Tag: strategic

Second AI Accelerator Programme for Start-Ups Opens for Applications at University College Dublin

NovaUCD has announced that it is seeking applications from Irish-based start-ups to participate in its 2025 AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme.

The focus of this accelerator programme, which is now in its second year, is to support entrepreneurs who are developing disruptive AI solutions in sectors including, healthcare, cybersecurity, education, sustainability, finance, content creation, supply chain and customer service, for a global market.

The 6-month AI Ecosystem Accelerator, which begins in April, will be delivered by NovaUCD, the hub of innovation and start-up activities at University College Dublin (UCD), in partnership with CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for AI.

Targeted supports for programme participants include guidance from CeADAR’s AI experts, and experienced commercial mentors, along with workshops on value proposition, scaling and investor readiness. Participants will also have access to collaborative co-working space at NovaUCD with the opportunity to connect with successful AI entrepreneurs, start-ups, corporates, investors and access to skilled interns.

Applications are open for the programme via https://www.ucd.ie/innovation/aiecosystem/.

Among the eleven (11) start-ups which completed the inaugural programme were, Customs Window Technologies, a RegTech start-up co-founded by Brian Murphy and Johnny Dunne, and Wrksense, an AI-driven HR tech start-up transforming high-volume recruitment co-founded by Andrew Connolly and Ruaidhrí McDonnell.

Customs Window Technologies and Wrksense announced funding of €800k and €825k respectively during the 2024 programme.

Andrew Connolly, CEO and co-founder, Wrksense, said, “Following the completion of the inaugural AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme, and the insights learnt, we now target a more niche market, targeting companies that align with our overall strategy and product vision. I’d strongly recommend the AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme to entrepreneurs who wish to advance their AI start-ups through the programme’s excellent dedicated technical and commercial supports.”

The AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme is funded through the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) framework, a Europe-wide initiative with funding of €700 million from both the European Commission and the Governments of member states.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, through Enterprise Ireland, is leading on the EDIH programme for Ireland and CeADAR is the European Digital Innovation Hub in AI for Ireland.

Michelle Doyle, Senior Manager, Strategic Innovation Partnerships, NovaUCD, said, “Following the successful completion of our inaugural AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme, delivered in collaboration with our colleagues at CeADAR, we are delighted to launch our second programme. We are now seeking applications from Irish-based start-ups with novel AI-based products or services, with a validated minimum viable product or proof of concept, and seeking investment this year, to join our next programme and be part of our ecosystem of successful entrepreneurs.”

Dr Ricardo Simon Carbajo, Director of Innovation and Development, CeADAR, said, “The AI Ecosystem Accelerator is one of the key services of CeADAR’s European Digital Innovation Hub programme. Run in partnership with NovaUCD the programme will provide entrepreneurs who are leveraging the power of AI with the required support, knowledge and network to accelerate their start-ups from ideation to investment stage.

We encourage entrepreneurs to find out the benefits of accelerating their venture with us and the range of other funded services for companies as part of CeADAR’s EDIH in AI programme.”

Applications are now open until 21 February 2025 for the second AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme via https://www.ucd.ie/innovation/aiecosystem/.

The 2025 AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme will commence in April and will end with a showcase event in October.

Tips on Using Real-Time SEO Metrics to Drive Strategic Growth

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an ever-evolving landscape that requires businesses to stay agile and proactive. To stay competitive, companies need to track SEO metrics in real time and adapt their strategies accordingly. Real-time SEO metrics give you the advantage of monitoring performance minute by minute, allowing you to make quick, data-driven decisions. With search engines like Google continuously updating their algorithms, having real-time insights into your website’s performance is key to driving sustained growth. This post will explore how to effectively leverage real-time SEO metrics for strategic growth.

