The transformation of the value chain, the shortening of innovation cycles, the need to ensure high levels of customisation and the opportunity to maintain a constant relationship with customers are just some of the forces supporting the need for a rapid transformation of the business and operating models of manufacturing companies. At stake is the ability to maintain competitiveness in international markets of entire value chains.
To cope with this, companies must increasingly be able to transform their service model towards flexible service-oriented models with equal repercussions on both the revenue model and cost structure.
At the same time, companies must be able to govern the digitisation of processes and operations through a more rational organisation of back-end structures capable of supporting the operational use of the important databases that companies have now accumulated. At a global level, in fact, in 33% of companies the use of data is limited to reporting activities, while only 3% have reached advanced data maturity levels. In this sense, the spectrum of skills that need to be governed within organisations in order to conceive, implement and manage new projects is also widening and evolving.
Therefore, the need for an ecosystem approach to innovation within factories, with a more active involvement of technology and skills suppliers within processes that go beyond traditional procurement, is becoming increasingly clear.