It’s not just small and medium-size businesses that are caught off guard. Even global manufacturers –– companies across industrial, automotive, chemical, and energy industries –– are scrambling to mitigate the impacts of labor, material and energy shortages, delays, inflation, and unexpected events.

Brittle supply chains, fragmented systems landscapes, unreliable and inaccurate data, as well as poorly managed IT and business networks are consistently reported as top concerns, which is why executives are increasingly prioritizing digital transformation. Yet, progress is slow and often reactionary, and a reactionary mindset fails to address the underlying causes.

All technology strategies must address short-term concerns, but should also empower companies to build agility, resiliency, and better sensing so they can respond more quickly today, and even preempt disruptions tomorrow.

This playbook offers manufacturers a realistic and viable guide to balancing immediate needs with future-focused strategy. Topics cover:

• How disruption is redefining the manufacturing industry
• Prioritizing business and technology strategies
• Balancing immediate pain points with future-focused initiatives that build resilience
• Mastering inventory, cycle times, and cost-to-serve
• Agile problem-solving and continuous transformation