Industry 4.0 economy is characterised by increased competitiveness and concomitant utilisation of key enabling technologies, leading to rapid organisational transformation and change with respect to paradigms, structures, operations and digitisation.
By Cranefield College
To be effective and efficient in the Fourth Industrial Revolution dispensation the total organisational value chain must be structured cross-functionally and programme-managed. This applies to all project portfolios and the supply chain constituting the organisational value chain. Traditional ways of designing, leading, managing and governing organisations can no longer cope with the emerging complexities. Traditional approaches are fast being replaced with agile and flexible structures and practices that perform well and mitigate today’s risk.
The complexity of digital technologies, emerging business models and business environments calls for specialisation and sustainable collaboration at all levels of the modern organisation. High-performing virtual organisations of specialised partners are the critical success factors of the Fourth Industrial Revolution business environment.
Paramount for Industry 4.0 organisations is the enhancement of their
operational resources and innovation potential through the involvement of local,
regional and international virtual networks of partner organisations with adequate logistical support.
This means that cross-functional programme-managed structures and concomitant mindsets, combined with effective and efficient transformational leadership, management and governance collectively constitute the ideal vehicle for delivering the integration, coordination, collaboration and synergy required for mitigating complexity and risk, while achieving essential organisational performance, strategic benefits and value add. Hence, Industry 4.0 organisations are characterised by increasing digitisation and interconnection of products, value chains and business models.
Competitiveness no longer depends solely on the optimisation of one’s own resources, but on total inter-organisational value chain innovativeness and supportive partner technologies, products, services and systems. Customer expectations have soared. Virtual value chains shape organisation into strategic, collaborative, value driven entities, where non-core activities are performed by competent partners with matching organisational cultures and mindsets. A competitive edge is gained by collaboratively performing strategic activities more effectively.
This demands exceptional governance, transformational leadership excellence and profound knowledge of applied programme management. Moreover, this practice will result in efficient planning, monitoring and execution of organisational initiatives, be they supply chain or project-based in nature. Efficient cross-functional and interorganisational supply chain and project management in virtual networks of partners are critical enabling competences expected of Industry 4.0 organisations in all sectors.
Programme management is the link between business strategy and the value it generates when implemented. It is the modern organisational management process through which executives can express their strategic needs and ensure fulfilment. Programme managers support executives and leaders at all levels of the organisation in a tangible way to deliver measurable results in private and public entities. Consequently, all managers better understand their roles for achieving superior organisational performance. This enables operational personnel in ensuring that improvements are well-integrated, coordinated and collaborated to achieve synergy.
Programme management delivers organisational benefits resulting from aligned corporate, business unit and operations strategies. It collaboratively facilitates integrated management of all value chain processes, and delivers successful strategic transformation, innovative continuous improvement and customer service excellence with the aim of achieving optimal strategic benefits.
Programme-managed cross-functional processes serving external customers focus on service excellence in the marketplace. Those serving internal customers predominantly focus on enhancing the proficiency, ie the performance of the organisation and its people.
Successful organisations in the Industry 4.0 economy are customer-driven and dedicated to continuous improvement. They understand the importance of effective programme leveraged organisational learning and transformation. For optimal success in Industry 4.0, one needs to apply programme management principles diligently in leading, creating and improving the modern organisation.
The fundamental values of programme management must be comprehensively understood and how it interconnects with dynamic learning organisations. Incumbents need to distinguish between the various supply chain and project portfolios of the organisational value chain and to recognise the valuable contribution made by having a sound knowledge of project and programme management.
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