Local businesses encouraged to think ‘outside the box’

A world-renowned futurist will provide guests attending this year’s SAPICS Conference and Exhibition with valuable insight into the considerable impact that seemingly insignificant market trends can have on a business.

(Date), 2011: South African supply chain and operations management professionals can learn how to overcome the challenges of functioning and succeeding in today’s unpredictable global economy, by thinking ‘out-of-the-box’.

Internationally-recognised futurist and motivational speaker, Dr Jack Bacon will present his paper ‘Nonlinear Thinking for a Nonlinear World’, at the 33rd annual SAPICS Conference and Exhibition, which is being held at Sun City between June 26 and June 28 2011, and is expected to draw in more than 1 000 delegates from around the world.

Bacon notes that humans instinctively tend to match common patterns, and use those patterns of familiar data to jump to a fast conclusion, which is known as ‘linear thinking’. “This is a simple way of extending past trends to forecast short terms in the future.  However, the extrapolation of past behaviours is adequate, only if we understand most of the patterns around us,” he explains.

In today’s modern and ever-evolving economy, Bacon stresses that it is vitally-important to embrace and adapt to changes, no matter how insignificant they may initially seem. “The challenge is appreciating what is merely random ‘ups-and-downs’ of the market, and what is in fact the beginnings of a fundamental shift. We find many examples where businesses are insensitive to the meaning of subtle changes, which are the first indications of explosive changes in society.”
Bacon highlights the fact that old management practices must become more flexible and learn to respond more swiftly to greater risks. “The Developing World in particular, is called that for a reason, as it is developing faster than other economies.  Its consumers and suppliers will double in population in 50 years, and that needs to be taken into account.”

As part of his presentation, Bacon will discuss major new trends that will shape the second decade of the 21st century. “Peak oil will certainly change the way society views fuel and fuel efficiency.  It will drive most operators to modernise their fleets, and increase computational modelling of traffic.  Radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies will lead to a sea of new data and communications capabilities to monitor individual goods in transit, with significant potential commercial advantages for those that exploit them,” he continues.

Looking to the future, Bacon believes that the biggest ‘linear-thinking’ challenge facing the supply chain industry is its enormous capital investments. “It is important that this capital be amortised over many years, without worrying about accelerating changes to the business environment. The new Panama Canal will be a game changer for many, and the potential upheavals of a revised recession are a very real threat, where the traditional developed-world markets are very vulnerable,” he notes. “Penetration of large, consolidated supply chains into the developing world will challenge the road, rail, and port infrastructure, which may not be ready for the economies-of-scale that have guided past practices in supply chain,” he continues.

The SAPICS Conference and Exhibition will cover a wide variety of topics relevant to the profession, including; skills shortages, optimisation within the supply chain and environmental applications to industry. This year’s conference boasts an exceptional line-up of international speakers’ presentations, in addition to Bacon’s.
These include;  ‘Aligning S&OP to strategic intent and the shape of the future product portfolio’ by Andy Coldrick of Ling and Coldrick; ‘Communications – your number one forecasting tool’ by Ed White, supply chain specialist for Bayer Canada; and ‘Corruption – the Bane of Africa’, by Professor Patrick Lumumba, director and chief executive of Kenya anti-corruption commission.

What’s more, SAPICS has also added new fast-track 30-minute presentations in addition to the traditional 50-minute presentations at this year’s conference. Together with these presentations, the conference and exhibition programme will include a wide variety of relevant and informative case studies from local companies, numerous workshops, learning games and panel discussions, combined with cutting-edge technological products and services. 
Over the past decade, the Annual SAPICS Conference and Exhibition has consistently proven itself to be the leading event for operations management and supply chain professionals in Africa, and Bacon notes that he is looking forward to meeting and interacting with supply chain professionals in South Africa. 
“My work rewards me with an ever-freshening perspective of trends in many cultures, and I am looking forward to returning to South Africa.  I was captivated in 2007 during my last visit, and I am delighted to return and to explore much more of the country,” he concludes.