The "Digital Platforms Potential Analysis" study, for which a total of 355 decision-makers, managers and specialists from various sectors were surveyed in April/May 2019, came to the following conclusion: 59% of decision-makers at companies in the manufacturing industry do not see their own business threatened by the emergence of digital platforms. On the contrary: 73% of managers believe that setting up their own platform or acquiring a stake is useful for developing new business models. 60% want to open up new markets in this way.

The fear of business losses due to digital platforms is significantly less pronounced in the manufacturing industry than in the other sectors surveyed. By comparison, three out of four respondents from banks and insurers believe their business is at risk from the emergence of comparison portals, payment services platforms and the entry of the major technology groups Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple (GAFA) - 44% are already feeling the effects of competition, according to the study.

The situation is different in industry: many companies do not see themselves and their own expertise as easily replaceable and interchangeable with digital offerings from GAFA, as is the case in the service sector. In terms of size, corporations see themselves on an equal footing with the digital sector and therefore view IT companies more as partners than competitors. BMW and Volkswagen, for example, are opening up their production platforms and cooperating with IT giant Microsoft. Production processes are to be accelerated through cloud computing and intelligent software. At the same time, it should become much easier to share data and processes with other companies so that new products and services can be created more quickly.

What's more, many small industrial companies are only just starting to get to grips with the topic. 15% have not yet developed a position on the topic. In contrast, corporations are very present on digital platforms and recognize their benefits: 45% of the companies surveyed are already participants or users of a platform initiative, for example on procurement and IoT platforms. For 48% of the decision-makers surveyed, the advantages of the platform economy outweigh the disadvantages.

Automotive sector with platform ambitions

The automotive sector is leading the way in the industry. Car managers agree that the industry must take a completely new direction for future growth. The majority are working on the transition from traditional hardware producers to universal mobility managers and agile digital platforms - including fully networked Industry 4.0 production and modern sales strategies. Three quarters of car manufacturers and suppliers are therefore investing in the use of digital technologies in products or within processes. Just as many are adapting their organization to modern structures opened up by the new technology, according to the 2019 Automotive Industry Compass study by Sopra Steria Consulting.

"Industrial processes are increasingly supported by intelligent data technology. Unlocking this treasure trove of data is one of the key tasks and opportunities for companies in the entire manufacturing industry, not just in the automotive sector," says Christian Kottmayr, Senior Manager Manufacturing at Sopra Steria Consulting. "The share of sales must and will shift away from the pure manufacture of products towards full-service providers. Platforms will play a central role here as a hub," says Kottmayr.

The "Digital Platforms Potential Analysis" is based on an online survey in the banking, insurance, energy and water supply, telecommunications and media, public administration, automotive and other manufacturing sectors.

Download the study.