GenOps the operations club o
of SDA Bocconi Asia Center, organized the second edition of OPCLAVE’18 – Unboxing Operations: “Smart Supply Chain Management.” The conclave hosted industry veterans who have experienced and shaped the digitization curve in supply and demand chain management. The event provided updates on the latest technologies and innovations, agile customer-centric supply planning, optimization strategies, risk and volatility management in a global economy, big data, IoT, and smart manufacturing. The theme focused on achieving a shift in the way we think, act, and profit in supply chain management and logistics.
Mr. Abhijit Chaudhari, Mentor at Atal Innovation Mission, moderated and steered the discussion toward upcoming trends in the digitalization of SCM. The discussion centered around strategic views, preparation for execution, and the operations and management of operations. The use of analytics to interpret complex demand information in an omni-channel market in today’s age was also a key focus.
Mr. Naval Sabharwal, Global Head of Logistics & Supply Chain Practice at Ramco Systems, stated, “Digital transformation is the tsunami that has hit us.” He emphasized that strategy involves people and innovation, while technology and communication are enablers for implementing this strategy. Mr. Sabharwal highlighted that digitalization and technology should contribute to making the customer and supply chain experience frictionless. “Supply chain management is not a game of technology, but a game of people.” He explained that while automation will eventually take over repetitive tasks, it will also provide opportunities for people to develop and re-skill themselves. Addressing the ever-rising concern of ROI in technology investment, he said it can be measured by the ease introduced in the lives of consumers and employees, the reduction of the gap between planning and execution, and the amount of waste removed from the entire process. Mr. Sabharwal also mentioned that data security is of prime importance when it comes to digitalization.
“Going digital is not a choice but a necessity to stay ahead of the curve,” quoted Mr. Jaswinder Saini, Head of Procurement at Tata Sky Ltd. Mr. Saini also revealed that his three most significant KRAs at Tata Sky were heavily dependent on digital platforms and technological innovation. He noted that inventory control, which usually incurs heavy costs due to poor management, has been handled seamlessly by going digital. He assured that the agenda of automation and digitalization is not to lay off people but to eliminate drudgery. He highlighted that digitalization increases transparency both inside and outside of an organization.
Mr. Sambit Sathapathy, Business Head – Cold Chain at Rivigo, explained that instead of getting caught up in jargon and complexities, we should focus on understanding fundamentals and simplifying processes. He elaborated on the challenges of the cold chain in India, describing it as extremely underpenetrated and plagued by three core problems: speed, temperature integrity, and visibility, which result in large quantities of fresh produce being wasted. “Real problem solving happens when you peel the onion,” stated Mr. Sathapathy. He emphasized that organizations often fail to address core problems and instead focus on surface issues, leading to ineffective solutions. As an example, Mr. Sathapathy described how introducing changeover stations in trucking improved the quality of life for truck drivers, with speed and productivity being the by-products of this fundamental change. He also highlighted that centralizing distribution and warehousing increases ROI and decreases the attrition rate of distributors.
To summarize, the panelists provided attendees with a foresight into how digitalization and technological innovation are changing organizations’ approach to supply chain management (SCM). They painted a new picture in which SCM needs leaders capable of ideating and revolutionizing.
This article is written by Apeksha Kothari & Jeffin Johnykutty, International Master in Business | Batch 2018-20.