Connect the digital supply chain
We believe that successful digital businesses create processes that get things done. When we connect information from across the enterprise and beyond we minimize delays, eliminate waste and create lean digital supply chains that delight customers.
Meeting digital expectations today means operating intelligent and adaptable processes which connect people, software and devices in real time.
But this is far from easy in many enterprises, where inflexible technology, organizational silos and fragmented processes frustrate customers and create operational inertia and inefficiency.
In their rush to become digital almost every enterprise is eager to use new technologies to transform the way they create value. By studying digital leaders they have seen the way that Web-enabled connections between people, systems and devices can transform business models and create better outcomes. But in focusing on the digital front-end many companies miss the most important point; creating ‘pixel thin’ solutions via new apps or slicker websites fails to address the underlying process and integration challenges necessary to succeed, simply layering more complexity over existing silos.
Creating a truly digital business therefore begins not with the use of technology but with a realignment of processes to optimize the delivery of new connected experiences.
This requires an outside-in approach to transformation, reimagining outcomes before moving inwards connecting all of the people, software and things required to deliver value to your customers. And having the capability to constantly extend and evolve these digital supply chains as your customers, partners and suppliers evolve is a critical skill for the digital age.
But delivering end to end digital supply chains requires us to tackle three levels of capability.
Extending to digital
As a first step we need to connect existing enterprise systems and processes to the people, systems and things which populate the digital world. On-premise systems still make up the critical transactional core of most enterprises and they need to be quickly and easily connected with new digital flows. This requires an ability to rapidly deliver and evolve new digital processes which use a combination of integration connectors, API management and manual workarounds to securely and robustly connect incumbent systems and processes to the digital world.
Harnessing digital
Many people and resources now exist outside the four walls of the traditional enterprise and digital success therefore requires us to optimize the flow of information across the whole digital supply chain. Cloud services, social networks and smart objects all provide new opportunities to deliver innovation and reduce costs but must be fully meshed with internal people and systems. The technology infrastructure of the organization must therefore be capable of connecting and orchestrating the whole digital landscape, making on-demand resources an integral component of end to end business operations.
Empowering ecosystems
We are entering an age of ecosystems, where specialised digital organizations mesh their capabilities to transform business models and transcend traditional industries. Participating in this new digital economy means making your value easily available for others to build on, opening up opportunities for new revenue and acting as a catalyst for innovation. Digital platforms must therefore help organizations make all processes and services available for integration by default, facilitating end to end digital supply chains. By empowering ecosystems in this way we use the power of many organizations to amplify the value of our business.
