Beating the rain with a sophisticated information system

Unexpected events are a constant challenge to managers. While good leaders can mitigate the effects of any sudden changes on business operations, the ability to do so is often maimed by complexity, particularly in the case of globalized supply chains. But with the development of information systems for business, the challenge has become more conquerable for managers around the globe.

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Today’s globalized supply chains operate amidst various factors that can affect them both positively and negatively. Many of these factors are foreseeable, but some occur without warning. Sudden events, such as earthquakes and other calamities, political upheavals, and epidemics, among others, often have adverse effects on the supply chain.

Primarily, these factors can disrupt logistics and interrupt the smooth flow of products and services from manufacturers to customers. Distance—a common hindrance in any globalized operations—can reduce the manager’s capacity to mitigate the damage done. Products lost to unexpected events translate to wasted resources and unattainable profits.

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Companies nowadays utilize information systems to reduce the losses incurred due to unexpected occurrences. Using them, managers have better access to information on the state of business operations, this regardless of distance. They are also able to make more accurate predictions based on logic and probability.

Moreover, managers can devise solutions using information systems. In the case of disrupted logistics, they can find alternative routes and methods to transport goods within the deadline without exerting too much effort. This can also serve to even out inconsistencies and inefficiencies across the entire supply chain.

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Information systems have multiple uses in today’s organizations. Indeed, they have become indispensable components of any company’s preparation for sudden changes, and one of the best investments in avoiding loss.

During his stint as CIO of Levi Strauss, David Bergen used his expertise in information systems to effect changes that enhanced the company’s supply chain. Learn more by visiting this Facebook page.