German companies continue to drive digitization forward, but the pace and conditions are still not sufficient. This is shown by a new study by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) entitled “Digitalization in Germany: Between Efficiency and Bureaucracy” (PDF), in which more than 5,000 companies participated.
DIHK senior management representative Volker Treier points out that digitization in Germany “is progressing too slowly and with too many obstacles.” Companies currently see digitization less as a driver of innovation and more as a means of overcoming everyday challenges. Two-thirds of companies (66%) want to make work processes more efficient, 65% hope to reduce costs, and 63% want to improve quality.
The biggest obstacles are lack of time (60%), process complexity (54%), and high costs (42%). In addition, digitization is hampered by a shortage of IT specialists, legal uncertainty, and security risks. The slow expansion of the internet network remains particularly problematic, with only 73% of the companies surveyed stating that the high-speed internet available to them is sufficient.
Traiers therefore calls for faster development of optical internet and mobile networks and less bureaucracy in the licensing process. Key digital issues should be consolidated into a separate Ministry of Digitalization. “We want to become champions of digitalization, not champions of regulation,” Traiers emphasizes.
The importance of artificial intelligence (AI) is also growing: 38% of companies already use it, while another 32% plan to introduce it within the next three years. At the same time, the risk of cyberattacks is increasing – half of large companies have experienced at least one serious incident in the last year.
The study shows that German companies are ready for the digital leap, but they ultimately need reliable networks, less bureaucracy, and clear political responsibility to fully exploit the potential of digitalization.
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