In an age of disruption, the business landscape has changed forever. The rise of new technologies has led to a new digital ecosystem, but it is an exciting time to venture beyond the digital frontier.
Technological advancements, like machine learning (ML), the cloud, analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed businesses and industries alike. And with it, new barriers have emerged.
There has been a great deal of discussion surrounding the supposedly differing attitudes to work found in each generation. What is sometimes forgotten is that people and generations age – and each ‘latest generation’ is succeeded by the next demographic cohort as workforce trends shift.
During a recent holiday in France, over a croissant and coffee, I watched the morning crowds making their way to work. I was there as a tourist but was observing with my business mind, and a few things stood out for me.
First thought – public transport is key to urban business efficiency. Less travel time so more work in an 8-hour day – a must for developed nations. The French and most of Europe have people-logistics taped. Everyone relies on public transport and the internet. Even at rush hour, commuters use the fast ticket and smart-card loading vending machines to top-up their travel. Some even do online-@home over a decent vin-rouge. Avoiding difficult traffic and city parking. And they walk – well there’s an idea! And that leads to a plethora of meeting-place coffee/wine/beer-n-bite stops to and from work. Ideal for neutral-based networking and creative solution thinking.
Orders are up, business is booming, and your manufacturing operation is expanding. The growth of your company is exciting, but expansion can present many new challenges. As your operation gets bigger, you will probably need to investigate potential upgrades for your systems.
There is a drive in the world as a whole, but especially in the ERP sector, where a lot of time and effort is being invested into becoming and staying connected.
However, being connected all the time isn’t always the best solution. Being connected doesn’t necessarily mean that you, or your ERP system, is optimized. With always-on connectivity, not only are you exposed to better information, you are also open to a lot of noise.
Have I mentioned my love affair with motorcycles? For years I’ve been addicted to the two-wheeled adventure mode – on-road and off. My favourite bike, the Triumph Tiger Explorer, has evolved to include advanced bells and whistles that make it a miracle of modern technology. Some of the Tiger’s key features include traction control, multiple-mode throttle control, hill-start assistance, and brakes that adapt their functionality to weather conditions. Believe me, the Tiger is a beautiful ride, with an almost terrifying amount of power. Which brings us around to another favourite topic of mine – Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software – the pinnacle of modern ERP performance.