Choosing the Right Tools for Real-Time SEO Monitoring

Selecting the appropriate tool for real-time SEO monitoring is a foundational step in leveraging SEO metrics effectively. While many platforms offer a variety of features, it’s important to find one that aligns with your specific needs. Some users explore alternatives to SE Ranking on Serpple, finding that they offer real-time metrics tracking with a user-friendly interface. Regardless of the tool you opt for, ensure it provides real-time data updates and analytics that support your business growth strategy. Access to accurate and timely data allows you to make quick adjustments and seize new opportunities as they arise.

Monitoring Keyword Performance Regularly

Keywords are the foundation of SEO. By monitoring your keyword performance in real-time, you can identify trends, opportunities, and potential issues before they significantly impact your rankings. Daily or even hourly tracking allows you to see which keywords are driving the most traffic and conversions, and which ones may need adjustments. For instance, if you notice a drop in rankings for a specific keyword, you can immediately tweak your content or update your on-page SEO elements to regain momentum. Regular keyword performance monitoring ensures that you stay on top of market changes and can swiftly adjust your SEO strategy as needed to maintain growth.

Analyzing User Engagement Metrics

While keyword rankings are a fundamental aspect of SEO, they do not tell the whole story. User engagement metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), bounce rates, and average session duration offer deeper insights into how well your content resonates with visitors. Real-time tracking of these engagement metrics helps you detect any sudden drops or spikes in user behavior, which may signal content or user experience issues. For instance, if you notice a high bounce rate, it could indicate that users are not finding your content relevant or engaging enough. 

Keeping Tabs on Competitor Movements

Staying ahead of your competition is essential in the fast-paced world of SEO. Real-time metrics allow you to keep a close eye on your competitors’ SEO strategies. By tracking their keyword rankings, content updates, and backlink profiles in real-time, you can identify opportunities to outrank them. For example, if a competitor’s content starts to gain traction for a particular keyword, you can respond by enhancing your content to maintain or improve your ranking. This competitive monitoring enables you to make quick, data-driven adjustments, giving you a strategic advantage. The ability to track competitor movements in real time helps you stay agile and ensure your SEO efforts remain relevant.

Evaluating the Impact of SEO Changes

Implementing changes to your SEO strategy is only part of the equation; you also need to evaluate how effective those changes are. Real-time metrics give you immediate feedback on the results of your SEO efforts. Whether you’re updating meta descriptions, optimizing for new keywords, or improving site speed, real-time metrics help you see the results instantly. For instance, if you publish a new blog post targeting a high-volume keyword, real-time data will show how quickly it climbs in the rankings and how much traffic it generates. If the results are not as expected, you can promptly make adjustments. This fast feedback loop ensures that your SEO strategy remains aligned with your growth objectives.

Leveraging Backlink Metrics

Backlinks are an essential part of any SEO strategy, contributing to your site’s authority and visibility. Monitoring your backlink profile in real-time allows you to track new and lost backlinks, as well as their quality. When you gain a high-quality backlink from a reputable site, you want to know immediately so that you can capitalize on it by building more content around the linked page. Conversely, if you lose a backlink, especially from a high-authority source, you can quickly take action to regain it or replace it with another. Monitoring backlinks in real-time ensures that your link-building strategy remains strong, helping you boost your site’s authority and organic search rankings.

Identifying Technical SEO Issues

Technical SEO issues such as slow page load times, broken links, or improper indexing can significantly impact your site’s performance. Real-time metrics help you identify and resolve these technical issues as soon as they occur. For example, if you notice a sudden drop in organic traffic, real-time data can help you trace the issue, whether it’s a technical glitch or an indexing problem. Addressing these issues promptly keeps your site optimized for search engines and ensures a smooth user experience, both of which are critical for long-term growth. Keeping your technical SEO in check ensures that your site is not penalized by search engines for issues that can be quickly fixed.

