Dive Brief:

• Today's supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, so companies looking to adopt new technology must first realign their priorities to ensure efficient change management.
• Companies should prioritize new workforce skills, greater opportunities for data analytics and enhanced cyber security when looking to adopt a digital supply network, Stephen Laaper, principal and digital supply networks leader for Deloitte Consulting told Supply Chain Dive.
• The three priorities will help companies adapt and be competitive when faced with modern challenges. After all, as the popular mantra states, any technology applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency.

Dive Insight:

Adopting a digital supply network demands different job skills from those of a traditional supply chain. Staff must be able to work across the entire scope of the chain, rather than simply occupy a single role. Digital natives from fields like engineering, computer science, and mathematics will most likely be best equipped in cross-pollination of operations tasks. 

The vastness of newly generated data must also be better utilized, since going digital will produce even more data than what's already available.

"Companies need to rapidly access, assess, and analyze the data produced in order to make a critical difference in their supply chain," Laaper said. "Extracting value from the information contained in the data will make a critical difference in outperforming competitors. Clear decisions, made quickly, are required for success."

Finally, enhancing cyber security is essential as the explosion of data also increases opportunities for hackers to access systems, according to Laaper.