Business Leadership in the Era of Internet of Things (IoT) and Digital Transformation

Effective leadership is vital for a company to succeed in the field of information technology. Managers of ICT and IT organizations have to be prepared to adapt quickly to innovations, changes, and issues that happen throughout business operations.

Armen Avetisian, Viva’s General Director, who has years of experience in information and telecommunications technologies (ICT), spoke at the Summer Engineering School, which was co-organized by the Armenian-Russian University and the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute. Armen Avetisian presented a lecture at the engineering school titled "Modern Wireless Systems, IoT and Networks," in which he shared his knowledge of the IoT (Internet of Things) industry, presented practical examples of implementation, and shared a model of business leadership in the era of digital transformation. Digitalization requires changes to corporate models and operations, and leads to broader socioeconomic, social, and other developments. A business leader must be able to identify existing issues, develop a vision, form a team, and set goals that are appropriate for the period.

“Digital transformation requires significant human resources capable of managing the latest technologies and processes. One of the key aspects of this transformation is the Internet of Things (IoT), which allows physical devices to be connected into a single network for data exchange. Skilled professionals are needed to develop, implement and maintain these systems, increasing the demand for new skills and competencies. The importance of this process is difficult to overestimate, as it creates the basis for the further development of artificial intelligence, which, in turn, can significantly improve business processes and quality of life. Thus, digital transformation, supported by IoT and skilled workforce, plays a key role in innovation progress and competitiveness at the global level. Such changes are not only a technological process, but also a process that depends on those who drive it. Leader and leadership are important elements of these changes. It is equally important that new business models and processes lead to fundamental changes in business culture, with a significant impact on the socio-economic environment, which must be clear to the leader and serve as the basis for new business thinking. The topic of today’s meeting is these aspects of business and leadership – theoretical foundations supported by practical discussions based on real cases in the field of information and communication technologies,” Armen Avetisian, General Director of Viva, said.

During the lecture, the company's General Director also outlined the programs that Viva carried out to develop the Internet of Things in Armenia. The company's narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network is now in trial commercial operation. This narrowband radio frequency (RF) technology is specifically designed for the Internet of Things. The NB-IoT network connects autonomous devices and equipment to mobile networks.

From 2019 to the present, in order to provide modern learning conditions for students and startups, with the support of Viva, through the joint efforts of the Union of ICT Employers and the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NAPU), 11 ICT laboratories were opened at the university, one of which is focused on the Internet of Things.