Using SEO Data to Inform Content Strategy

Real-time SEO metrics provide valuable insights into what types of content are performing well and where there are opportunities for improvement. By continuously monitoring the performance of your content, you can identify which pieces resonate most with your audience and drive the highest engagement. If certain types of content, such as how-to guides or in-depth articles, generate more traffic, you can use that data to shape your future content strategy. Real-time metrics also help you identify content gaps where your competitors may be outperforming you. Adjusting your content strategy based on real-time data will help you stay relevant, engage your audience, and increase organic traffic.

Using real-time SEO metrics offers significant advantages for businesses aiming to drive strategic growth. Whether it’s tracking keyword performance, monitoring user engagement, staying ahead of competitors, or quickly identifying technical issues, real-time data allows you to make more informed and timely decisions. By effectively leveraging these metrics, you can refine your SEO strategy and respond to changes in the digital landscape, ultimately driving more traffic, improving search rankings, and achieving sustained growth for your business.

Irish businesses have the potential to deliver quality applications fast and at scale with Automation and AI to support their strategic growth

Globally, CEOs expect their digital product revenues to almost double over the next five years. This projection underlines the urgency for organisations to optimise their modern app delivery processes and capabilities to compete. Delivering quality at scale, however, sees slow implementation due to slow software delivery, developers still spending two-thirds of their time on manual and mundane tasks. With 45% of organisations shifting to a value-led approach by 2025 to remain competitive, the solution is an automation-centric strategic approach.
The organisational design of application delivery and the placement of quality within that value chain are essential to ensuring the alignment of metrics and business objectives at individual, team, and organisational levels.
“AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day reality transforming software development. Organisations can now supercharge the way they deliver software and applications to their customers, by embracing solutions built on AI, automation or low-code.
This is supported by data found in the recent IDC InfoBrief, we commissioned, which highlights how AI and automation are driving productivity and quality.  These valuable insights highlight the key role of quality at all stages of the software delivery process”, said Eduardo Amaral, Quality Management, DevOps & Automation Global Director at Noesis.
According to the IDC InfoBrief, Quality at Scale, 2024 Edition, sponsored by Noesis the use of Generative AI in the development process will lead to increased speed and higher productivity, giving companies the ability to quickly scale up. It also states that modern app delivery is a 2024 priority for 80% of organisations, with business outcomes such as increased agility to meet business requests, faster product development and increased business resilience being the key driving factors.
“If an organisation wants to remain competitive, a value-led approach, leveraging automation and AI, will ensure quality practices become central to software and application delivery” added Amaral.
Noesis, which has recently expanded into Ireland, recognises the potential for Irish businesses to improve their efficiency in delivering software and applications to the market and highly-efficient customer-centric solutions by using technology in the process, from ideation to development, quality testing and delivery.
“Ireland is a very exciting growth market for us, where we see tremendous potential. We know, and we can see this in the research, that there is still a lot of work to be done especially in driving value at scale. To deliver productivity excellence and quality at speed and scale, organisations need a DevOps-centric approach, that considers both culture and practices. Automation is key in this process, but it requires strategic planning, team orchestration, and a well-defined automation strategy. This is where, with our expertise and global footprint and know-how, we can help Irish businesses leap ahead to a very exciting future, that’s full of potential”, concluded Ricardo Batista, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Noesis.
The whitepaper can be downloaded from here

Dell Technologies and Ericsson Form Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Telecom Network Cloud Transformation

Dell Technologies  announce a strategic partnership to combine their deep industry expertise with telecom software, solutions and support, to guide communications service providers (CSPs) through their radio access network (RAN) cloud transformation journeys.

CSPs are looking to network cloud and operations transformation to achieve improved economics and agility, while maintaining network reliability. According to a new MeriTalk study released today, sponsored by Dell Technologies, nine in 10 CSPs say network transformation is critical to their organization’s survival. However, 96 percent of CSPs surveyed say their network transformation vision is lagging due to a variety of factors including limited time and budget, as well as reliability and security concerns, ultimately holding them back from giving their customers a modern network.1

Dell and Ericsson’s partnership aims to address these concerns by working alongside CSPs to develop simple and reliable Open RAN-based network cloud transformation strategies, using Dell and Ericsson integrated solutions and support.

