While automation offers the sector an opportunity to lower costs and boost quality, manufacturing leaders need to steer their organizations carefully and responsibly. To allay the risk of humans losing jobs to robots, they need to ensure staff are equipped with the digital skills they, and their companies, need to prosper.
At the same time, the pressure to meet ever more diverse customer needs requires leaders to forge strong partnerships, both within the supply chain and with other complementary businesses - including competitors. Companies can no longer expect to provide ‘end-to-end’ solutions alone.
Putting this vision into practice will be essential for successful digital-age manufacturing.
Leading responsibly and working in partnership are not only key themes in the manufacturing sector – they are also guiding principles for world leaders.
Responsible and responsive leadership was the main theme at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in 2017, while the need for working in partnership is the main topic at Davos in 2018.
