Answer to Question #147925 in Computer Networks for matimu

Question

explain the benefits of emerging technologies to today’s organisations.

Answer 1

Real-time problem solving

Equipment malfunctions are a big disruptor in the supply chain. The impact is far-reaching from slowing down or preventing product development to delays with customer deliveries–it’s also exacerbated by how long it takes to resolve those issues. By connecting supply chain assets through IoT, extracting conclusions from this real-time data using AI, and then making this information readily visible through digital representations (or Digital Twins) of those assets, supply chain managers can be alerted about a potential issue before it even happens to quickly remedy the problem.

Connecting the digital thread

Modern supply chain processes require a seamless flow of information across the entire value chain and throughout the entire life-cycle. This connected business process framework, which also often leverages information from emerging technologies such as IoT and Big Data, we call “The Digital Thread”. Such a  “system of systems” allows transactions that were traditionally siloed, to be connected, and to thereby improve customer service while reducing cost to serve. It also opens up new potential business models, such as “pay on use”, “servitization”, and “micro-transactions” that would otherwise be impractical.

Remote & global access

Historically, supply chain managers and engineers had to be on-site for day-to-day management of the supply chain. That put a lot of constraint around properly managing all areas of the supply chain, often not located in one place. It also meant a lack of insight into the overall supply chain, leaving managers with disjointed views of partners, customers and inventory, and inevitably leading to long lag times in resolving any issues in remote locations. With cloud-based emerging technologies, supply chain managers can now proactively monitor their entire supply chain on any mobile device from any location.