马克·安德烈森（MarcAndreessen）著名地宣称，软件正在吞噬世界，最好的软件公司将在每个领域中取胜。软件和数字化战略的到来正在影响业务的各个方面，并在各个方面改变游戏规则。In its pure form,we have the Digital Titans – Alphabet,Amazon,Apple,IBMTencent,Baidu,and Alibaba.这些巨头只在数字领域运作，已经成为世界各地现有企业的威胁。在职者必须通过设想自己的数字化战略来做出回应。
“现有企业需要一种数字化战略来应对数字化巨头带来的威胁。”
Take the case of Uber,an upcoming Digital Titan.它的创始人，Travis Kalanick,came up with an alternative to the taxi service – he wondered about the many residents with cars who could make a quick buck by giving him a ride back to his hotel.His core idea emerged right then and Uber was born.他的计划是让优步成为乘客的出租车服务，也就是司机的推荐服务。因为每一个寻求骑乘的人都会有一个安卓系统，iOS,or Windows phone,an app could connect riders with drivers using their phone's GPS capabilities.
This idea evolved to include user reviews and driver ratings that took care of the quality of service,预测算法消除了乘坐时间的问题。此外,Uber also processes all payments involved,charging the passenger's credit card,自己切（从5%到20%不等）and depositing the remaining money into the driver's account,all in the background and completely cashless.This simple idea of matching excess capacity to demand is now being valued over $60B dollars.Uber is the quintessential example of a company that has mastered a particular domain (ride sharing) without investing in physical assets.数据和算法时代已经向总经理宣布了它的到来。What lessons can managers take out of these case studies to compete with Digital Titans like Alphabet?
A manager today has to understand the following 10 strategic aspects of digital transformation:
1. Collect Data to Understand Your Customers
Digital Titans have shifted our attention from the supply chain aspects to the consumption side.Collecting behavioral data from customers is becoming commonplace.Uber gets information about the customer's credit card,首选目的地，以及地点——即使客户不使用Uber应用程序。福特有能力收集有关汽车驾驶员及其偏好的信息。This allows Ford and Uber to partner with others and create products and services that are of immense value to their existing customer base.例如，Uber has entered the business of transporting patients between hospitals or to their homes using their superior scheduling algorithm.同样的服务也可以用来运送杂货。正是因为Uber有许多可能提供的经验，投资者才对它进行了如此高的估价。
2. Leverage the Virtual Product
随着物联网和传感器的到来，现在可以收集有关产品的信息并创建其数字版本。This digital avatar of the product can be manipulated easily to test changes and to create new services and features.此外，companies can use simulation and statistical models to understand what the digital customer prefers and then decide whether to offer those products or services.当波音公司设计新的飞机模型时，they create a digital version of it and use it to source parts and ensure that the integration with suppliers meets high tolerance standards.
3.重新定义产品升级
Just as digital products are constantly updated and modified,products like a car can be made to behave like a digital product.Unlike software upgrades,automobiles get upgraded every four to six years.当一辆福特汽车能够在其界面上添加应用程序时，each app can provide the driver with a different user experience.有了软件和应用程序，car companies can upgrade cars like software companies upgrade software.例如，Tesla is able to download software into the car and change its functioning overnight.同样的原理也可以应用于修改任何网络产品，包括驱动其行为的软件。
4. Use Analytics and Experimentation
Digital Titan Alphabet is known for its obsession with data and using analytics to make product decisions.它发布的每一个特性都是用它的用户群进行测试的，and the test results dictate if the feature is added to the company's offering or discarded.In fact,entire product decisions are based on usage data.As another example,福特进行了25次移动化实验，以确定其产品组合中必须添加哪些新服务。These experiments were run on a global basis and resulted in several new products and services that were added to the car.
5. Treat Data as a Product
Digital is largely about data.Every company has information about its products,customers,and the environment.The data they collect should be treated as an asset.它应该具有高质量，security,and access rights.Once they have achieved these basic qualities,公司可以提供接口（即API）供第三方使用其数据。These interfaces can also help companies infer the value of their data assets by providing controlled access for others to experiment.Facebook's social graph,for example,是Facebook用来为其客户群提供优质广告服务的数据资产。
"Companies should treat data as an asset"
6. Understand Algorithms as Codified Know-How
自动车辆，manufacturing robots,推荐服务，and digital assistants are driven by algorithms – encoded rules of operation guiding how customers interact with products and services.In the era of digital customer experiences,algorithms are strategic organizational assets accumulating organizational learning,perfected through experimentation.Digital Titans Amazon and Alphabet place great effort into improving and protecting their algorithms,as they harbor the essence of the digital experiences these companies offer to their customers.此外，算法封装了决策偏差，需要强大的治理系统。Managers in software driven companies need to understand the algorithms hidden in their workflow and systematically analyze them to eliminate bias.
"Algorithms are strategic organizational assets accumulating organizational learning,perfected through experimentation"
7. Be a Digital Innovator
Digital Innovators use the modern infrastructure (frequently provided by the Digital Titans) as interlocking building blocks to conceive new and interesting products and services.They use the same infrastructure to perform low-cost experimentation and improve the velocity of products to markets.这些数字土著人知道如何利用他们的网络寻找资源，mentors,and partners.A manager who trains to become a digital innovator is only limited by their imagination.雇佣数字创新者并培训员工使用数字技术进行创新的经理为组织进行数字转型做好准备。
8. Strive for Platform Business Models
一个平台公司有一个产品，它执行一个对生态系统中的许多人都有用的重要功能。They make it easy for third parties to write applications that run on top of the platform.最后，they have a vibrant ecosystem that allows developers to thrive and earn credentials.A classic example of this is Apple and its app marketplace.Developers learn Swift and are able to participate in writing apps for third-parties that look for applications that run on iOS.As more apps are written,the value of each app goes up along with that of the platform.此外,专门开发平台的开发人员受到公司的追捧。This virtuous cycle allows companies with a platform business model to dominate in many markets.
9. Think Ecosystems,Not Competitors
The rules of digital competition are different.Companies compete as part of a team in an ecosystem,and partnerships are critical to ensuring competitiveness and securing success.像Workday这样的软件公司使用微软等供应商提供的工具开发软件，并使用Amazon将其软件托管在云中。It also relies on hardware manufactured by Apple or Lenovo and uses it to display reports generated by its software.This is the general logic by which every company will operate going forward.The ecosystem model creates dependencies and unique positions for companies to leverage.同样地，changes in dependencies cause shifts in the power structure within ecosystems.
10. Create a "Digital You"
Millennials joining the workforce today are expected to have 20 jobs during their careers.此外,每项工作所需的技能可能会有所不同，并期望它们能够适应。The future workforce needs an online presence and a strong reputation on sites like LinkedIn,奎拉and StackOverflow to present credentials to recruiters.Companies need to be ready to use these networks and accept the new forms of credentialing.此外,recruiting today is more of a pull than a push strategy.Techniques like inbound marketing,pioneered by Hubspot,are key for both the workforce and companies looking for talent;对于数字生态系统中的所有代理来说，创建强大的在线状态至关重要。
By鲁本曼查(@RubenMMancha) and巴拉·耶尔(@BalaIyer);Originally published onLinkedIn.