Unlocking the value in supply chain transformation with Capgemini

Unlocking the value in supply chain transformation with Capgemini

Capgemini’s report into how organizations can and have successfully scaled supply chain initiatives, it also suggests a number of ways in which companies and organisations looking to make progress.

Three key areas of focus for supply chain transformation:

1. Advocate and Align:

Ensure transformation efforts are driven by C-suite leadership and senior management. Supply chain digitization is a complex process that spans planning, procurement, IT and HR and as such it cannot be led by any one business unit and must be driven from the top to succeed. Leadership needs to advocate for this transformation, and to provide strategic focus on objectives and what to prioritize. Supply chain digitization is integral to achieving business objectives and must also be aligned with wider efforts – for example to increase transparency and improve customer satisfaction – so it is not considered solely as a cost-cutting exercise.

2. Build:

For supply chain digitization to be successful, both upstream and downstream partners (suppliers and distributors/logistics providers) need to be onboarded and made part of the digitization efforts. Breaking the silos among the various supply chain functions as well as the technology teams is also critical to the success of supply chain initiatives.

3. Enable:

While the above help in starting the digitization, in order to sustain it, organizations also need to invest in key areas of building a customer-centric mindset and developing a talent base. They need to devise approaches to attract, retain and upskill their employees.

Commenting on this approach, Rob Burnett, CIO of Global Supply Chain & Engineering at GE Transportation said: “Management buy-in is a huge part of identifying and investing in the digital supply chain projects that can really drive improvement. Rather than a cost center, the supply chain can be a source of innovation and efficiency for the whole organization, but it’s important to maintain a sharp focus on priority projects to get the ball rolling. There should be a wider appreciation that less is more.”