IIJ Launches Digital Culture Visualization Solution for DX

Internet Initiative Japan Inc. ( IIJ ) announced the launch of the “IIJ Digital Culture Visualization Solution,” a new organizational diagnostic service designed to support companies in promoting digital transformation (DX) and establishing digital adoption.

IIJ also released an original report titled “Companies that Don’t DX Will Survive – What is an Organizational Culture Where Digital Is Rooted in Everyday Life?”, which investigated and analyzed the current state of talent and organizations in promoting DX and the success factors behind it. At a press briefing held on the same day, IIJ explained the contents of the research and analysis report and provided an overview of the new solution.

Report Analyzing the Current State of Digital Utilization in Japanese Companies Released IIJ’s newly released report analyzes the current state of digital utilization in Japanese companies based on data from 65 companies and approximately 3,100 people who took the “IIJ DX Talent Assessment Solution,” which is offered by the company. By correlating the test data with maturity levels based on the Information-Technology Promotion Agency (IPA)’s “DX Promotion Index,” the study uncovered common “human resource and organizational characteristics” among companies successfully leveraging digital technologies. Furthermore, based on insights gained through interviews with test-taking companies, the study compiled recommendations for becoming a “company that no longer engages in DX.” Satoshi Nakatsu, Director of Digital Innovation at IIJ’s Professional Services Division, commented on the current situation surrounding DX promotion: “At IIJ, we believe that DX is not a transformation, but something that should be established as a corporate culture that supports competitiveness, human capital, and ESG management. We define “companies that no longer engage in DX” as those in which digital utilization is ingrained in daily operations. However, many companies are “repeated DX companies” with DX projects as their goal, and their initiatives are intermittent and short-term, leading to on-site fatigue and a mere formality. Even in the IPA’s “DX Promotion Index,” only 1.3% of companies are at maturity level 4 or above, where DX is firmly established in the culture.”

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Based on this background, this research and analysis report conducted a correlation analysis of “DX talent characteristics,” “IT literacy ,” and “thinking characteristics” visualized from test data from the “IIJ DX Talent Assessment Solution” with maturity levels based on the IPA’s “DX Promotion Index.” The results revealed that companies with high levels of maturity in digital utilization share three common characteristics: “a large number of talents competent in transformation,” “high IT literacy throughout the company,” and “diversity in thinking characteristics.” Specifically, when examining the correlation between innovator classification scores and maturity levels within a company, we observed a tendency for companies with a higher concentration of talent with innovation-oriented traits, such as innovators and early adopters, to have a higher maturity level. This tendency became even more pronounced when focusing on executives .

When examining the correlation between average IT test scores within a company and maturity levels, a weak positive correlation was observed for all test takers, but a stronger positive correlation was observed when focusing on executives. It can be seen that the level of IT literacy across a company can affect its DX maturity, and it is inferred that improving the literacy of executives in particular will lead to further increases in maturity. There was almost no correlation between the average score of thinking traits and maturity level, indicating that the tendency of thinking traits themselves does not affect maturity. Conversely, regarding the variation in thinking trait scores within a company, a relatively significant positive correlation was found in the areas of “assertiveness, novelty, and creative problem-solving.” This suggests that companies with greater variation in the strength of these thinking traits (i.e., the coexistence of diverse types) ultimately have a positive impact on DX maturity. Furthermore, the report conducted interviews with 32 of the companies analyzed regarding their “strategy, IT utilization, and enthusiasm” for DX, and rated each element on a three-point scale. The interview results confirmed variations in “strategic clarity” and “willingness to utilize digital technologies” across companies. Companies with clearer strategies communicated by management, in particular, tended to have greater understanding and empathy from the field and a higher level of maturity. On the other hand, companies with vague strategies or limited ambition tended to experience a mismatch between their frontline employees and the company, preventing company-wide adoption. This study highlighted the “awareness gap” within companies as a major barrier to the establishment and maturity of DX. Nakatsu stated, “To enhance the maturity of DX, it is essential to not simply introduce technology, but to establish a cultural foundation for the organization. This can be divided into four areas: awareness, talent, skills, and mindset. Furthermore, it is important to accurately identify gaps in awareness between the organization, such as between management and the frontline, and design and implement improvement cycles by visualizing these four areas. This initiative is directly linked to activities that enhance the effectiveness of human capital management and ESG management.”

Visualizing awareness gaps and gaps within companies to support the promotion of DX and the establishment of digital utilization. Based on the results of this survey and analysis report, IIJ has launched the new “IIJ Digital Culture Visualization Solution,” a solution that visualizes awareness gaps and gaps within companies and supports the promotion of DX and the establishment of digital utilization. The new solution comprehensively visualizes five elements that are important for promoting DX: “Strategy,” “Organization,” “Human Resources,” “IT Utilization,” and “Motivation” through three diagnoses: “Human Resource Aptitude Diagnosis,” “Digital Maturity Diagnosis,” and “Awareness Gap Diagnosis. “The results are compiled into a “Digital Maturity Assessment Report.” This allows for an overall understanding of the challenges facing DX promotion and supports the development of optimal action plans tailored to the organization’s current situation. Leo Kitamura, acting manager of the Business Integration Division, Digital Innovation Department, アイアイジェイ Professional Services Headquarters 1, explained, “The ‘Human Resources Aptitude Assessment’ involves a 21-question IT test and a 19-question DX test to assess the characteristics and skills of employees within an organization. This visualizes the distribution of talent within the organization and clarifies areas for improvement in order to develop an organization and personnel capable of raising its maturity. The ‘Digital Maturity Assessment’ assesses the current state of digital utilization based on five axes in accordance with the IPA’s ‘DX Promotion Indicators’ and accurately grasps the actual situation on the ground across the company based on anonymous employee responses. The ‘Awareness Gap Assessment’ visualizes gaps within and between organizations, such as discrepancies and differences in ‘awareness’ and ‘satisfaction’ between management and the field. The data obtained from these three assessments is then integrated and provided as an insight report.” Each employee assessment can be completed quickly, with a web test and questionnaire survey taking approximately 30 minutes. An insight report is prepared within two weeks of the diagnosis, and the report is delivered online.

The insight report uses a “global cross-sectional analysis” and a “detailed analysis by organization” to identify gaps and clarify action plans, including what measures should be taken. “Furthermore, even after the insight report is provided, we will continue to support you throughout the entire improvement cycle. We will design company-wide and departmental measures as a ‘linked plan,’ and consultants will respond to each company individually based on the insight report. We will continue to support you from DX strategy and planning to development and evaluation, deployment and establishment, and operation and management.” The fee structure (excluding tax) is 500,000 yen for up to 100 participants. For 101 or more participants, the fee increases depending on the number of participants: 1,250 yen per person for up to 500 participants, 1,000 yen per person for 501 to 1,000 participants, and 500 yen per person for 1,001 or more participants. The company will provide the new solution primarily to companies’ DX promotion departments, information systems departments, and corporate planning departments, and aims to have it adopted by 100 companies over the next year.

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