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Shaping the future of global manufacturing supply networks: programme & abstracts


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Srai, Jagjit Singh 

Abstract

The 23rd Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium will once again bring together industry, academia and policymakers, providing an opportunity for open dialogue and insights into practice and research. This year’s Symposium will focus on the theme of ‘Shaping the future of global manufacturing supply networks: Delivering sustainable value for producers and consumers through digital platforms’.

Advanced production and digital technologies are offering new opportunities for more responsive, flexible and potentially more distributed manufacturing located closer to consumers. E-Commerce distribution models are also emerging, as are digital platform businesses that are connecting end-users with producers and service providers. These developments are significant not just for manufacturers and their supply chains, but also for consumers and society at large. And whilst these technology developments suggest radically different digitalised manufacturing supply chains, technology adoption is far from straightforward, with many pilot applications not progressing to full scale.

Throughout the two days, the Symposium provides an opportunity to share experiences on how firms might better exploit these new opportunities in order to reconceptualise their supply chain operations and escape the pilot purgatory of experimentation without exploitation. At a strategic level for example, how do firms choose which technologies to focus on? As manufacturing supply chains becoming extended operating right through to end users, what strategic partnerships are required? And how do companies acquire or develop the right skills? Do supply chains of the future require different governance arrangements as they leverage new information flows and will they require industry, academia and regulators to work more closely together?

Whilst exemplar ‘Lighthouse’ applications are now emerging, widespread adoption remains limited. So is this supply chain transformation driven by advanced manufacturing and digital technologies more hype than reality? Our invited industry speakers suggest otherwise and will be addressing realworld applications that are making a difference in their organisations. As per our usual format, we have some outstanding senior industrial speakers on the first day of our Symposium, from Caterpillar, Electrolux, IKEA, Microsoft, Unilever, and Wehkamp who will presenting exemplar initiatives from their manufacturing supply chain operations and thoughts on future developments.

We are also delighted to have leading academic keynotes to kick-off day 2, sharing insights on two important developments related to the Symposium theme, the emergence of digital platform businesses that connect producers with consumers, and how manufacturing technologies might support circular economy business models. Professor Geoffrey G. Parker (Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, USA) will be sharing recent developments in digital platform businesses and how manufacturing organisations might consider such transformations. Professor Lenny Koh (Founder and Director of the Advanced Resource Efficiency Centre (AREC), University of Sheffield, UK) will be sharing her research on resource-efficient supply chains. Academic keynote talks will be followed by parallel tracks on the topics relating to our main research themes.

I am sure you will enjoy the engaging yet informal atmosphere of our rather unique academicpractitioner- policy community, one that has developed its own modus operandi in shaping the forward research agenda. As part of this continued exchange of ideas we are very much looking forward to welcoming you to the 2019 Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium.

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