Managing Automation - January 2009 - (Page 28) DEEPDIVE agility: USER RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY CORNER AGILITY is no off-the-shelf purchase — it derives from a collection of far-reaching capabilities. But there are technologies that can incline a manufacturer toward agility. Among them are services-oriented architectures that help cut redundancy from the IT infrastructure, business intelligence products that help a manufacturer decide where and how to produce the optimal product mix, and demand sensing and planning products that keep a company attuned to the desires of its customers. ManagingAutomation.com’s TechMatch tool can help you obtain more information on all of these offerings. Just follow the links below for side-by-side product comparisons and more: Business Process Integration, Enabled by SOA www.managingautomation.com/agility3 An Arsenal of Information to Support Your Quest for Agility gility creates business advantage. Manufacturers able to adjust to changing customer requirements, shifting supply chain risks, and competitive incursions can gain ground in today’s hyper-competitive marketplace. As part of Managing Automation’s monthly User Resources feature, we offer readers a conveniently organized set of resources aimed at illuminating the path toward achieving a given business discipline. This month, the focus is on agility. Check out the resources below for greater insight on what it takes to achieve agility and what kinds of technology can help. For easier access to the Web links below, visit this page online at www.ManagingAutomation.com/Agility. A Manufacturing Intelligence www.managingautomation.com/agility4 Demand Planning www.managingautomation.com/agility5 RESEARCH REPORTS & STUDIES Business Intelligence www.managingautomation.com/agility6 “Beyond Visibility: Driving Supply Chain Responsiveness,” by Aberdeen Group [paid content] Aberdeen plumbed the practices of best-in-class companies and found that those marked by agility had a strong command of supply chain visibility. Read more in this report. www.aberdeen.com/c/FP/ASP/benchmark/sponsored/5300-RAsupply-chain-responsiveness.asp TechMATCH “The Enterprise of the Future,” an IBM Global CEO Survey In this IBM survey, more than 1,000 CEOs weigh in on the challenges and opportunities presented by a fast-moving, globally integrated, customer-driven marketplace. Not all business leaders feel that they can keep pace with the changes that confront them. www-931.ibm.com/tela/servlet/Asset/214647/GBE03035-USEN02.pdf RELATED COVERAGE IN MANAGING AUTOMATION “Staying Ahead of Demand Changes” When shopping for supply chain software, manufacturers are increasingly factoring global variability into the mix in an effort to anticipate and plan for subtle or sudden shifts in customer demand. Read about how some manufacturers are creating this kind of agility. www.managingautomation.com/agility2 “Developing World Class Manufacturing Agility: How to Reduce Total Cycle Times in Your Company,” by Rockford Consulting This article from the manufacturing practitioners at Rockford Consulting focuses on the tenets of operational excellence and the drive to deliver new products to market faster. Learn some best practices in the quest for agility. http://rockfordconsulting.com/cyclart.htm “Web Services and ROI” The still-burgeoning field of SOA technology has been pitched by some as a cornerstone for business agility, but how exactly does a business show that it has become more agile through SOA? This piece tackles the question of how to define return on investment. www.managingautomation.com/edges19 “Building a Nimble Organization: A McKinsey Global Survey” [free registration required] In a global survey, McKinsey found that the desire among business leaders for quick-thinking and fleet-footed operations was out ahead of the ability of global business structures to be nimble, due to “organizational, behavioral, and attitudinal barriers.” www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Building_a_nimble_organization_A_ McKinsey_Global_Survey_1808 “HP Keeps Watchful Eye on Supply Chain Portfolio and Costs” HP endures a level of business and supply chain complexity that few manufacturers can imagine, but it manages to thrive under these circumstances. Learn more from a supply chain master and a winner of Managing Automation’s Progressive Manufacturing Award. www.managingautomation.com/HP5 “Outlook 2008: Storm Clouds Ahead” Going into 2008, a poll of Managing Automation’s readers revealed declining confidence in the economy in the face of the credit crisis as well as a waning emphasis on developing business agility. Read last year’s article in light of the results of the most recent poll. www.managingautomation.com/outlook ma January 28 2009 http://www.ManagingAutomation.com?s http://www.managingautomation.com/agility3 http://www.ManagingAutomation.com/Agility http://www.managingautomation.com/agility4 http://www.managingautomation.com/agility5 http://www.managingautomation.com/agility6 http://www.aberdeen.com/c/FP/ASP/benchmark/sponsored/5300-RAsupply-chain-responsiveness.asp http://www-931.ibm.com/tela/servlet/Asset/214647/GBE03035-USEN-02.pdf http://www.managingautomation.com/agility2 http://www.managingautomation.com/edges19 http://rockfordconsulting.com/cyclart.htm http://www.managingautomation.com/HP5 http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Building_a_nimble_organization_A_McKinsey_Global_Survey_1808 http://www.managingautomation.com/outlook
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