Digital Transformation Requires Culture and a Start-Up Mentality

How can supply chain professionals contribute to the process of economic and social transformation? T

hat will be th e topic of conversation as some 200 leaders in supply chain management, finance, logist ics, and purchasing meet in Frankfurt on September 26 and 27, 2017, for “EXCHAiNGE – the Sup ply Chainers’ Conference.” The program takes an in-depth look at stability through flexible supply chains, digital sovereignty, smart services, and sustainable business practices. The overriding theme of this year’s conference: Given the unique challenges and accompa nying uncertainty, how is it possible to establish a corporate culture favorable to digital transformation – and what’s the best way to make employees grasp the highly charged issue of di sruption? EXCHAiNGE stands for critical questioning and clear answers.

Focus: Culture of Digital Transformation
Hard-won hierarchies, established power structures, ingrained process chains: Negative inertia often hinders the development of innovative products, solutions, and services. How can genuine innovations emerge and disruptive minds ets become established if employees don’t encounter a nurturing culture for this in the ir companies? “New ideas emerge only after the mold has been broken,” notes Bettina Bohlmann (Managing Partner, 3p Procurement Branding GmbH), whose session will focus on people and leadership styles, trust, personal responsibility, the rules of the game, and collabor ative methods. Stefan Hentschel (Google Germany GmbH), Markus Frank (WMF Group GmbH), and D r. Bernd Rosenkranz (PERI GmbH) will offer real-world perspectives.

Focus: Open Innovation in the Supply Chain
Leveraging both in-house and external expertise is a success factor for supply chain professionals as well. What does an innovative proc ess design for high-functioning cross-enterprise hubs and interfaces look like? Uwe Bernd t (Managing Director, Mainblick – Partners for Strategy and Communications) will pres ent examples that can be quickly implemented and show exactly what established busin esses can learn from start-ups. Dr. Klaus Rüffler (DB Systel GmbH), Michael Sauer (Moti us GmbH), Frederik Brantner (Magazino GmbH), Karl Kirschenhofer (Radio Frequenc y Systems/RFS), and business forecaster Dr. Bernhard Albrecht (Foresight Solutio ns) will offer real-world perspectives. EXCHAiNGE will also touch upon issues such as digit al sovereignty, sustainable business practices, and resilience vs. efficiency.