The Advancement of Technology and the Adoption of the Same in the Manufacturing Sector - Essay Example

Research Paper INTRODUCTION In the modern business environment, companies which are operating in the global and domestic markets have the need to develop strategies in an efficient manner with regard to enhancing their sustainability for a longer period of time. It has been analyzed that it is the reputation of the company that enables it to ensure a distinct position for itself among the competitors in the global marketplace. This aspect is evident for all players in the global scenario irrespective of the scale, nature or the type of industries they are identified to be operating in. In this context, it will be significant to portray that organizations operating in the manufacturing sector also face immense competition in their operational approach owing to the increasing number of entrants and established brands offering similar products in the global market. This aspect forces companies to develop effective and distinct strategies to deal with or sustain in the competitive scenario. Companies in the manufacturing sector also has the need to perform effectively and efficiently in domain of their business so that they can outdo the performance of their competitors and obtain greater advantages that can suffice their long-run sustainability needs. It is often argued that in order to attain the above mentioned goals and objectives in the business, proper execution of the plans and decisions is the ultimate approach that can be considered appropriate. Contextually, the role of advanced information technology (IT) emerges in the scene. With the implementation of IT in the modern day manufacturing activities, various functions of this particular business domain are deemed to become more efficient (Tsai 41-105). THESIS STATEMENT Notably, with the advancement of technology and the adoption of the same in the manufacturing sector, it could bring positive results for the companies operating in that particular sector. Contextually, this particular research will primarily focus on depicting the present scenario of the implementation of IT within the manufacturing sector. The research will also emphasize depicting the impact of IT on the working approaches of companies operating in the manufacturing sector in a comprehensive manner. CURRENT STATE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Observably, with the advent of technology and the progression of the same over the last few decades, changes have been triggered in various domains of the society especially including the business world in a comprehensive manner altogether. Notably, among the various business domains that exist, the presence of IT in the manufacturing sector is deemed to be quite apparent. It is evident that manufacturing is one of the most crucial and integral parts of the business operations of companies in the contemporary world. Believably, it is the quality of the products companies’ offer that catches the attention of the customers in the global market. Contextually, the quality of products or merchandises of companies is primarily ensured during the manufacturing process. Notably, the manufacturing sector of the global business world has experienced an unrestrained development with marginal drop during the period of global recession which had affected the demand of the manufacturing products upto a negligible extent. Despite this consequence, manufacturing still remains among the critically important sectors for both the developing along with the advanced world. It will be crucial to mention that the development and the stable operations of this particular sector are largely owing to its responsiveness towards the external changes including the technological advancement as well. In the present day context, the use of IT in the manufacturing sector has been quite extensive to say the least. In order to sustain in the era of growth and innovation, companies in the manufacturing sector have eliminated all reluctance towards implementing advanced technologies in their operations. It will be crucial to mention that in the present scenario, companies invest a considerable level of operational revenue in the domain of technology to earn maximum benefits from IT implementations. Notably, through implementing advanced IT, companies are now been able to ensure flexibility in their global operations along with standardizing their overall business operations. Technology in the present manufacturing sector is assisting business in different domains which include business transformations, accelerating innovations along with enhancing the operations of the business units to a considerable extent. With the advanced IT in this particular sector, companies are able to combine the aspect of technology with that of business expertise to emerge with creative and innovative results. Through IT and its implementation in the manufacturing sector, companies are also able to ensure more flexibility in their operational approaches (Infosys Limited, “Building Tomorrow’s Industrial Manufacturing Enterprise”). Contextually, with the implementation of IT preoperative such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), companies are able to analyze their present and past performances and business processes along with further planning the activities of the future in an efficient and effective manner. This in turn assures an accurate forecast of the future challenges (Dhunna and Dixit 40-74). Furthermore, in the present day context with regard to the implementation of technology in the manufacturing sector, companies are mainly observed to take up the approach of using IT in proper communication and inspection during the production process. With proper inspection of the product during the manufacturing stages, companies in the manufacturing sector are able to ensure maximum quality of the products further affirming customers satisfaction to the highest extent. Again with proper IT communications tools and techniques, companies are able to assure firm communication at all business levels, thereby further enabling a proper