It’s an exciting time to work in the field of supply chain. There’s a sense of change in the air – an awareness of the future unfolding. There are thought leaders who think we’re headed for a ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, an era of sustainable, socially conscious enterprises, underpinned by the intelligent interconnection of software and machines. For decision makers along the supply chain, it’s time for research – and for vision.  In many instances, the adoption (or non-adoption) of today’s technologies will determine who thrives and who dies along the supply chains of tomorrow.

In order to react quickly to changing business conditions, penetrate global markets, and above all remain competitive, businesses have learned that they need to stay informed, efficient, agile, and dedicated to their core competencies. All that, it turns out, is easier to achieve within an ecosystem of trusted partners.

ERP is often described as the backbone of a company, but in my opinion the spinal association is less than exact. Using an anatomical metaphor is great, but let’s go beyond quick assumptions and get it right. Perhaps it would be better to say that ERP is like the Central Nervous System (CNS), the all-important connections that run from your brain down the spinal cord. Like ERP, the CNS integrates all the body’s information, triggering, adjusting and coordinating everything our bodies do. This change of metaphor frees up the backbone, which I think is better used to describe the role and function of Human Capital – the most important driver for making an ERP solution useful.

SYSPRO Espresso is game-changing software, and companies around the world are drinking it up like macchiato shots at an Italian cafe. The majority of downloads worldwide have been for iOS and Android devices, with Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone coming in third and fourth.

In my previous post, I touched on why the mobile evolution plays an important role in the ERP realm and how businesses can benefit from deploying mobile ERP. Companies in the Asia-Pacific region, in particular, have the vantage point to be early adopters and lead this next evolution.

Equally important is the deployment of the right solution and one that can meet the requirements of your company’s salesforce team. Choose the wrong tool and your expensive implementation will end up nothing more than a paperweight.

Fifteen years ago, it would have been tough to believe a little device no bigger than your palm would have enough computer power to not only render high-definition videos, but also be able to secure sensitive data with the swipe of a finger and provide access to your corporate network.

Oh, and you would also be able to make phone calls with it.

Today smartphones and mobile devices have evolved so quickly that they are now little offices that you can access anytime, anywhere. In fact, mobility is an area I am personally very interested in because I believe it’s changing society rapidly and offers many business benefits today and into the future.