Digital Strategy, Operating Models & Technology Implementation Insight
Expert guidance in business technology strategy, leadership, and implementation in response to digitally-driven disruption of traditional business models. From emerging new operating models to strategies that put data at the heart of your business; overcoming cultural hurdles to what makes a digital leader; achieving enterprise agility to creating a culture that supports continuous experimentation — you’ll be on the cutting edge of the factors that are critical to successful digital transformation.
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In Part V of this Executive Update series on intelligent process automation (IPA) in the enterprise, we examine findings pertaining to the technologies surveyed organizations are interested in adopting to support their IPA initiatives.
Most organizations launch digital transformation initiatives only to watch them die a long, slow, painful, and expensive death. Many leaders mistakenly believe that implementing new technologies will change their culture. In fact, organizational cultures are often quite strong and intransigent. When the culture abhors risk-taking, ambitious company-wide endeavors cannot survive.
In recent years, researchers have turned to radically different computing paradigms, such as quantum computing, molecular computing, and nature-inspired computing. Of these, the most promising and advanced is quantum computing, based on the principles of quantum mechanics. This issue of Cutter Business Technology Journal (CBTJ) includes five articles that, together, provide an overview of quantum computing essentials.
Muhammad Usman examines ongoing developments in quantum computing: hardware, simulations and error correction, algorithms and applications, and post-quantum secure communication. He also outlines anticipated progress in the quantum computing landscape and looks at the notion of quantum supremacy.
Mario Piattini outlines various quantum computing programming languages and the requirements of quantum software development environments. He also introduces quantum software engineering, identifies two of its key challenges, and discusses how they can be addressed. Piattini emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to quantum hardware and software R&D, quantum software education and training, and collaboration between industry and academia. As an example of such a collaboration, he describes an initiative called "aQuantum."
Threats to data and information security will continue to be a key concern in the digital era ahead. Quantum computing is both a solution to security and, in a distant future, a threat to it. Claudio Lima discusses the impact of quantum computing on cybersecurity and blockchain. He outlines potential threats to today's cryptography posed by quantum computing and highlights some emerging quantum cryptographic techniques.
Despite the progress in quantum computing and promising applications in several key sectors, many professionals and IT business executives are skeptical about its prospects and are not paying much attention to it. "Quantum computing is going to make a reality of the impossible sooner or later ... it very much seems like a question of time," observes Cutter Senior Consultant James Mitchell. He argues that it is imperative for IT professionals and executives to be aware of these types of upcoming computing capabilities and be prepared to embrace them.
Joseph Byrum demystifies quantum computing. He defines quantum computing, outlines its principles, and highlights its advantages. Byrum argues that quantum computing is an emerging reality rather than hype, and that to benefit from it, we in technology and business need a mindset change.
Kudos
Today's demands on software to provide useful, usable, secure, and scalable services stress all aspects of systems development. Cutter provides comprehensive coverage for these crucial topics—through research reports and customized virtual training delivered globally—helping us to understand needs and solutions that span traditional silos.