The Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) has identified digitalization as the most challenging phenomenon, currently affecting the humanity and its future. “Digital technologies are radically changing our lives, young and old, our workplaces and our communities. It is re-shaping the world of work and in the process dramatically changing the ways we manage and interact within organisations and in the society,” President, OPA, Lalith A, P. Wijetunge said.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Annual Conference of OPA at the Cinnamon Lake Hotel last evening.
He said, “It is a mega change which the environment has become volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous combined with the opportunities and challenges brought about the 4th industrial revolution becoming the new norm of the society.”
“Digitalization is the integration of the Digital Technologies into everyday life by digitalization of everything that can be digitalized. The literal meaning of digitalization gives an apparent idea of development of a technology dependent world”
Even though Prof. Clayton Christensen of the Harvard University termed this change as “disruptive”, we believe that the change should be positive. Therefore, OPA appropriately selected the theme “Innovative Digitalization”.
He said the professionals are of the view that as a nation we should focus our attention on, “How Sri Lanka would face the immediate challenge of Digitalization”. As a nation we need to adequately prepare ourselves to face this inevitability, successfully and optimize the benefit that would accrue from this Technological Revolution. In this mega change the world is confronted with, the government of Sri Lanka should possess a clear policy and formulate and implement a comprehensive action plan covering all critical sectors of the society such as Education, Health, Engineering, Finance and Banking, Transport and Logistics, Science and Technology. Such proactive and visionary approach by the government will save our nation from “a technological disaster or calamity”.
“It is sad to say, that our country lacks such guidance. If this situation continues, it will adversely affect our economy, quality of life and the progress of the nation. Sri Lanka will be less competitive and continued to be a lesser developed or under developed country. In this context, we professionals and the OPA urge the government not only to prepare this blue print of a national action plan on digitalization covering critical dimensions such as Objectives, Policies and Strategies, Resource Mobilization, Expected Deliverables or Outcomes and Delegation of Responsibility with specific Time frames. More importantly, ensure its implementation to achieve desired results.”
0 comments: