subsequently, they reflected on their driving behavior during the simulation, which excited the learners and made them realize that AI has become more accessible and practical.

Visit to the AI Lab at NTU

Visiting NTU – Nanyang Technology University

With the support of Mr. George CS Choo, Chairman of the Association of Telecommunication Industry of Singapore (ATiS), the delegation visited and worked at the 5G & AIoT Center at Singapore Polytechnic.

ATiS is in partnership with Singapore Polytechnic 5G+ AIoT Centre to accelerate the 5G adoption by SME in Singapore and possibly the regional countries.

ATiS is instrumental in Singapore's digital transformation journey for the telecommunications, mobile and ICT sectors.

The delegation with Mr. George CS Choo, Chairman of the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (ATiS).

About ATiS: The Association of Telecommunication Industry of Singapore (ATiS) was established in 1986 and serves as the representative body for Singapore's ICT/Telecommunications industry, guiding and addressing industry-related issues. ATiS creates a common platform for all industry members to interact, collaborate and positions Singapore as a leading global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hub. ATiS members come from all areas of the ICT / Telecommunications industry including Service Providers and Operators, Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers, Value-Added Resellers (VARs), System Integrators (SIs), Consultants and R&D organizations.

follow: https://www.atis.org.sg/

During the working session, Mr. Tan See Cheng, Director of the 5G & AIoT Center, shared practical experiences in developing and applying AI technology at the AIoT Center. These practical insights helped learners, especially those from VNPT and Viettel, better understand strategic planning for digital transformation and resource allocation for their respective organizations.

Mr. Tan See Cheng – Director of 5G & AIoT Center - Sharing experiences at 5G AIoT Centre

The visit and learning experience at Google's Asia-Pacific office in Singapore left a profound impression on the learners. The working conditions felt like something out of newspapers and television, and the learners were amazed by what they experienced during the office tour at Google.

Moreover, Mr. Richard Coombes - Google Cloud - Customer Engineer Manager, and two Vietnamese colleagues, Mr. Tuan, and Mr. Thang, shared the key factors contributing to Google's transformation journey success. Google emphasized that leadership and corporate culture were crucial in driving its success during the transformation process. To achieve this, Google focused on creating an innovative environment that attracted and nurtured talents.

Anh Richard Coombes - Google Cloud - Customer Engineer Manager share about success in digital transformation at Google

A corner in the Google campus

The visit to Roland Berger's headquarters before the delegation returned to Vietnam was also an incredibly informative and engaging working session. The learners had the opportunity to learn about the strategic digital transformation (SDT) consulting projects' deployment model for businesses in Vietnam and internationally from representatives of Roland Berger.

Students listen to experience sharing and exchange at Roland Berger

Using a very practical approach in true German style, Roland Berger helped the learners understand the necessary steps and resources to execute a digital transformation strategy. Most importantly, they emphasized starting the SDT with the fundamental question: First, does the implementation of the SDT change the company’s business model to create new products and services for increased revenue and profit? Second, does the SDT help the company operate more efficiently to increase profitability? And lastly, does the SDT enable the company to access new markets and customers? If the answer to all these questions is "No," the company is implementing a digital transformation strategy without understanding the purpose, and failure is inevitable.

At the end of the program, the participants, who are high-level leaders and managers, acknowledged that this was a highly practical and high-quality program, helping them systematically integrate fundamental theoretical knowledge with practical implementation. The Research and Training Center for Digital Communication - Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA) firmly believes that with the success of this program, VDCA will continue organizing in-depth training on digital transformation for leaders and managers of Vietnamese businesses. This effort aims to support the Government, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and other relevant ministries in enhancing Vietnam's digital transformation capabilities.

Students take souvenir photos on campus of Nanyang Business School during Graduation Ceremony

Voice of Attendance

Mr. Tran Anh Dung - Deputy General Director - Mining and Chemical Industry Corporation - Vinacomin (MICCO), sincerely thanks VDCA for organizing this valuable program. MICCOers have learned a lot from NTUers, VDCAers, Google, Roland Berger, members of classes from various Corporations and the General Company, mainly from Viettel and VNPT, and have had exciting and meaningful experiences through the program.

The CDS journey in each organization/business comes with significant challenges, but it is undoubtedly a journey full of value and meaning, deserving of the investment of time, intellect, and passion to create sustainable value for our organization. We hope that VDCA and the Ministry of Planning and Investment will regularly organize valuable and meaningful learning programs to provide opportunities for interested organizations/businesses to learn and develop.

MICCO looks forward to the cooperation, advice, and support of organizations, consulting firms, and training units to accomplish the CDS goals of the enterprise.

Ms. Tran Thi Lan - Lieutenant - Head of the Digital Transformation Advisory Services Department at Viettel Enterprise Solutions Corporation - Military Industry - Telecommunications Group Branch, would like to express gratitude to the organizers for their dedication and thoughtfulness towards the participants, both before, during, and after the trip.

Regarding the program, there were many aspects that Viettel had already learned about, but the instructors helped consolidate the knowledge. Initially, Viettel's objective was to learn and reference the practices, and through the course content, especially the case study of DBS Bank, Viettel derived 15 valuable lessons from the experience. The story of DBS Bank and the stories of digital transformation in other businesses from various industries will help individuals learn, inherit, and apply valuable insights in our work.

Mr. Le Minh Chien - Enterprise Development Department - Ministry of Planning and Investment, on behalf of the Enterprise Development Department, sincerely thanks the organizers for allowing the department to participate in this training course. We also thank the CRC for delivering highly relevant content to the business community.

In particular, meeting and interacting with high-level leaders from leading businesses in Vietnam was a great privilege. Although the duration was not very long, it provided me with valuable insights into the achievements of some organizations, as well as the lingering issues related to policy and legal enforcement. The sharing sessions from each organization provided a wealth of knowledge that I personally found immensely meaningful and worth learning from.

We wish the participating organizations success in their digital transformation journeys and look forward to joining the National Digital Transformation movement.

Mr. Vu Van Long - Manager of the Digital Transformation Department - PC1 Group Joint Stock Company:

"In the past two years, most Vietnamese businesses have faced challenging times. Recognizing this issue, PC1 has realized the need for change. The Board of Directors and the CEO of PC1 have identified that our business strategy from 2022 to 2028 must go hand in hand with a digital transformation strategy. PC1 understands that investing in its people is a critical factor in ensuring this digital transformation's success. We are ready to send our staff to participate in necessary training programs.

By participating in this training program, I have clearly understood the essential elements for a successful digital transformation. Additionally, I had the opportunity to visit and learn from leading units in Singapore about digital transformation. One of the valuable lessons from this course is understanding the leadership capabilities required to ensure a successful digital transformation. I am deeply grateful to PC01's leadership and VDCA for organizing such a meaningful program."

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Vinh - Deputy Director of Hanoi Telecommunications - Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group Branch:

"Thank you to the VNPT leadership and the organizing committee for allowing us to participate in this program. A saying goes, 'With one more teacher, and there are many more paths - with one more friend, there is one more path.' Through this program, we had the chance to learn from professors at NTU University, gain practical experience from entities like Google, AIoT Center, and also had the opportunity to exchange and share insights with fellow students from Viettel, PC1, Micco, and more. This will help us have many more paths to success in our digital transformation journey."

Here is the CRC NTU 2023 July Singapore Ceremony clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_NaJGcffR8