When used effectively, technology can help reduce operating costs, provide better visibility throughout the supply chain and diversify the business response to customer requirements. KPMG recommends that companies focus on building a network of trusted customers, supply chain partners and suppliers to manage the disruption and support the business continuity: “Cultivating a resilient supply chain means the organization can better predict, react and planning against the unexpected by enabling cross-functional
integration and collaboration with its supplier ecosystem.”
Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is expected to break new ground in 2022 for now, it remains outside the mainstream, with machine learning using IoT and social media data to automate decisions and processes.
This is reported by SAP analyst Richard Howells in Forbes predictive analytics will enable employees to earn more
informed decisions in real time and drive new business models. “From smart factories with 5G, better connectivity and
enhanced AI solutions to smart products and assets across Industry 4.0 has a lot to offer companies in the supply chain
who have invested in these technologies,” Howells writes. “Next year will bring more focus on the companies that use it
Industry 4.0 in their factories, throughout the supply chain smart assets and into the hands of consumers and customers
the use of smart products and the devices it enables.”
Howells expects supply chain technology to help alleviate the situation shortage of workers and improve their retention through improvement productivity and decision-making of existing employees, free them from repetitive tasks and enable them to
focus on more complex problems and key decisions. “There is a movement to unify supply chain technology eCommerce to post-purchase and first-time experiences mile to last mile,” writes Deborah Laloum, market strategist
at logistics solutions provider Bringg. “To keep up, processes need automation, systems and data need it
to be integrated, workers need to have new resources and managers must have a better view of the supply chain. It
it is important that regardless of SCM technology businesses the use will be integrated into the company’s existing supply chain
systems, from TMS and WMS to inventory management and CRM systems. Robust, bidirectional data synchronization ensures that each supply chain a trading platform as well as all team members are aligned with always.”