flow in the entire process with fewer errors. In order to depict the wideness of the use of IT in the manufacturing sector in the present day scenario, the example of the Canadian manufacturing sector will be vital to ascertain. Notably, in the manufacturing sector of Canada, large firms implement advanced IT tools in manufacturing 48% of their manufacturing products. Furthermore, 82% of the players in the sector use multi-technology in executing their business activities. The use of IT in the manufacturing sector of the country is mainly observed in the production process, the product design process, the process of fabrication, and product assembling and product inspection among others (Baldwin, Diverty and Sabourin 1-35). All these approaches with regard to the use of IT in manufacturing sector account for maximum efficiency for the overall sector. IMPACT OF IT ON MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES From the above analysis, it can be depicted that the prevalence of IT in the manufacturing sector is quite wide and among the integral parts of the operations of business. This section of the research will mainly intend to highlight the impact of IT on the working approach of the manufacturing sector. It is believed that in the manufacturing sector, players are devoted to produce high quality tangible products with assuring maximum cost efficiency for the same. Contextually, these players are deemed to adopt the approach of innovativeness and creativity in designing the products so that the goals and objectives of the manufacturing business could be attained. In this regard, the role of IT in this sector comes into existence. Notably, an enormous level of information is being transferred from one section of the manufacturing department to the other in order to ensure proper designing of the product in this particular sector. The use of information technology in this particular sector can also be seen during assuring the quality of the products with regard to satisfying the changing demands of the customers. Observably, the use of IT in the manufacturing sector has also ensured substantial improvement in the manufacturing sector operations and their working approach. It has also been analyzed that the emergence of IT in the manufacturing sector has also enabled the companies to ensure maximum effectiveness in the information-oriented operations in the manufacturing activities along with enabling the integration of the various different business processes through the implementation of IT. Furthermore, the impact of IT in the manufacturing domain can also be identified in the supply chain of the manufacturing companies. Notably, through implementing advanced IT in their operations, manufacturing companies are able to create better communication and coordination with various different members of their supply chain. With the use of advanced technologies companies in the manufacturing sector are able to form proper communication amid the equipment and the station within the supply chain. Furthermore, in the similar regard, companies using IT in the manufacturing sector are also able to form a better coordination with the suppliers, partners, distributers and the customers altogether in a comprehensive and effective manner. The use of IT is also witnessed as a key element in core production process of the manufacturing processes. Notably, with the emergence or the extensive use of IT in the manufacturing sector, companies are now been able to adopt a rapid approach in shifting from one product to another within the manufacturing process. Furthermore, with the extensive use of IT by the companies in this particular sector, they are now capable of engaging new and attractive concepts with regard to the production process along with designing the product. This is deemed to be one of the major impacts of the emergence of IT in the manufacturing sector of the world (Committee to Study Information Technology and Manufacturing, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, National Research Council 1-60). Notably, apart from product designing and forming communication amid the various internal members of the supply chain within the manufacturing unit, the aspect if IT is also deemed to be quite significant with regard to delivering the products to the final buyers. It is believed that efficient and timely deliverance of products to the customers is one of the major approaches of business that assures maximum success for companies in the global business market. Contextually, with the implementation of the IT in the manufacturing sector companies are now been able to ensure faster deliverance of the products to the customers, thereby further enabling maximum time efficacy. This is again a visible and significant impact of IT in the sector. As mentioned earlier, with the extensive use of IT in the manufacturing domain, companies are now able to ensure a better communication with various stakeholders of the business. Contextually, companies are able to form a more intimate communication with the customers through the use of advanced technology which again acts positively towards ensuring maximum loyalty of the customers towards the business. This aspect is again a positive impact of the implementation of IT in the manufacturing sector of the world. It is believed that maximum utilization of resource is another crucial approach that is significant in determining noteworthy success for overall business. In this regard too, the role of IT is prominent in the manufacturing sector of the world. Notably, with the implementation of the advanced technologies, companies are now able to have a better supervision of the various operational domains of the manufacturing which further enable them to gain a better understanding of the current utilization of the business resources and its effectiveness altogether (Committee to Study Information Technology and Manufacturing, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, National Research Council 1-60). This further aids the management of the business to take more accurate decisions with regard to acquiring or utilizing resources