DSAG Annual Congress 2022: People and processes as key factors for transformation

The entire world is in transition. The recent past in particular has repeatedly shown how vulnerable the economy is to market changes. To remain relevant and competitive, companies must constantly adapt to changing conditions. Remaining stuck in old processes and failing to innovate endangers the very existence of companies. Companies can no longer avoid their transformation. That is why several presentations during the keynote on the second day of the DSAG Annual Congress 2022 looked at change from different perspectives.

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The coverage of the DSAG Annual Congress 2022 at a glance:

• Preview: IBsolution at the DSAG Annual Congress 2022

• Day 1: Shaping is better than keeping up

• Day 2: People and processes as key factors for transformation

• Day 3: Summary and philosophy

Agile corporate culture

Employees play a crucial role in the successful transformation of companies. They must be ready to embrace the new and acquire the necessary skills to make the adaptation a success. Companies are called to action now in order to be successful in the future. Agility and openness are becoming indispensable components of a contemporary corporate and management culture.

It is the task of management to lead by example, to bring people along with them and to inspire them to embrace change. Distinct communication and continuous learning are among the characteristics of successful companies. The message at the DSAG Annual Congress 2022 was clear: There are no simple solutions to complex challenges.

Better adaptability of supply chains

Supply chains have been particularly affected by the aftermath of the Corona pandemic and the Ukraine war and have not functioned as usual. Here, too, transformation is needed to enable companies to respond with agility and flexibility to supply chain impairments. In our globalized world, companies are parts of complex systems and internationally operating production and logistics networks. This results in high demands on collaboration, exchange and communication.

Supply chain management software should effectively support companies in their processes along the entire supply chain. On the one hand, this concerns networking with external partners to ensure a smooth flow of goods, and on the other hand, vertical integration into production processes on the shop floor, which, for example, ensures continuous data exchange between production units and IT systems. Functionalities for production planning and control, for monitoring autonomously acting production, and for clear reporting ensure transparency and create the prerequisite for companies to adapt their supply chains to changing conditions more quickly than before.

Transformation at process level

Technology is undoubtedly an important factor for transformation, but by no means the only one. As the world changes faster and faster, companies need to find ways to adapt, especially at the process level. Since the acquisition of Signavio last year, SAP’s portfolio includes a comprehensive process management solution that provides companies with relevant insights into their core processes and enables them to compare their own processes with industry benchmarks.

Two aspects are crucial when it comes to increasing the speed of change in the company. First, there is a need to quickly gain insights into what is going well in terms of business processes and where there is a need for optimization. To this end, SAP Signavio analyzes existing processes and uses benchmarks and KPIs to identify the most important areas for action. In addition, the software compares the company’s own processes with industry-specific best practices.

Second, SAP Signavio uses this as a basis to provide recommendations on how to implement adjustments and improvements as quickly as possible. For the prioritization of measures, the question of which processes have the greatest influence on the company’s performance and where the most important levers lie from a process perspective is also taken into account. What becomes clear: A purely technology-focused transformation falls short. Companies must take a holistic approach to transformation. This is because 60 to 70% of the changes do not take place in the technology, but in the organization.