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Think Tank Session THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 2002
Current Status Mobile Applications and Mobile Web Services will undoubtedly change how enterprises move goods and deliver services. The question is when and how? A number of factors point to increasing interest in the management of supply chain processes outside the walls of the business as an area where enterprises may turn first. Billions of dollars have been spent to automate processes within the walls of corporations, and the Internet has provided a means to integrate processes among firms within a supply chain. However, little has been done to automate processes outside the enterprise campus. Over 10 million supply chain workers in the U.S. carry a clipboard outside the facility of their employer. A number of enabling technologies are in place which might address this market. GPRS and other data services are becoming pervasive; mobile devices with wireless connections are plentiful. Yet adoption of end-to-end mobile solutions has been slower than some predicted. The needs of enterprises will shape the development of applications, but what are the needs that must be addressed to make the promise of Mobile Supply Chain Management 'practical'? Objective of the Session The objective of this Think Tank Session is to focus on enabling products and technologies from across the supply chain, which will create Practical Mobile Supply Chain Management. The session will address the needs of enterprises, addressing why companies will change, how they will adapt, and what they will do to maximize the potential of Mobile Supply Chain Management. This Think Tank Session is part of a series beginning in the fall 2002 on the strategies and future development of Practical Mobility. Practical Mobile Solutions No single industry group is focusing on practical mobile solutions. Firms from across the value chain will come together to participate in this interactive Session, where each participant will be challenged to share thoughts and views on the future of Mobile Supply Chain Management in the context of business applications for the next 36 month market horizon. Agenda The two-day event will begin with a one-day session for companies providing components of Practical Mobility Solutions: enterprise software providers, wireless operators, network equipment providers, enterprise system integrators, independent software vendors, and others. Attendance will be limited at each value chain segment to permit a robust mix of knowledge and insight within attendance limits. During the second day, end-users of supply chain management solutions will participate. Questions to be addressed at this Think Tank Session include:
WORKING DEFINITION "Practical Mobility" is a class of powerful enterprise solutions that are "practical" because they address real business issues, and "mobile" because they extend outside the four walls of the business. These solutions are attractive because their financial benefits are tangible. Clipboards and paperwork are eliminated. Data entry costs and errors are reduced. Reconciliation for invoicing is improved, cash flow is accelerated, value add for customers is improved, and high-touch CRM is enabled. The technology of Practical Mobility is a convergence of software applications, business content (data), network capability, and user devices. When these four elements are integrated to provide a systems solution, the impact is powerful. In the case of supply chain management, Practical Mobility is attractive because of the high potential returns through improvements such as making the supply chain more agile and reactive, by shortage reductions, by inventory reductions, and by cash flow improvements, among a large number of other potential benefits. THINK TANK SESSION DELIVERABLES
ATTENDANCE FEES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION & ATTENDANCE CONFIRMATION For confirmation of attendance and further information, please contact: Ms. Claire Kahrobaie |