Experts advocate for strong leadership support, continuous learning, and cross-departmental collaboration to cultivate a culture that embraces technology and drives growth.

Organizations that foster a culture of innovation are increasingly reaping greater rewards from their strategic technology investments than their peers. However, in leveraging advanced technologies for future growth, many companies encounter significant challenges in aligning their organizational cultures with digital ambitions. Cultural obstacles, such as risk aversion and siloed mindsets, have emerged as key impediments to the effective implementation of digital strategies.

Today, the rise of emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, is disrupting industries and underscores the necessity of innovation to ensure long-term viability. Consequently, understanding how culture influences the success of these initiatives has never been more critical.

Marc Wehbi, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Shaffra, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing specific technologies to enhance innovation capabilities. According to Wehbi, organizations should focus on AI-driven automation, data analytics, and cloud computing as pivotal innovation enablers. These technologies enable businesses to innovate faster, adapt to market changes, and uncover new growth opportunities. At Shaffra, Wehbi adds, integrating AI and cloud-based platforms is essential for maintaining competitiveness and transforming traditional business operations.

Dr. Hassan Albalawi, CEO and Founder of WakeCap, a Riyadh-based software company, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing specific technologies to enhance organizations’ innovation capabilities. He advocates using tools that promote agility, data-driven decision-making, and operational efficiency. Drawing from his experience in the construction and industrial sectors, he says, “Organizations today need to prioritize technologies that enable agility, data-driven decision-making, and efficiency across operations.”