All Hail the New Business Catalyst: DIGITAL!

Stuck in traffic on my way home in Lagos a few days ago, I couldn’t help but notice the large screen on Maryland Mall – for the umpteenth time. Apart from illuminating the stretch to Maryland, it is a TV of sorts. So I performed a little exercise. I took note of the number of advertisements I saw on that screen within three minutes of the car standing at a halt. About seven in all. From financial institutions to movies, the adverts did two things: caught my attention and I could internalise them. This really got me thinking about how digital is changing the way business is done and indeed changing the world. Digital as the new business catalyst A catalyst is something that creates a reaction, without itself undergoing any reaction or change. It is also an event or thing that causes great change. The forward looking organisation is adopting digital in the entirety of its value chain: from inbound, to sales and marketing, service and all the support activities that enable...