31 January 2008

Manufacturers showing misplaced confidence in IT systems

Data released yesterday by the Chartered Management Institute suggests that manufacturers have a misplaced confidence about their ability to cope with uncertainty and change.

It’s latest survey demonstrates what it describes as “a worrying level of over-confidence,” with only 36% of organisations in the manufacturing sector believing that managing risks is important.

It also finds just 31% suggesting that developing talent is a significant issue, despite nearly three-quarters (73%) admitting that skills and talent management are key challenges facing UK employers.

What’s more, although CMI says evidence shows that the proportion of failed IT projects (74%) is as high now as it was in 1980, its latest findings reveal that only 34% of manufacturers think it is a priority to keep abreast of technological change. Additially, just 5% believe effective use of IT and communications is one of the biggest challenges for the UK.

Jo Causon, marketing and corporate affairs director at the Chartered Management Institute, says: “Questions need to be asked about how UK organisations will be able to manage in the future, if they fail to address key operational issues… The inability to plan properly might lead to questions [such as]: ‘what opportunities have I missed?’ or worse, ‘how did the organisation not see that coming?’.”

Author
Brian Tinham

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