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Suntory - User Story
Business Situation:
Suntory wanted to reduce order processing time and provide
better visibility into the order management process, while
maintaining flexibility to meet the specific needs of its various
trade partners.
Solution:
Suntory worked with Jigsaw, a Microsoft Gold Certified
Partner, to introduce a flexible e-business solution enabling a
seamless integration with key customers and partners.
Key Benefits:
- Automated process deliver greater efficiency and
productivity
- Streamlined interactions with customers and partners drive
increased satisfaction.
- People are connected with the information they need.
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DOWNSIZING DANGERS - Think About those Left
Behind
While Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp, rightly proclaims
quick and drastic action is needed to fix the world's economic
ails, hasty cutbacks may cause more problems than they cure.
Retrenched employees, for example, receive all kinds of help and
support. But what about those left behind? How well do
they fare?
And, as Rudyard Kipling wrote: "If you can keep your head
while all around are losing theirs you'll be a man, my son".
You'll be a rare individual, perhaps with the foresight to emulate
the remarkable success of - would you believe - a margarine
manufacturer during an even greater traumatic period. World
War II.
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KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT - Helping secure the
future
Loss of 'corporate memory' as a result of downsizing is one of
the prime reasons given for adopting formal Knowledge Management
practices. Other factors mentioned include global competition and
the pace of change. Perceptive business leaders see Knowledge
Management as a means of avoiding repetition of mistakes, reducing
duplication of effort, saving time on problem-solving, stimulating
innovation and creativity and getting closer to their
customers.
On top of all that, successful corporate leaders well understand
the real market value of a commercial enterprise consists not only
of its physical and financial assets (its 'book value') but also
its intangibles. Assets created through intellectual
activities. These range from acquiring new knowledge
(learning) and inventions to creating valuable relationships.
Intellectual assets thus include things such as patents, copyright
and other forms of intellectual property, often worth many times
the book value.
Formal management of this priceless, sometimes irreplaceable
knowledge and information, has developed from existing practices
and is being adopted by an increasing number of organisations.
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GREATER HARMONY - BIGGER PROFITS - What women bring to
the boardroom
Women once entered the boardroom simply to serve tea and
biscuits. Nowadays, they serve as directors in companies that
not only outperform their 'male only' competitors, but their board
meetings tend to be more harmonious and productive.
During a television interview while still Qantas chairwoman,
Margaret Jackson, said what the national airline wanted was as
diverse a group of people as possible.
"We want people with diverse training, experience and
background. We want people of diverse ages who have been
through different economic cycles. We want gender diversity …
and any other diversity we can think of."
This raises the question of why 54% of Australia's top 200 publicly
listed companies do not have a single woman in an executive
management position, according to the Equal Opportunity for Women
in the Workplace Agency.
Ruth Medd, founder of Australia's 'Women on Boards' which boasts
2200 members, blames the dearth of senior-placed women on the fact
that they have smaller networks than men. "Research indicates
that men do this fairly naturally. We tell people who join
Women on Boards, they to have a plan for the future, be strategic
about it and work at it."
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THE IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING - During Difficult
Times
Expectations are that sales, profits, employment and capital
investment will weaken in the June 2009 quarter.
Despite this, new research shows relatively few directors and
managers understand or, more importantly, practice long-term
strategic planning. They also lack the tactical agility so often
necessary for an organisation to flourish and survive in today's
fickle markets.
What many business leaders think of as strategic planning is
often little more than forecasting and budgeting. Alas, anyone can
jot down figures which, all too often, have no bearing on a
company's real problems and opportunities.
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