From ultra-thin laptops, tablets, smart appliances, televisions, to drones to smartphones, we are overflowing with gadgets to help us communicate and conduct business at greater and greater speeds.
Our supply chain is fraught with the potential for disruption, particularly in the sprawling ports that hug the coasts of North America - an aging and complex infrastructure where weather, labor issues and even computer problems cause significant delays in recent years. But other factors embedded in the process itself are a concern as ports, transportation and logistics companies prepare to begin accepting larger shipments.
A product made in China takes about a month to reach the shores and ports of North America. Once unloaded, it can take up to twelve days taken to a warehouse for distribution to stores.
The operations and capacity of Port Terminals along our coast lines is growing in size and scope, modernizing to automated high cranes that unload the ships, straddle carriers, then stack the containers for pickup by trucks.
Port operations is also changing (e.g. Port of Vancouver has expanded it hours of operations to accommodate volume) and expanding the hours of operations to move freight and allow truckers to pick up and unload containers while avoiding rush hour traffic.
Automation of port traffic services and the movement of goods extends to computerized documentation, customs and exercise integration and scheduling. Our “Now” society is putting additional demands on retailers and providers to have good delivered within hours (led by Amazon) and delays can hurt retailers.
The industrial revolution changed the world and brought about substantial increases in production, faster access to markets and diversification in consumer choices. Recent advances in technology have changed the way business is conducted and redefined how companies operate. New strategies and implemented to integrate digital technologies, data and other relevant client information to radically improve performance at most organizations.
Ignoring and failure to integrate technological advances into business operations increases the likelihood of business failure. The speed of technological advancements – and their subsequent disruptive effects – is creating a deepening societal and business gap.
This gap is now increasingly driving activity in the political, employment and other societal environments. Companies effectively adopting digital technology and automated business processes to drive competitive advantage, are leading and showing success the transition process. Government is laggard in the digital transitions and is still trying to win through a steadfast reliance on traditional business methods and are losing the battle as citizens are expecting better performance from program areas.
The current state of our economy is also a factor in influencing transition to automation and digital adoption, this is evident in the financial sector. Typically Banks and other financial intuitions we late adopters of technology, recently they are transformation to early adopters and are rapidly transitioning to digital technology and automation to drive profitability and retain market share. More importantly, the longer businesses and agencies ignore the need to transition to a digital economy the more difficult and costly it becomes to remain relevant.
Technology and digitally driven advances over the last twenty years, have defined and disrupted businesses and consumer purchasing behaviors, technology have also redefined the scope of corporate leadership and strategic directions. Today’s decision makers must rely on real-time information and instant global communications, understands what is happening as it occurs, and acts accordingly to stay relevant and provide stakeholder value.
Transition of any type is usually not simple, and business leaders approach it with varying degrees of speed and success. The one certainty is that those who have not already done so are in grave danger of being left behind.
To stay relevant and compete in the “Now” economy, automation and digital transformation is a must in every business’s strategy. Your survival may well depend upon it.
Author: Dave Gajadhar
Contact us: ResultantGroup Your business modernization, transition and blockchain advisors.
Email: dgajadhar@resultantgroup.com
Twitter:
@dgajadar
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