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All in Data & Analytics
Jo Hands is talking all about data. Every organisation has it in abundance, but not many companies have it organised and streamlined to drive meaningful outcomes. It's a shame. Data is powerful - data that has been analysed with other variables is powerful. And data can tell you the why - data can tell you why or get you to understand the trend.
Pete Crawford writes for Whiteark about Digital Transformation. This is Part 2 of 2 in depth articles. Digital transformation execution depends on cultural change. Just as the approach to digital transformation requires a strategic, cross-functional and customer-focused mindset – rather than a focus on technological outputs – the success of execution depends on embracing new orientations…
Matthew Webber writes about the challenge has been laid to develop a Supply Chain Strategy that supports Australia’s renewed obsession with lifestyle. The way that we buy, move and sell Is shifting in seismic proportions. We have had all the indicators within our radar for some – the uptake of ecommerce as a legitimate and safe platform for retail shopping, geo political trade wars playing out between large, industrialised nations and emerging nations along with increase consumer insistence on visibility and ethical sourcing practices.
Pete Crawford writes for Whiteark about Digital Transformation. This is Part 1 of 2 in depth articles. This is the first of two articles on digital transformation. Here, we will look at how the digital economy has reconfigured the business value chain and its effect on four key strategic capabilities – employees, customers, operations, and business models.
The economic impact of COVID-19 has led to a material decline in M&A activity globally, including Australia. As a result, we have seen fewer transactions and according to Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters), worldwide M&A activity totaled US$1.2 trillion during H1 of 2020, a drop of 41% compared to a year ago and the slowest opening six-month period since 2013. M&A activity abroad appears to have rebounded to some degree since the end of June 2020, presumably as economies have started to reopen.
Jo Hands explains a fun game to play with your team to solve problems using De Bonos Six Thinking Hats. The Six Thinking Hat technique is used in companies around the world to facilitate decision making and getting people to have good brainstorming conversations.
Technology is changing at a rapid pace and while technology is changing, companies will continue to be forced to change. New technologies can disrupt established businesses, but more importantly they stimulate opportunities for innovation. In today’s environment, business owners are more concerned about missing opportunities to grow, than become obsolete.
Matthew Webber writes about Supply Chain Transformation leadership in action. One of the key attributes for any prosperous supply chain of the modern era is to have the ability to adapt and respond. We can design our supply chains structurally, and technically, to deliver on this outcome, however we do have to move our supply chains from where they are today, to where they need to be in the future. We need to do that through leading our people, our partners and our communities in which we operate.
Jo Hands writes about DeBonos 6 thinking hats, explaining the meaning behind each hat in a little more detail. What hat do you naturally wear, and what hat is outside your comfort zone? Explore the six hats in a bit more detail...
Matthew Webber writes about how competitive advantage is now shifting to the Supply Chain. We are living in very uncertain times, driven by the various disruptions that are playing out in front of our very eyes. The level of disruption is often overwhelming, and the certainty, safety and security of our supply chains are under threat. It will be those organisations that can bring a level of consistency and reliability in their supply chains that will...
Jo Hands writes about DeBono’s White Hat Theory and how the different hats apply to Whiteark. We know that successful companies work to proactively listen to different perspectives from across their organisation. Finding ways to do this where people feel comfortable to share their views/ideas is critical…
Pete Crawford writes for Whiteark about governing data - moving from principles to practice. Let’s face it, data governance has a reputation of being a worthy, essential, but staid topic – a necessary prop underpinning aggressive innovative strategies or new analytic frontiers such as automated decision platforms powered by Deep Learning models.
How data teams organise themselves and evolve their operating model directly dictates the speed and success in delivering clearly defined value. There is often ambiguity associated over team roles – especially as tasks change in response to technology services that accelerate the ability to automate, collaborate and experiment.
Pete Crawford writes for Whiteark about positioning your data and analytics within your organisation. Regardless of whether a data team is comprised of two, 20 or 100 people its ability to produce actionable insights and outcomes is heavily compromised if capabilities are not aligned to business needs.
Matthew Webber writes about retail transformation in disruptive times. It is both confronting and somewhat depressing to turn the pages (physically or digitally) of a newspaper to see yet another retailer fall victim to the economic climate. There is nothing nice about an empty shop front, the loss of jobs or the withdrawal of an important community institution.
Pete Crawford writes for Whiteark about how we should be treating data as a product. He explains, even prior to COVID, the development of mature data and analytics capabilities was regarded by over 75% of organisations as a ‘mission-critical function’ as central as IT, HR and finance units. Now, there is even greater urgency to formalise data as a cornerstone of digital transformation.
Matthew Webber writes about rethinking our Global Supply Chains. The world as we know it has changed. The speed, the relationships, the priorities, the tastes. We can access information, goods and services quicker than ever – and our environments politically, environmentally and structurally seem more volatile than ever before. And this is before we even get to the great awakener in COVID -19.
The CFO role is not an easy one - there is a real struggle between short term financial objectives and long-term strategic outcomes. Both are very important but need to be balanced. Getting your priorities right will ensure you thrive and not just survive which ultimately is the goal for every organisation.
Return on investment is an overused phrase but an underused concept in business. What return are you going to make for that investment? What is the payback period and how confident are you on the return? Say a company can only afford to spend $20 million on investment each year how does it decide what to invest in?
It seems simple and makes sense but many companies struggle to track and measure their financial and strategic performance. At the beginning of the year, as you reset your priorities post covid-19, it is imperative that you understand a range of metrics and measurement tools. Having a weekly scorecard that measures your top 10-15 metrics is critical.