which is again a positive prospect for the overall manufacturing business. FUTURE POTENTIAL USE OF IT IN MANUFACTURING It is depicted in the above discussion that IT has an extensive use in the field of manufacturing in a worldwide context. Contextually, it can also be determined that with the increasing level of competition in the global business environment including the manufacturing sector, the challenges for the companies are deemed to get enhanced or augmented in the future context. Subsequently, companies have the need to continuously develop their business approaches in order to ensure maximum sustainability. Hence, players in the manufacturing sector will need to emphasize the continuous implementation of the technology in the future context. It will be recommended that companies in this particular sector will have the need to accommodate with the changing technological environment and move in accordance with the same in their business approaches. This approach will also assist companies to gain competitive advantage in the global environment. Notably, ensuring sustainable environment performance is one of the key aspects that will ensure companies to gain sustainability ion the long run. Various researches conducted in the domain of renewable technologies, including wind, solar and water have yielded different noteworthy applications/techniques for the manufacturing business to deal with the increasing level of environmental performance. Contextually, technological development in the domain of nanotechnology, wireless communication along with fuel cells is believed to be significant in dealing with the environmental challenges of the companies in the manufacturing sector in the future context (EOS, “For The Technology-Interested”). Again, the use of the emerging technology of additive manufacturing is also another potential future application of IT in this particular sector. Notably, additive manufacturing also regarded as 3-D printing is one of the latest developments in the world of technology. It is particular technology has the potential to overcome the limits that are imposed by the conventional methods of production. The technology can be used both in the aspect of product design through prototyping as well as in the domain of distributive manufacturing through the process or the applications advanced architecture. Notably, the technology will be potentially beneficial both in the domain of ensuring time and cost efficacy further benefitting the overall manufacturing sector to attain decisive competitiveness in the future (DIPP, “National Manufacturing Policy: A Discussion Paper”). The implementation of industrial robotics might also be a potential use of IT in the manufacturing sector to gain competitive advantage for a longer duration of time in the global market. Notably, the technology is in the initial phase of its implementation and promises to be beneficial for the manufacturing sector in the future context. It has been analyzed that the technology of industrial robotics is a systematic program which is automatically controlled and reprogrammable in nature. In the future context, this particular technology can be an important tool which can be extensively implemented in the manufacturing sector (Baily and Bosworth 3-26). Hence, it is quite apparent that companies can implement numerous emerging technologies in their operations which can further enable to gain competitive advantage over their competitors in the global manufacturing sector. CONCLUSION From the overall analysis of the paper, it can be comprehended that with the changing nature of the modern day business environment, the approaches of conducting the business has also been transformed at a rapid manner. The companies operating in various sectors have the challenges to deal with immense competition which again encourages them to bring in innovative, efficient as well as cost and quality efficient ideas which further provide them long-term sustainability and competitive advantage. This aspect is also evident in the manufacturing industry of the world. Notably, the manufacturing industry of the world has an extensive implementation of advanced IT tools and techniques in their operations. Companies are able to gain high level of efficiency and effectiveness in their operations with the implementation of IT in their work process. This aspect has also been regarded as one of the major causes of continuous development of the manufacturing sector in the world scenario. Certain potential emerging technologies have also been determined in the discussion which can be implemented in the manufacturing industry in the future context in order to ensure utmost competitiveness in the business operations. Hence, it can be concluded that the significance of IT in the global manufacturing sector is quite widespread and extensive. Works Cited Baily, Martin Neil, and Barry P. Bosworth. ”US Manufacturing: Understanding Its Past and Its Potential Future.” Journal of Economic Perspectives 28.1 (2014): 3-26. Print. Baldwin, John R. Brent Diverty, and David Sabourin. ”Technology Use and Industrial Transformation: Empirical Perspective.” The Pennsylvania State University (2014): 1-35. Print. Committee to Study Information Technology and Manufacturing, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board and National Research Council. Information Technology for Manufacturing: A Research Agenda. United States: National Academies Press, 1995. Print. Dhunna, Mukesh, and J. B. Dixit. Information Technology in Business Management. New Delhi: Laxmi Publications, Ltd, 2010. Print. “National Manufacturing Policy: A Discussion Paper.” DIPP. 2010. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. “For The Technology-Interested.” EOS. n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. “Building Tomorrow’s Industrial Manufacturing Enterprise.” Infosys Limited. 2014. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. Tsai, Hui-Liang. Information Technology and Business Process Reengineering: New Perspectives and Strategies. United States: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003. Print. Read More