Global Manufacturing Outlook

Performance in the crosshairs

The 2014 Global Manufacturing Outlook: Performance in the crosshairs report examines the continuing evolution of the strategies that manufacturers are deploying to drive value and performance across the enterprise.

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As evidenced in the survey results, explosive developments in technology, material science, advanced manufacturing and synergistic operating models are clearly beginning to redefine `the art of the possible’ and are changing the way manufacturing companies compete and succeed.

Underlying this year’s survey results, we see a powerful theme – `Disruptive Complexity’ – that we believe will be a major force for all manufacturers to reckon with. The challenges of the past five years (largely characterized by global uncertainty, economic volatility, geo-political instability, shifting markets and natural disasters) have resulted in massive changes to the manufacturing landscape and there is every indication that these macroeconomic winds of change will continue to blow. However, these may seem tame compared to the new forces proliferation of data, scientific discovery, robotics, technology and artificial intelligence… just to mention a few. These new and powerful forces will intensify and forever change the dynamics, risks and success factors for global manufacturing companies.

Based upon this year’s survey and our view of the marketplace, there are numerous strategies and tactics that global manufacturing companies intend to deploy to capitalize on market opportunities and stay ahead of their competition, including:

• predictive analytics that monitor evolving customer preferences,

• new OEM/supplier collaborative innovation models,

• 3D printing and new additive manufacturing capabilities,

• technology platforms that support real-time business intelligence, and

• resilient/transparent supply chains that create virtual vertically-integrated manufacturing networks.

The pervasive pressure of an accelerating pace of change is one of many indications that `Disruptive Complexity’ is here to stay. What is also quite clear is that great opportunities await those companies willing to envision and embrace this complex but opportunity-rich environment.

We hope that this year’s global report offers both practical and provocative insights to help organizations evaluate their future strategies for competing and succeeding in this new world order.

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