There has never been a more exciting time to be a small or medium sized business. Technology has levelled the playing field - making it possible for SMMEs to compete with big business. Here are a few of the things making SMMEs smile:

Traditional ERP systems have simplified and revolutionised modern business. However, in today’s world of globalised and digitised markets, it is becoming increasingly vital to access tools and data on the go. Here are some of the key things driving the move to mobile ERP:

In my first “fighting fraud” blog, I talked about fighting fraud on the human front.  And as promised this blog covers some basic tips to start fighting fraud on the technology front.

1. Boosted capabilities – Cloud gives small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to compete with larger organizations. SMEs gain the ability to use enterprise applications that they otherwise couldn’t afford, letting them compete more effectively.

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.

For most of my career, I have been engaged in making decisions, or helping others make decisions. Way back in 1997, when I was just a boy, I used a financial tool known as the Hillier Model to help a large South African glass bottle manufacturer decide where to put capital in order to best serve market conditions.

Recent advances in robotics and machine learning (AI) have happened so quickly that industry observers could be said to be suffering from whiplash as the implications of AI start to be fully realized, even as the technology itself is still maturing.

Before setting three Apollo astronauts on top of 2,350 tons of liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and kerosene, then counting down to launch, NASA sensibly ensured they adopted only the technologies they deemed ready to fly. They later standardised this approach and drew up a 9-point scale, against which every element of a development programme could be assessed for ‘Technology Readiness Level’ (TRL). This measurement process helped determine which nascent technologies to take forward through R&D, which ones to side-line and so on.