DEALING WITH DISRUPTIONS

Global pandemics. Natural disasters. Political turmoil. Parts and labor shortages. As these events become more commonplace, it’s evident that we are living through an unprecedented period of disruption. These disruptions can negatively impact not only our personal lives, but also the operations of manufacturers as they strive to introduce innovative, safe, and effective products to customers worldwide.

Manufacturers have had to adapt to an ever-changing market as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve and the introduction of Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and other disruptive technologies continue to increase product complexity and customer expectations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also significantly impacted manufacturers—causing raw material shortages, increased lead times for components, issues with logistics, and other sudden disruptions to their supply chains. One of the first major shocks was the shutdown of factories in Asia due to COVID outbreaks. It caused a global shortage of microchips, which are a key component of computers, smartphones, medical devices, and many consumer products. Ultimately, manufacturers were forced to scale down or delay the production of these products because of the shortage¹.

In addition to supply chain disruptions, many companies experienced communication and productivity issues due to their reliance on email, spreadsheets, document-based applications, on-premises software, and other disconnected systems. As more employees started to work remotely, these systems created silos, making it difficult for product teams and supply chain partners to collaborate efficiently and stay on the same page.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers have experienced product shipment delays, quality issues, increased customer complaints, lost revenue, and the inability to gain first-mover advantages.

So how can companies better navigate future disruptions and continue to thrive?

In this white paper, we explore how the adoption of enterprise cloud-based solutions and other technologies enable product manufacturers to quickly adapt to change and make the necessary digital transformation to compete in today’s global economy. We also provide some key steps that you can take to ensure your digital transformation success.

1. https://news.wttw.com/2021/07/29/global-shortage-computer-chips-hits-us-manufacturing