“Communications service providers have a crucial window of opportunity to lay the foundation for network cloud transformation and drive business growth,” says Dennis Hoffman, senior vice president and general manager, Telecom Systems Business, Dell Technologies. “Our collaboration with Ericsson, combined with our decades of digital transformation expertise, will provide network operators the full plan and technologies they need to accelerate their network and operation transformations to positively impact the trajectory of their businesses.”

“Working closer with Dell Technologies will help further develop cloud-native programmable networks that bring new ideas and practices to the telecom market,” says Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Networks, Ericsson. “Building upon years of collaboration, this strategic partnership will strengthen our cloudification efforts as we gear up to launch Open RAN-based commercial solutions. The cloud-native network will enable frequent updates and the rollout of new features using continuous deployment. It will ease the adoption of Cloud RAN technologies and prepare both companies’ portfolios for new markets.”

Through the new agreement, Dell and Ericsson will:

  • Collaborate to develop tailored network cloud transformation plans and advise CSPs on network architectures and operating models, while also reducing the risks associated with deploying on open, multi-vendor environments. Dell and Ericsson plan to co-create solutions that drive energy efficiencies and innovate on Cloud RAN infrastructure operations.
  • Commercially introduce Ericsson Cloud RAN software on Dell PowerEdge servers. The solution will offer continuous integration testing and lifecycle management to speed deployment and de-risk day-2 operations around updates and upgrades, with Dell as a solution partner.
  • Co-develop services that simplify the entire deployment process from factory validation to installation and ongoing operational management, backed by Dell and Ericsson’s joint support for any integrated solution.

“To accelerate cloud-based open networks, the telecom industry needs vendors to come together to develop solutions that deliver more growth opportunities with minimal risk,” says Chris Sambar, Head of Network, AT&T. “We look forward to the continued innovation and collaboration as we continue our Open RAN journey.”

In 2023, Ericsson and Dell Technologies began a collaboration to develop Cloud RAN solutions, leveraging Ericsson Cloud RAN software and RAN equipment paired with Dell Technologies infrastructure, with the common goal of broadening the ecosystem and bringing more flexibility to customers.

Ericsson is participating in the Network X Americas event in Irving, Texas, with keynote speeches by Dr. Sibel Tombaz, Head of Product Line Cloud and Purpose-built 5G RAN and Paul Challoner, CTO at Global Customer Unit AT&T.

Together with other Ericsson representatives they are at the event to share insights on the latest progress in the Cloud RAN and Open RAN market and how Ericsson is working with key partners and customers to drive the Open RAN industry forward. Discussion topics include the evolution of wireless networks, defining key performance indicators for sustainable growth into future networks, Open RAN industrialization, and more.

Hitachi and Google Cloud Announce Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Innovation and Productivity with Generative AI

Hitachi, Ltd. and Google Cloud today announced a multi-year partnership to accelerate enterprise innovation and productivity with generative AI. Hitachi will form a new business unit focused on helping businesses solve industry challenges with Gemini models, Vertex AI, and other cloud technologies, and it will also adopt Google Cloud’s AI to enhance its own products and services. Through the partnership, Hitachi will further accelerate growth of Lumada, its core digital business, and it will advance operational efficiencies for the Hitachi Group.

Led by GlobalLogic, a leader in digital engineering and a subsidiary of the Hitachi Group, the companies will establish the Hitachi Google Cloud Business Unit and the Google Cloud Center of Excellence (CoE) to rapidly scale Google Cloud technology to new and existing enterprise customers. Additionally, Hitachi will collaborate with Google Cloud to incorporate training on Google Cloud’s GenAI as part of Hitachi’s GenAI Professional training program. The program will deepen the expertise and managed services available through these business units, which will ensure large-scale organizations have access to the resources needed to fundamentally improve how they operate with AI.

