MRO Today - Cybertrends unavoidable

Cybertrends unavoidable

by Dr. Robert A. Kemp

Rapid change. Global economic activities. Tremendous technological capabilities. The demand is high for us to do our jobs better, faster and with
fewer resources.

With that in mind, I recently read Chuck Martin’s book, “Net Future: The 7 Cybertrends That Will Drive Your Business, Create New Wealth and Define Your Future.” Martin is a futurist and expert in the high-tech arena. His book looks ahead to a faster, more interactive and relentlessly competitive world.

Martin predicts seven “cybertrends” will impact us all. Actually, each trend’s leading edge has been with us for some time. The cybertrends are in bold type. My interpretations follow.

1) The cyber-economy goes Main Street. E-commerce will be everywhere, in business and society. We can hide, but it’s unavoidable.

2) The wired workforce takes over. Those equipped with an up-to-date computer, Internet connection and training will make e-commerce work.

3) The open-book corporation emerges. Less information will be secure. More will be shared with everyone, online and in real time. It’s happening now at some firms.

4) Products become commodities. Up to now, success depended on our ability to use select information to differentiate goods and services. Now, with a ton of available, free info, everything is becoming a commodity.

5) The customer becomes data. Some companies and their supply management operations already treat everyone as a customer. Businesses that serve customers well grow. All of us must recognize that internal and external customers demand top service.

6) The rise of experience communities. Early trend adopters and users develop power for their group and function. They become an “experience community,” and others are forced to use their services. Use the trends and build the expertise needed in supply management.

7) Learning moves to real time, all the time. In my opinion, this is the most important trend. As I’ve written in previous MRO Today articles, getting smarter helps us work better (not harder) and accomplish more. The Net makes information readily available and learning easier. Online education also reduces or eliminates many of the obstacles (time and cost) to advanced formal education or professional learning. Some companies and government agencies are using this tool to their advantage.

Deere & Company, in partnership with Arizona State University, recently launched an online, two-year MBA program with a specialty in supply management for select Deere employees. This program will have a huge impact on the way the company does business.

Also, the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM) and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) created an online seminar for the U.S. Department of Defense’s acquisition workforce. More than 3,500 DoD global acquisition personnel now learn and apply commercial practices to the defense acquisition process.

E-commerce, B2B, whatever you want to call it, is here to stay. Like every other new concept that’s come down the road, it has its hucksters, liars and shady operators. Many systems and concepts are wildly advertised and pushed at us. You can’t avoid it. We simply must use good selection processes to choose services and suppliers.

History shows us the light bulb, auto, telephone, computer and even Crest toothpaste weren’t adopted readily. Many thought these ideas wouldn’t work. But each has and contributed remarkably to society.

Each cybertrend will impact us personally, professionally and economically. Our willingness to grasp the seven trends and change our professional capabilities and operations will determine how well we survive in the “Net Future.”

B2B and cyberspace will get us all! So, get wired, Net savvy and smart. Open up. And, become the new experience community at your firm. The future will be a great ride!

Robert Kemp is a consultant, speaker and the former president of the National Association of Purchasing Management. He can be reached at kempr@mchsi.com.