Accenture Technology Vision: Supply Chain Perspective

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#techvision2021
Technology Vision 2021
Supply
Chain
Perspective
Using technology to drive resilience,
relevance, and responsibility

Technology Vision 2021 | accenture.com/technologyvision
Companiesarescalinguptechnologies
atanever-increasingpacetotransform
howtheirsupplychainsoperate,
collaborate,andinnovate.
The digitization of the supply chain is well
under way, and supply chain executives are
looking to technology to help their supply
chains become more relevant to customers,
more resilient to disruptions, and more
responsible to society and the planet.

The 663 supply chain executives who participated
in this year’s research illuminated how technology
can reshape supply chains, which technologies are
their top priorities for adoption, and the impact they
expect these technologies to have.
The growing importance of technology to the
supply chain comes through loud and clear in
the Accenture Technology Vision 2021
research, a systemic review across the
enterprise landscape we’ve been studying
for more than 20 years.
supply chain executives
participated in this year’s
survey
663

Leadershipdemands
technologyinitiative
By accelerating their
transformations to meet the needs
of a world in crisis, supply chains
are igniting a new and different
technology-based future.
Technology is no longer just one vehicle
for success—it’s the vehicle all possible
success depends on. Rapid digital
acceleration during the pandemic has
cemented technology as the cornerstone
of global leadership and new kinds
of value.

Example:
COVID-19 drove Ford to create 10 interactive augmented reality videos
to help customers experience the new electric Mustang Mach-E.
Potential customers can explore all
the features of the new car using a
completely interactive 3D model,
while hearing directly from its
designers and engineers. Potential
customers can do all this without
leaving their homes.
of supply chain executives
report the pace of digital
transformation for their
organization is accelerating.

Leadersdon’twaitforanew
normal,theybuildit
Leaders don’t see change as disruption—
they embrace it as an opportunity to
build something new. Enterprises that
pair big ideas with powerful technology
will turn change-readiness into a
competitive competency and become
the pioneers that build the future.
True leadership will come from
companies embracing radically different
mindsets and models in a world beset by
sweeping change.
Ambitious leaders aren’t content to rehabilitate the
business to the past normal; they’re willing to upend
convention and wield their vision for the future normal.

Example:
Rolls Royce demonstrated the true capacity enterprises have for change
during the pandemic by redesigning its entire automotive supply chain to
begin producing desperately needed ventilators.
Within five weeks, the company had
secured the new parts needed from
across 100 different suppliers,
orchestrated operations across three
sites, and production was underway. of supply chain executives said
they are pursuing new ways of
engaging customers as a result
of COVID-19

Broadenthehorizons
ofleadership
When technology, ambition, and a
commitment to people converge, the
impossible becomes attainable. As
efforts like sustainability and
conscientious consumption become top
initiatives, technology offers a foundation
from which to achieve those goals. To
lead with technology, leaders must
measure its impact through a wider lens.
As they pioneer the new normal,
enterprises are poised to have an outsized
impact on the world around them—and
financial success will only be one measure
of leadership.
Building a better post-pandemic world means expanding
our definition of value to include how well people thrive,
the impact on the environment, growing inclusivity, and
more.

Example:
The pandemic caused seismic workforce imbalances, as some industries
had no demand and a surplus of talented employees while other
industries had surging demand and existing staff couldn’t keep up.
In response, the chief human resources
officers from Accenture, Lincoln
Financial Group, ServiceNow, and
Verizon jointly created the People +
Work Connect digital platform to let HR
professionals from different companies
collaboratively fill talent needs across
their organizations and keep more
people employed.
of supply chain executives said
the pandemic has been their
organization’s largest stress
test.

2021
technology
trends
Transforming the enterprise into a technology
leader cannot be contained to the oversight of the
CIO or CTO alone. To be successful, a digital-first
approach must be fostered by the entire C-suite—
and, especially, the head of supply chain—and
manifested across all areas of the organization.

A new era of industry competition is dawning—
one where companies compete on their
architecture.
Strongergrounds:
Architectinga
betterfuture
Supply chain executives have a huge volume of technology
options and varieties available to them, which enables them
to custom-tailor every layer of their technology architecture,
optimizing the execution of corporate strategy to a degree
never seen before.
Trend
#1

But building and wielding the most
competitive technology stack means
thinking about technology differently.
Business and technology strategies must become
indistinguishable, and enterprises must strive to be technology
leaders. For the supply chain, this means stepping up efforts to
fully embrace technologies that help infuse resilience, forge
stronger customer relationships and build more responsible
operations.

Example:
Bentley is reinventing its design operations around greener materials. For its first
all-electric production model due in 2026, the company is developing a cost-
effective “e-axle” that is fully recyclable and eliminates rare-earth materials.
In addition to zero emissions from
propulsion, Bentley’s project could
significantly reduce the overall
environmental impact of electric cars—
helping to achieve a preferred
sustainable future for society while
positioning Bentley as a leader in that
future.
of supply chain executives
agree they’re facing
technological changes at
unprecedented speed and
scale.