Additional focus areas of the partnership will include:

  • New GenAI solutions for software modernization and customer service: Hitachi will use Gemini models to build solutions that help businesses efficiently modernize legacy software systems, and it will adopt Google Cloud Contact Center AIto power more effective and accurate customer service experiences. For instance, using Google Cloud Agent Assist, customer service representatives can be supported with real-time knowledge assistance and resolution suggestions to help them be more productive and provide better service. The new solutions will be compatible with GlobalLogic’s Platform of Platforms architecture, which is designed to address the needs of intelligent enterprises.
  • Enabling safe, secure GenAI solutions for on-premises and cloud environments: Hitachi’s new solutions will support customers running both on-premises and in the cloud, enabling enterprises to modernize operations while retaining existing IT environments. The solutions will also be compatible with Virtual Storage Platform One,so that users can build GenAI applications using data stored on Hitachi Vantara’s hybrid cloud platform.
  • Joint go-to-market initiatives: Hitachi and Google Cloud will better align their sales, marketing, and engineering teams to ensure that customers across industries have access to the resources needed to optimally deploy and manage GenAI projects through Hitachi Google Cloud Business Unit and Google Cloud CoE. This will include the GenAI Professionals that Hitachi trains on Google Cloud technology.
  • Strengthen GenAI talent development: Hitachi’s GenAI Professionals play a critical role in supporting customers’ transformation with AI, and Hitachi will train more than 50,000 GenAI Professionals through its global training program, As part of the program,  Hitachi will include      training on Google Cloud’s G     en     AI solutions and AI technology.

GlobalLogic and Google Cloud have collaborated for more than 15 years and helped empower enterprises with solutions that achieve their business objectives with efficiency and scale.

“Through this partnership, Hitachi will leverage Google Cloud’s AI capabilities to improve and enhance employee productivity and accelerate innovation. By augmenting the capabilities of our developers and customer success units with Google Cloud GenAI solutions, such as Vertex AI and Gemini models, Hitachi will be able to better serve the needs of its customers in diverse industries and across complex domains such as energy, mobility, manufacturing and digital services,” said Toshiaki Tokunaga, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer at Hitachi.

Nitesh Banga, CEO, Digital Engineering Business Unit, Hitachi, and President & CEO, GlobalLogic, added: “Through this global alliance, Hitachi is strategically aligning its go-to-market approach together with Google Cloud to drive tangible results. We are establishing clear pathways for collaboration, ensuring enhanced efficiency and acceleration in delivering solutions to our collective clients. This investment in building our Google Cloud Business Unit will provide the necessary energy, focus, and cohesive teamwork essential for achieving the desired accelerated time-to-market, translating innovation into swift revenue growth.”

“To solve complex business challenges with generative AI, enterprises need advanced technology and the technical expertise to successfully deploy it throughout their organizations,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. “Our partnership with Hitachi will provide customers with the resources needed to optimally build, implement, and manage every stage of their generative AI projects.”

Strategic Shift: 55% of CISOs Now View Cybersecurity as Top Priority

The issues that Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) encounter are changing dramatically in the ever-changing cybersecurity world. Stott & May’s Cyber Security in Focus report for 2023 offers a comprehensive look at the trends impacting CISOs, shining a light on the industry’s most urgent concerns. Notably, this year’s survey reveals a significant strategic shift, with 55% of CISOs now identifying cybersecurity as their top priority, a break from previous worries.

One of the report’s significant findings is the increasing significance of budget restrictions as the principal barrier to implementing cybersecurity roadmaps. Over the last year, there has been a significant 16% year-on-year rise in CISOs citing financial constraints as their top challenge. This move is representative of a wider industry trend in which economic concerns force security officials to accomplish more with fewer resources.

