03 August 2012

Value chain survey shows UK manufacturing lacking

In an age of empowered customers, who expect to enjoy virtually unlimited access to information that they can instantly share internally and externally around the world, manufacturers are struggling to keep up.

That's chief among the findings of IBM's 2012 Global Value Chain Synchronisation survey, which suggests that the currently lacklustre collaboration among UK firms is harming businesses.

The research notes that UK companies rate themselves poorly when it comes to collaborating with their business community.

Indeed, while 79% say that the business community has an impact on the company's ability to respond to changing customer demands, only 10% have effected end-to-end integration with all relevant business partners.

Other key findings for UK firms include: only 5% rate themselves as 'very effective' at collaborating with their business community (compare to 23% globally); just 9% can respond to changing customer demands for products and services 'very efficiently' (again, 23% worldwide); and fewer than 10% have end-to-end integration with all the business partners they need.

The survey (of 700 organisations having more than 1,000 employees) spans seven industries in eight countries.

IBM says it reveals that management teams must understand the importance of their business communities, and be able to collaborate and synchronise with everyone involved if they are to reach their full potential.

The report, available to download at the address below, makes interesting reading:

Author
Brian Tinham

Supporting Information

Companies
IBM (UK) Ltd

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