Growing investments in data, AI, and digital twin
technologies are giving rise to a new generation
of business and intelligence: the mirrored world.
Mirroredworld:The
powerofmassive,
intelligent,digitaltwins
Leaders are building intelligent digital twins all across their
organizations and are weaving them together to create
living models of whole factories, supply chains, product
lifecycles, and more.
Trend
#2

As more of the physical world is
represented in the digital space, the
burgeoning mirrored world will unlock
a cornucopia of new opportunities.
Supply chain leaders will be able to bring data and
intelligence together at unprecedented scales; ask and
answer big-picture questions critical to their survival; and
reimagine how the supply chain operates, collaborates,
and innovates—both within the company and across
ecosystem partners.

Example:
Unilever is developing intelligent twins of its factories, using data from
connected devices, machine learning and AI to improve production
efficiency and flexibility.
Its pilot twin in Brazil has saved millions
of dollars by cutting energy use and
increasing productivity by one to three
percent. The company isn’t stopping
there, as Unilever plans twins for all of its
facilities to provide a comprehensive,
digital representation of the entire
supply chain.
of supply chain
executives agree digital
twins will play a key role
in collaboration in
ecosystem
partnerships and
say digital twins will
enable better
enterprise-wide
agility.

A shift is under way in technology development,
which has big implications for the supply chain
workforce.
I,technologist:The
democratizationof
technology
Natural language processing, low-code platforms, robotic
process automation, and more are democratizing
technology, putting powerful capabilities into the hands
of people all across the supply chain.
Trend
#3

While IT will still handle major implementations
and work with the most advanced technologies,
the people closest to day-to-day business
problems—such as creating more accurate
forecasts or squeezing more efficiencies from
manufacturing processes—will be empowered to
create technology-driven solutions themselves.
With democratized technology, every supply chain employee can be an
innovator, optimizing their work, fixing pain points, and keeping the
supply chain operations in lockstep with new and changing needs.

Example:
G&J Pepsi employees with little to no software development experience
used Microsoft’s PowerApps to create eight applications, saving
$500,000 in the first year alone.
And this was just one team of seven
people with no developer; imagine the
power of technology democratization
when these capabilities are scaled
across the entire organization. of supply chain executives plan to
make a moderate or significant
investment in training employees who
don’t have expertise with key tools.

It’s time for enterprises to transform remote work
from an accommodation to an advantage.
Anywhere,
everywhere:Bring
yourownenvironment
Opportunities abound for the businesses ready to rethink
what their organization looks like and what it can achieve
with a virtualized workforce model. That’s even true for the
supply chain, which relies more heavily than many other
functions on “in-person” workforces.
Trend
#4

But simply extending pandemic
policies won’t be enough.
Leaders must now develop “bring your own
environment” (BYOE) strategies, addressing the
necessary cultural shifts, the evolving purpose of
physical space, and the ability to tap into a truly
global talent pool. New sources of skills will be a
particular boon for supply chain executives
struggling with an aging workforce and an
ongoing exodus of vital institutional knowledge.

Example:
Tyson Foods is turning to a new approach to its business—robot
butchers. The company’s meatpacking plants struggled to operate during
the pandemic.
While the robots available today don’t
yet match human ability, they can take
on simpler roles so fewer human
workers need to physically be on the
plant floor at one time. of supply chain executives believe the
remote workforce opens up the
market for difficult-to-find talent, and
expands the competition for talent
among organizations.

The global disruption of COVID-19 ignited a
scramble for enterprises to reimagine their supply
chain partnerships—and multiparty systems
gained newfound attention.
Frommetowe:A
multipartysystem’s
paththroughchaos
The sudden demand for contact tracing, frictionless
payments, and new ways of building trust brought into
sharp focus what had been left undone with enterprises’
existing ecosystems and supply chains.
Trend
#5

The next three years will see rapid change
in customer needs, regulation, and more—
and enterprises are learning they are
stronger together.
Enterprises have the opportunity to craft a new path forward
using multiparty systems, which enable a shared data
infrastructure between individuals and organizations that drive
efficiency and build new business and revenue models. With
multiparty systems supply chains can gain greater resilience
and adaptability; unlock new ways to approach the market; and
set new, ecosystem-forward standards for their industries.

Example:
The Circular Supply Chain is a multiparty system created in partnership
with Mastercard, Amazon Web Services, Everledger, Mercy Corps, and
Accenture.
The cross-industry initiative combines
blockchain-based data sharing,
biometric identity verification, payment
capabilities, and resource planning to
drive more equity and sustainable
practices in global supply chains. By
addressing problems of provenance,
authenticity, and traceability, the system
benefits the entire ecosystem.
of supply chain executives agree that
multiparty systems are poised to
become the center of commerce,
supply chain, and transactions among
partners and customers.

Conclusion
A new future is on the horizon—one that’s different
from what the world expected. Our research clearly
shows that the acceleration of the supply chain’s
digitization post-COVID-19 is well under way and marks
a defining moment for supply chain executives.
Will you watch the world change around you? Or be
the one leading it? People are ready for something new
and it’s time for enterprises to join them.
Let there be change.

Accenture Technology Vision: Supply Chain Perspective

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