The scarcity of internal capabilities is a continuous concern for CISOs, as emphasised by 34% of survey respondents. A startling 66% of security leaders say sourcing personnel is a significant challenge, emphasising the continued difficulty of locating and keeping skilled individuals in the area. Organisations are wrestling with the requirement to bolster their defences against an increasingly complex threat landscape as demand for cybersecurity knowledge continues to exceed supply.

The roadblocks to effective plan implementation are numerous, ranging from internal talent gaps to gaining leadership backing and building a security-centric culture. What sticks out in the present scenario, however, is the rising effect of economic issues, which forces CISOs to manage their cybersecurity projects with limited finances.

According to this year’s Cyber Security in Focus poll, money restrictions have eclipsed internal capabilities as the top impediment to plan implementation, with 51% of security leaders citing budgetary constraints as their primary impediment. Internal skills, while still a major issue for 34% of CISOs, have taken a second seat to the acute financial difficulties that organisations worldwide confront. Board-level buy-in (11%) and technology (3%) are also mentioned as hurdles by the CISOs polled.

The cybersecurity talent shortage is a chronic issue, with 66% of security leaders failing to fill open jobs inside their organisations. Alarmingly, approximately 69% of security openings remain vacant even after an 8-week period, highlighting the severity of the skills shortage.

The rising expectation of wage levels in the cybersecurity arena is exacerbating the personnel scarcity. A significant 47% of CISOs say that salaries have climbed by more than 11% year on year, while another 31% estimated salary inflation is between 6 and 10%. The competitive market for cybersecurity specialists is heating up, causing organisations to rethink their remuneration structures in order to recruit and retain top personnel.

Strategic cybersecurity investment remains a priority but with limited flexibility for innovation. A significant 44% of CISOs report that their budgets will either remain the same or decrease, emphasising the importance of resource allocation. Only 53% feel security expenditure is keeping up with digital business expectations, indicating a possible divergence between security goals and organisational strategy.

In terms of investment priorities, CISOs are focusing on cloud security (25%), identity and access management (IAM) (20%), and security and vulnerability management (18%). These goals demonstrate a thorough understanding of the changing threat landscape and the need to strengthen defences in key areas.

 

A notable shift in viewpoint may be seen as CISOs try to link cybersecurity with larger business initiatives. Moreover, 60% of respondents believe that the security function improves the total value proposition to clients. This change highlights the evolution of cybersecurity from a technical requirement to a strategic imperative that directly contributes to corporate objectives.

The Cyber Security in Focus study is a yearly in-depth investigation that draws insights from a high-quality sample of 60 CISOs and security professionals. The report, which was sourced from Stott and May’s professional network across EMEA and North America, combines quantitative research with qualitative interviews with key industry professionals. 

In the fast-expanding realm of cybersecurity, Haris Pylarinos, Founder & CEO of Hack The Box, emphasises the need to be outward-looking and ensure internal capabilities remain current. Crossbeam’s CISO, Chris Castaldo, underlines the need to know the company as a critical barrier to successful cybersecurity roadmap implementation.

Ultimately, the 2023 Cyber Security in Focus study presents a complete picture of the problems and possibilities that CISOs face. The industry’s transformation, driven by fiscal limitations, personnel shortages, and the requirement to connect security measures with larger business plans, has resulted in a strategy shift towards cybersecurity as a primary priority. As CISOs face these issues, intelligent decision-making and creative solutions will be essential in navigating the complicated and evolving cybersecurity landscape.

85% of organisations are not Digitally Optimised or Strategic

Digital Transformation Services specialist ActionPoint, A Viatel Technology Group Company, has published its second consecutive Digital Transformation Index Report. The report, which takes an in-depth look at the current state of digital maturity in Ireland, will allow business leaders to benchmark their organisations to identify blind spots and potential opportunities to respond to the developments and shifting trends of technology.

