Digital maturity index

Digitization has become an essential element in today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape. It offers distinct advantages across various sectors of the manufacturing industry, potentially reducing both costs and time-to-market. However, implementing these changes and transforming them into tangible benefits is a process that demands time and effort.

So, how can manufacturers accelerate this process?

To answer this question, Deloitte Germany, in collaboration with the University of Duisburg-Essen, developed a Digital Maturity Index (DMI) that assesses organizations across 90 operational and strategic parameters to determine where they fall within six digital archetypes—from Digital Laggards to Digital Champions. The intention was to use this tool to assess digital progress across the manufacturing industry. Furthermore, we have conducted a survey in 2023, building upon a 2019 survey that analyzed the digital maturity of global manufacturers. In this latest survey, we interviewed over 800 C-level and business unit leaders across four manufacturing sectors, with a primary focus on industrial products and automotive, to analyze how companies are shaping their digital futures.

This report analyzes the findings of the survey and presents four top-level findings that can help manufacturers on the journey toward digital advancement:

1. Since 2019, companies have become more digitally mature, with 16% of companies, on average, experiencing increases in digital maturity.
2. Higher digital maturity translates into higher EBIT and revenue, supporting a trend that was already underway in 2019.
3. Adopting an ecosystem approach can help companies accelerate their digital maturity and reap the benefits faster.
4. Additional investment is needed to drive future progress.

Additionally, we delve into the top four trends that emerged from our 2023 digital maturity survey:

• Trend 1: Digital maturity rises
• Trend 2: Higher digital maturity translates into higher EBIT and revenue
• Trend 3: An ecosystem approach can help accelerate digital maturity
• Trend 4: Additional investment is needed to drive future progress