‘Business Digital Natives’ such as Uber and Amazon do not have the institutionalised Problems traditional firm encounter
Many long-standing orxtraditional businesses we work with feel progress toward a Digital Supply Chain is slower than they expected, and (of course), slower than they would like. In many cases, they found their workforce (and management) did not have the skills and mind-set to operate in a digital environment, and that organisational silos hampered efficient data gathering. Traditional companies have had to go to great lengths to collect data and change the way they work. To help speed the transformation to a Digital Supply Chain, companies are developing Rapid Change Programmes based on clear goals, metrics, and quick improvements. This in turn shapes the person specification for the Interim Manager needed to implement the transformation. The main issue for companies trying to implement a Digital Supply Chain is finding the right talent. This is true globally, and true across all industries. More data scientists are needed, but few companies are confident they can attract, deploy and retain them. Existing training programmes very rarely identify the imperatives for Digital Supply Chain, hence people are not learning new skills. The need for more customer knowledge is frequently missing. What’s more, acquiring, cleaning, and using data is a rare skill. In 2018, many companies made impressive progress in implementing a Digital Supply Chain delivering huge, game-changing benefits. However, most companies want to move faster. The key to success will be discovering new ways to collaborate, bringing together real-time data and skilled digital experts who are not part of a traditional supply chain organization.