While the COVID-19 pandemic moved into the rear-view mirror in 2022, it has had a lasting impact on how organisations work, and how they embrace technology to improve performance. Yet, the report highlights that there is a risk that attitudes towards technology and digital capability regress to pre-pandemic levels.

The report is based on data gathered from 405 (234 Irish-based, 171 International) respondents from across 18 industries; who completed the ActionPoint Digital Maturity self-assessment, which focuses on six predefined pillars of an organisation’s overall digital maturity, giving them an insight into where they are leading, lagging, and how they’re doing overall. Organisations from Manufacturing, Retail and Technology make up 42% of survey respondents, and 57% of respondents analysed were Board Members, Director Owners, C-Level, VP, or Senior Managers.

Findings show that 85% of respondents are not Digitally Optimised or Strategic, which shows a huge opportunity for businesses to better leverage digital technologies. However, the report shows a 30% increase in low-code and no-code technology adoption year on year. No-code development is a type of web development that allows non-programmers and programmers to create software using a graphical user interface, instead of writing code.

Almost three in four organisations cite productivity and efficiency as a key reason behind technology adoption; while competitive advantage ranks second in this list at 63%.

While 70% of companies surveyed consider digital fundamental to their business strategy; less than one in three organisations (32%) have a digital training plan and budget in place; with just 27% considering development of digital skills during performance reviews.

David Jeffreys, CEO, ActionPoint explains “Our businesses are now faced with different economic challenges; we have high levels of inflation, COVID impacted supply chains, increasing input prices, and high levels of salary inflation; along with the continued challenges of managing a distributed workforce. Putting digital at the core of our business strategy means introducing a continuous digital transformation mindset, offering us a way to address many of these challenges by leveraging better insights from data, optimising processes, and improving resilience. 

“But a business cannot outperform its capability, and embracing a digital business strategy requires investment in digital capability. Yet this year’s report shows the lowest average score across the six dimensions of digital maturity was for digital capability, coming in at just 35%. There are many more interesting insights in this year’s report showing where there are opportunities for Irish businesses to embrace a digital transformation mindset, to improve productivity, and remain competitive in the face of economic challenges.”

27% of Irish companies are increasing technology investment to help with sustainability goals. This figure has increased from 23%, marking an increase in organisational focus on the climate emergency. However, internationally, 29% of respondents are prioritising similar initiatives.

Adoption of HR Management Systems has increased 16% year on year, indicating the growing importance of EX (employee experience). Another key factor in adopting such systems is a renewed focus on managing the remote workforce more efficiently. And with Hybrid working here to stay, 57% of organisations are sticking to collaboration tools like Teams and Zoom, with the uptake remaining close to 2021 levels.

Risk and Compliance received the highest self-assessment score, pointing to a wide understanding of the critical-nature of data and information security. 70% of organisations follow data backup best practice. Furthermore our data shows that 61% have a disaster recovery plan in place. Almost one in two (47%) of organisations conduct regular security audits through third parties to assess their vulnerability.

65% of organisations have indicated digital still remains a priority in the marketing of products and services. However, this number has dropped from 70% in 2021. And when it comes to engaging with their customers, social media continues to grow as a preferred CX (customer experience) tool. The live nature of platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Messenger enables customers to ask questions and receive responses on their preferred medium. ChatBots have become easier to integrate, programme, and cheaper to operate meaning more organisations are pressing ahead with this increasingly ubiquitous CX technology (+54% YoY).

In the past 18 years, Limerick based ActionPoint has delivered Digital Transformation to more than 500 organisations at all levels of digital capability; helping them to implement new processes, transform customer experiences and bolster their data security.

For more information on ActionPoint’s work in Digital Transformation, visit www.actionpoint.ie/digital-transformation.

Building a Cyber-Resilient Organization: Strategic Cyber Security Training Tips

Modern businesses are constantly under threat of all kinds of cybercriminal activity. Our increased reliance on the Internet for day-to-day business operations exacerbates the situation further. Because of that, cyber threats, such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, and phishing scams, can devastate an organization’s reputation, financials, and operations.

