PlantSuccess Newsletter
Volume I, Issue 14
10/31/01
Dear Subscriber:
Just as there was no way any
of us could anticipate the terrorist attacks of 9-11-01, neither can we
anticipate the aftermath. I find myself reflecting on events that I remember
from some of the darkest days of the Cold War when the proclamation of a
nuclear attack from the Soviet Union was not uncommon. The very different
agendas of many self interests were at play then, just as they are now. We
didn’t have videophones or multiple 24-hour news services at the time and, by
comparison, I think more of the news reports were more studied
The events of the past
several weeks have taken a toll on all of us; the FUD Factor (Fear, Uncertainty
and Doubt) plays on the minds of all of us. If the impact is too strong for too
long -- they win and we lose. Everything I have seen during 30 years in this
field of high technology, plus a few years of service with the U.S. Navy, gives
me confidence that we will win this war. I am equally certain that a dedicated,
concerted and coordinated effort is required. We now call this collaboration;
who is better equipped than the providers and users of engineering software and
services to lead this effort?
Sponsors, speakers,
moderators and other attendees at PlantSuccess 2001, held early this month at
the Philadelphia Airport Marriott, have told me that our focus on the
successful implementation of current technologies was appropriate and very
effective. Sessions were not limited to industry experts moderating the
presentation and Q&A of innovative managers from leaders in the process
industry. A great deal also was gained from events held in the Solutions
Marketplace – breakfast, lunch, beverage breaks and a cocktail reception hosted
by Gold-level sponsor Bentley Systems.
Bent but not broken by the
terrorist attacks, we’re going to do it again. PlantSuccess 2002 is scheduled
for October 9-10, 2002, also at the PHL Airport Marriott. Mark your calendars
now and visit us at www.PlantSuccess.com
to learn more about this unique conference.
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There is no shortage of
information on the state of the US and world economy nor of people wanting to
tell us what this information means. Economic reports have an impact on all of
us and seem to be understood by few. I find views I can understand at www.dismal.com and wish to share a piece by
Craig Thomas, analyst for Economy.com who writes, “You are living in the fourth
quarter. The third quarter can no longer hurt you. It may come back to haunt
you, but it can't hurt you.”
A Bear Can Be
Just As Dangerous As A Bull
A staggering percentage of
today’s overpaid investment analysts were not even in the business at the time
of the second most recent fateful Monday, October 19, 1987, so their comparison
“bearish” and “bullish” conditions is based on what they read and heard from
others. When applied to information technologies, Tim Wilson of
InternetWeek.com claims. “An overly bearish approach to IT could cause
companies to lose market share to bullish competitors.” There are some
important lessons here, read on …
One
Word Describes Jack Welch … Results
Wharton’s Center for
Leadership and Change Management faculty size Welch up as they review the past
two decades at GE. From 1981 through 2000, a period that includes nearly all of
Welch’s tenure, GE’s annual revenue soared from $28 billion to $130 billion,
its earnings rose from $1.65 billion to $12.74 billion, and its stock price saw
a 40-fold increase. We will get to read much more about this icon of success in
US business, this is a good start.
Wireless
Technology via General Motors
Wireless Technology,
forecast to become a major technology in process plants, is likely to take a
rather circuitous route. General Motors plans to spend tens of millions of
dollars over the next 12 months to install wireless LANs throughout its plants
and offices. The goal is to give employees faster access to all kinds of
business information, even as they roam GM's vast facilities. Take heed.
Sharing
Supply Chain Information: What? When?
Operating efficiencies and
faster cycle times are driving supply chain implementations in all
manufacturers. To understand how companies are using the Internet to share
proprietary information with suppliers, Forrester Research surveyed 40 supply
chain executives from $1 billion-plus firms and spoke with strategy
consultants, legal professionals and technology vendors involved with
information sharing. There are many important lessons to be learned.
This Newsletter generates a
substantial number of visits to our website, we welcome the interest and the
access to previous issues of the Newsletter which are available there. If you'd
like to share this newsletter with a colleague, just forward a copy.
Subscriptions and cancellations can be made by sending a request to Carl.Howk@PlantSuccess.com
Full links to Volume I, Issue 14 Newsletter articles:
2.
http://www.dismal.com/dismal/dsp/article.asp?aid=1433
3.
http://www.internetweek.com/graymatter/bits102901.htm
4.
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/articles.cfm?articleid=423&catid=2
5.
http://www.manufacturingsystems.com/midday/default.asp?ID=1082