To Change or Not to Change the Supply Chain Business Process in Package Implementation
One of the raging debates in many a package implementation have been about how business processes may need to be molded to derive maximum ROI. While most enterprise packages are pre-configured and pre-loaded with some supported business processes, it is almost a given that one may have to customize and enhance the package to meet certain business needs. In most circumstances any project implementation first goes about understanding business processes. The business process as it exists at a certain point in time is driven by a cumulative experience of the stakeholders based on a variety of factors such as laws of the land, best-industry practices, innovation, process-optimization and sometimes it is driven by constraints unrelated to actual business transactions. eg. Logistical fulfillment considerations or even IT infrastructure constraints.
In context of Supply Chain business processes, such constraints are rather profound and come to the fore very quickly during the Business Process documentation phase. For example, it may be impossible to run a Supply Network Optimizer tool for an entire supply chain network due to lack of data or even lack of sheer horse-power required. While one must admit that proponents of the Supply Chain packages have added every bit and byte to their tools to close in on the perceived gap via a variety of strategies like Memory resident technology, enhanced object-oriented coding logic, Database indexing and even landscape reorganization - however the elusive goal to close in on the gap between business requirement and IT support structure is just that - elusive.
Businesses as of today are constantly and rapidly evolving in an ever-changing economic paradigm. IT infrastructure and Supply Chain tools in particular, are no longer instruments of competitive advantage; rather they are beginning to become survival props. No one is asking if one has a Forecasting or Supply Network planning tool to support organizational needs. The question is more on what one is doing with these tools and how is intelligence being built around and into these tools on a sustained basis.
Based on past few project experiences and this must be the IT hat speaking, business takes a very rigid view around IT tools. These tools are more looked as enablers to the business and as a result become subservient to them. The focus is more around automating repeatable sets or subsets of business processes that do not require manual intervention. There is stark resistance around documenting business rules used during manual intervention. In fact that area of deft manual touches and thoughtful decision making process remains as a no-touch zone where processes around such business-rules are undocumented due to perceived complexity or are part of a bigger political agenda - to protect interventional business interests. Granted that manual intervention is sometimes an art, way beyond comprehension of lesser mechanical props - but still it is not advisable in larger interest to outright close the door.
An IT tool and specifically a Supply Chain tool is a great asset to the business if constant attempts are made to document and configure business rules into the tool. There is a perceived threat to business by wresting away their control and entrusting it in the hands of the system. However, every time Human Civilization has discovered a tool to better its way of living, it has only diversified and enriched their skills in totality. After all IT can be more than just a business enabler - it has potential to cause a revolution way beyond anyone's imagination.
