The magic formula for digital transformation in manufacturing involves the successful convergence of vision, culture, people, processes, and technology. Vison and culture must be joined at the hip when companies undergo a major metamorphosis like transitioning to a wholly digital environment. It is also crucial for processes to be underpinned by the organizational setup (i.e., employees assigned the right roles, responsibilities, and tools).
It’s not news that B2B and B2C demand is pushing manufacturers and supply chains to create and deliver more complex, customized products. Then there is the pressure of delivering these products within hours or days after the customer has placed the call-out or order. It all adds up to a multilevel exercise that can be made even more complicated by unknowns or unclear data.
Global manufacturing players are pushing forward in leveraging digital technology to bring more structure to this environment. IDC predicts that, by the end of 2021, 90% of global manufacturing supply chains will have invested in the technology and business processes that will bring true resiliency to their operations.
Almost one-quarter of IDC 2020 Supply Chain Survey respondents said their main focus is to improve end-to-end supply chain visibility. This aligns with the perception that a lack of supply chain visibility/flexibility hinders the ability of managers to observe changes and react to them in a timely and effective manner. This challenge has been recognized for years, of course — and it is still among the top three obstacles cited by managers.
