Digitalisation Index 2023: Digitalisation of the economy in Germany

As in the previous year, large companies, the ICT sector, the federal state group South (Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria) and urban areas are by far the pioneers of digitalisation. As in 2022, small companies and the industry group of construction, utilities and waste management have the greatest need to catch up.
However, the industry groups, company size classes and region types are converging as a whole and the differences in digitalisation are narrowing. The digitalisation of the economy has therefore become more homogeneous.

The economy continues to be affected by inflation, supply chain difficulties, the energy crisis and ongoing uncertainties. In the current crisis, however, increased digitalisation is not an immediate tool for many companies to cope with the current crises or to mitigate their negative effects in the short term, as was the case during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Only through a combination of digitalisation efforts within companies and external framework conditions the digitalisation of the economy can progress more rapidly. Therefore, it remains crucial to improve the framework conditions in Germany such that they do not become a bottleneck but rather facilitate digitalisation.