APIs can help to solve Brexit data issues
New research from MuleSoft shows 54 percent of UK businesses say Brexit has presented them with data access and management challenges.
The problem isn't just a British one though. 40 percent of German and 39 percent of French businesses also report that Brexit has made it more difficult for them to access and manage data.
The findings also suggest that businesses may have a hard time navigating future regulatory changes. While there may currently be close regulatory alignment between the UK and EU, businesses' inability to unlock and act on data quickly may limit their ability to respond to changes in the future.
"Brexit has laid bare just how underprepared many businesses are for the challenges around data access and management in an increasingly digital economy," says Justin Wilson, head of UK and Ireland at MuleSoft. "At a time when businesses need to be more agile than ever, the UK's departure from the EU has made it harder for them to harness the data they need to do just that. There's also the issue of skills shortages. While digital transformation is at the top of their agenda, the exodus of skilled IT professionals has left many businesses without the resources they need to deliver those projects."
The need for a more agile approach to integrating data and delivering digital transformation means API-led connectivity will be key. APIs can be used to connect supply chain data between multiple stakeholders, so UK and EU businesses can achieve the visibility needed to ensure their products are available where they’re needed and reduce disruption. An API-led approach also re-imagines digital assets as a network of reusable capabilities that anyone can draw from.
"APIs help businesses to overcome many of the most pressing problems they face in the aftermath of Brexit, because they make the process of drawing disparate data sources together far easier," adds Wilson. "This more flexible approach to integration also enables businesses to package their digital capabilities as a series of reusable building blocks. Not only does this make businesses more agile for change by removing the need to start digital initiatives from scratch, but it also helps ease the skills burden. Now, anyone within the business -- not just the IT team -- can draw on these pre-existing IT capabilities to drive digital innovation."
You can find out more on the MuleSoft blog.
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