In the information age, no organization can escape from the impact of digital disruption. It is disrupting all industries, albeit at different rates. The biggest disruptive force, commonly cited by business leaders we’ve spoken to, is digital innovation by competitors.

The path to digital can be truly rewarding or relentless. By waiting to respond to a rivals’ move, companies can risk making themselves vulnerable to being out-innovated by the more proactive competitors.

Do you know how your company is faring in the new world of digital?

To help you tackle this question, top management consulting firm Bain & Company has identified five distinct segments of companies associated with varying levels of digital maturity:

• Digital differentiators see digital innovation as an opportunity to deliver new capabilities and grow markets.

• Strivers acutely perceive changes in how customers engage and are investing heavily in digital to keep up.

• Staged and secure Companies are dabbling with digital platforms and channels, but proceeding cautiously given security concerns.

• Focused on operations businesses are less affected by digital, but are still capitalizing on digital to drive operational excellence.

• Digital skeptics regard digital as a lower priority and view IT as a back-office function.

Regardless of your business’ digital acceptance and readiness, the stakes are high and the potential opportunities presented by modernization and digital transformation can be real.

Based on a study by Bain & Company and Red Hat, 15% of respondents farthest down the digital maturity curve are eight times more likely to see their market share increase. They also consistently exceed multiple goals than 15% of respondents at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Are you interested in learning more about how your company can move further down the digital maturity curve? You can refer to the "For Traditional Enterprises, the Path to Digital and the Role of Containers" report for more information. Available here, it is based on a survey of 449 U.S. executives, IT leaders, and IT personnel across industries.