What are the key thrusts of DBS’ digital transformation strategy? What technology investments is DBS making? What radical organizational changes is DBS instituting?

This case chronicles the digital transformation of DBS Bank in seeking regional growth amidst the emergence of a new digital era in the banking industry. Led by its CEO, DBS invested heavily in technologies as a competitive enabler, and undertook radical organizational changes to ‘rewire’ the entire enterprise for digital innovation.
You’ll see how to:
• appreciate the opportunities and threats caused by digital disruptions, in particular, in the banking sector.
• devise strategic responses in coping with these new opportunities or threats of digital disruptions.
• identify the required capabilities to enable the strategic responses to digital transformation, and understand how these capabilities can be developed.
Assignment Questions:
1. Analyze the competitive position of DBS prior to its digital transformation. What are the motivations behind the digital transformation of DBS? Answer this is the context of Porter’s five forces and Treacy& Wiersma’s value disciplines.
2. See the document on the introduction to Clayon Christensen’s “The Innovator’s Dilemma (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.”(http://www.claytonchristensen.com/books/the-innovators-dilemma/) Using Christensen’s classification of change, is DBS pursuing sustaining or disruptive innovation?
3. A related question- See the supplementary document on Satell’s four types of innovation. Which type is DBS pursuing?
4. What are the key thrusts of DBS’ digital transformation strategy? What technology investments is DBS making? What radical organizational changes is DBS instituting?
5. How effective is DBS in transforming itself in the digital era? What are the metrics you would use to test the success of the transformations?
6. What are the critical success factors that help to transform business executives from “technology idiots” to “digital warriors”? Use evidence from the case to support your arguments.
7. Going forward, what should be the next steps in DBS’ digitization strategy? Where should the bank direct its technology investment dollars? Answer this in the context of Weinman’s digital disciplines.
8. How can DBS stay at the forefront of banking innovation to become the “Asian Bank of Choice” of the future? See the table below for Christensen’s list of strategic responses possible for incumbent firms in dynamic industries. Which choice is best for DBS?