Closing Note to Public Consultation on the Digital Enterprise Blueprint

Closing Note to the Public Consultation on the Digital Enterprise Blueprint

1. On 4 April 2024, the Ministry of Communications and Information published a public consultation to seek further feedback from the public, industry, and trade associations and chambers (TACs) on the Digital Enterprise Blueprint (DEB). The public consultation closed on 22 April 2024. We appreciate the feedback that has been submitted from various stakeholders across a wide range of sectors.

2. The feedback received generally supported the four key shifts in the DEB, which are:

a. To empower enterprises to be smarter in the way they work by leveraging emerging technologies;

b. To support enterprises to scale faster through digital solutions;

c. To equip enterprises to be safer by improving their cyber resilience; and

d. To continue investing in our workers as core enablers of digitalisation.

Summary of Key Feedback

Shift 1: To empower enterprises to be Smarter in the way they work

3. Most respondents recognised the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help SMEs to be smarter in business operations and in staying competitive. Some responses mentioned the challenges faced by SMEs, including a lack of awareness and practical understanding of implementation of solutions within existing business workflows. Others highlighted the need to increase awareness and education of practical use cases and digital solutions that are tailored to address the specific needs of enterprises, across different sectors.

Shift 2: To support enterprises to scale faster through digital solutions

4. The responses acknowledged the strong potential of integrated digital solutions for scaling businesses. Some respondents highlighted the efficiency gains and additional benefits with the combination of digital technologies like cloud and AI. There were suggestions for solutions to be more affordable and easy-to-use, especially for non-technical staff, including low-code or no-code platforms.

Shift 3: To equip enterprises to be safer by improving their cyber resilience

5. The responses recognised the importance of cyber resilience and agreed with the recommendations outlined in the consultation paper. There was common understanding that cybersecurity was a shared responsibility by all, in bolstering the overall trust in the digital ecosystem. The feedback indicated that there might be limited awareness of cyber threats among many SMEs, as well as varying levels of cyber needs across industries. There was a call for the government to raise awareness on cyber threats to SMEs and initiatives available to them. Some respondents suggested for industry-specific cybersecurity guidance, anonymised knowledge sharing for data breaches, and the potential for Singapore-specific cyber standards.

Shift 4: To continue investing in our workers as core enablers of digitalisation

6. Respondents acknowledged the critical role of upskilling and reskilling the workforce. There was a strong emphasis on the rapid evolution of skills needed and the challenges faced by SMEs in this aspect, particularly their hesitation to invest in training due to manpower constraints. The responses highlighted the need for increased advocacy for and support in upskilling non-technical staff, who play an important role in promoting in-house skill development and culture of continuous improvement.

MCI’s preliminary response

7. We are aligned with respondents that embracing new technologies will be crucial to helping SMEs stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive global environment. MCI recognises the importance of practical and easy-to-use solutions in helping SMEs to optimise the way they work. For the broad base of SMEs, IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service (CTOaaS) provides access to resources and digital consultants for tailored advice on solutions. At the sector-level, we will progressively refresh our Industry Digital Plans (IDP) to include an updated suite of solutions and incorporate sector-specific AI-enabled solutions. We are also looking to include more integrated digital solutions under the SMEs’ Go Digital program and curate more cloud-based solutions to help our enterprises scale faster.

8. We agree with respondents that SMEs must continue to be supported in raising their cyber resilience. Enterprises can tap on CSA’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)-as-a-Service scheme to engage cybersecurity consultants to develop tailored cybersecurity health plans. CSA’s Cyber Essentials Mark is a cybersecurity certification designed to enable enterprises to prioritise essential cybersecurity measures needed to safeguard their systems and operations against common cyber-attacks.

9. We assure respondents that MCI, IMDA and CSA will continue to work closely with TACs and industry partners in driving outreach and awareness with SMEs, including on the digitalisation programmes and initiatives available to SMEs, upskilling opportunities for their workforce, as well as on building a supportive ecosystem for SMEs to thrive.

Conclusion

10. We thank all respondents for their valuable feedback and will take these into consideration when finalising the Digital Enterprise Blueprint.