One effective way to strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity posture is through strategic cyber security training for your employees. This article will explore cyber security training and provide six security training tips for your employees to help build a cyber-resilient organization.

What Is Cyber Security Training?

Cyber security training is an educational program where employees are taught the knowledge and skills necessary to deal with cyber threats, which includes identifying, preventing, and responding. Security training programs cover a wide range of topics, ranging from password risk management practices to email security and even social engineering awareness.

Cyber security training aims to enhance the first line of defense, which includes your employees. Employees are often the most likely target of a potential cyber attack. Therefore, cyber security training improves your organization’s overall cybersecurity by educating them on the industry’s best practices.

Considering the rate of cyber attacks and the fact one in five firms experience some form of data breach, there’s no better way to improve your organization’s cyber resilience than to educate them on the dangers of the cyber world.

6 Security Training Tips for Your Employees

To make your organization more cyber resilient, here are several security training tips to turn your employees into cyber security professionals:

Emphasize Using Strong Passwords

Weak passwords are commonly used by unaware employees. But did you know that they’re also a common gateway for all kinds of security risks? An important part of your cyber security training program must be to train your employees to create strong passwords. The new passwords must be at least 12 characters long and include both upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters.

Encourage them to avoid using easily guessable information, such as birthdates or common words, to reduce the chances of cyber incidents.

Educate Employees on the Dangers of Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks are social engineering attacks where hackers trick your employees into revealing sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details. So another important tip is to train your employees to be cautious when opening emails or clicking on links, especially from unknown sources.

Educate them on how to spot phishing attempts, such as identifying suspicious email addresses, spelling or grammar errors, and requests for personal information.

Encourage Keeping Software and Devices Updated

Cybercriminals will often look for common vulnerabilities in the software your organization uses. The software vendors know this, and they will look to reduce the rate of data breaches caused by security holes by implementing security patches. Therefore, you must emphasize and encourage your employees to regularly update their software, including operating systems, web browsers, and applications, to ensure they have the latest security patches.

Additionally, encourage them to keep their personal devices up to date, such as their laptops and smartphones.

Implement the Use Of Two-Factor Authentication

2FA is a security measure that adds another layer of safety to user accounts by requiring an additional verification step, such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or a one-time code sent to a mobile device.

Most software vendors have 2FA or MFA as a security measure, meaning your employees can already reduce the chances of cyber incidents. But you must make 2FA implementation an organization-wide policy. Train your employees to enable 2FA on all their accounts, especially those that contain sensitive information or have access to critical systems, to reduce the chance of a potential data breach.

Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Sensitive Activities

Public Wi-Fi networks are highly unsecured and often a risk to your organization’s cyber resiliency. The risks associated with using public Wi-Fi networks are well documented, as hackers can easily use them to transfer malicious data to connected devices.

Therefore, a large part of your security training program is to educate your employees on the dangers of using public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities, such as accessing company email or transferring confidential data. If they must use public Wi-Fi networks, encourage them to use a virtual private network (VPN).

Practice Safe Browsing Habits

Train your employees to practice safe browsing habits by avoiding clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from untrusted websites. Instead, encourage them only to visit reputable websites and to be cautious about pop-up ads or unexpected downloads.

Moreover, you must educate them on how to spot fake or phishing websites by encouraging them to look for the lock icon and the “https” in the URL, which is an indication of a secure website.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity experts recognize that employees are often the first line of defense. While organizations can turn to a host of solutions to enhance their overall cybersecurity measures, one way to prevent cyber incidents and future threats is to offer cyber security training to your employees.

That way, you’re educating your employees on the dangers of the cyber world. Moreover, you’re educating them on how to identify and deal with a potential cyber risk. Security training must be a part of your disaster recovery planning, as there’s no better way to deal with digital threats than to give your employees the necessary knowledge on how to stop them.