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Collaboration in a global economy
July 6, 2007
Last week's
ARC Advisory Group Forum in Boston brought together top manufacturers to take a look at what works and why. Put companies such as Microsoft, GE, Cisco, Rockwell, ABB, Siemens and Emerson in one room, and you're going to come out with some great ideas.
One of the big themes at ARC was collaboration. Another was the need for collaboration in a global economy.
Here were five of the best quotes from that event. They ought to spur some thought, perhaps some debate. Inaction, however, is not an option:
5. Andy Chatha, president of ARC: "When you take a look at global manufacturing, big things are taking place. There are numerous plants being built, and millions of people are being lifted up into the middle class. Many of these plants are being built to feed the local economy."
4. Jerry Gipson, director of the Engineering Solutions Technology Center for Dow Chemical
: "For companies that want to be successful, collaboration is not an option; it’s a requirement. We have 30 regional engineering centers. How do we work effectively across all these centers? How are business, engineering and manufacturing going to work together toward shared outcomes?
The relationship between IT and manufacturing is a win-win for Dow. It delivers results, but it’s something that has to be worked at. My guidance to you is find what you can work on together and commit to it. It’s about maintaining standards to work globally and finding ways to learn locally."
3. Jay Weldon, senior manager of information systems for Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, makers of the Odyssey and Pilot: "I can kill them with data, but I often don’t give them data they can use in meaningful ways. We need to reduce the barriers on our own plant floor. It’s not something we can do in IS; it’s something that takes commitment throughout the company."
2. Andy Chatha: "We have old plants, so we’re continuing to look for new ways lower costs. Slowly the pendulum is shifting. Our markets are going to continue to become more and more competitive. The focus has shifted to managing the data and analyzing the data. More of us want information on our cell phones, on our PDAs. The software needs to become much lighter."
1. Jay Weldon (and this none ought to be posted in every IT and plant floor office): "Collaboration is the key. If you keep saying, ‘us and them’ you can’t make this work."
Posted by Bob Vavra on July 6, 2007 | Comments (3)
