Thank You For Your Service, Protection, And Support.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." 

-- John F. Kennedy

In this episode, we’re joined by IHL analysts Kelly Sayre and Jerry Sheldon to discuss the ongoing sensationalism of the so-called death of retail – and why it’s simply not true.

Infor® LX is an ERP solution that offers deep industry functionality and flexibility to help you adapt to new manufacturing trends and industry changes. 

Infor LX is a comprehensive, flexible and advanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for mixed mode and process manufacturers that operate with an IBM System i environment (formerly AS / 400 or iSeries). This solution improves the efficiency of the main business processes, including manufacturing, logistics, channel management, customer relations, relations with suppliers and financial management. With Infor LX, companies can improve their efficiency, agility, sustainability and profitability by improving their ability to manage variable demand and adapt to changing market conditions.

Why should you invest in this technology?

Digital transformation is one of the most urgently discussed topics in business today. CIO defines it as “the acceleration of business activities, processes, competencies, and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities of digital technologies and their impact in a strategic and prioritized way.” But more than just acceleration, digital transformation is about the need for businesses to outpace digital disruption and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving business environment. Even though different people might offer alternate definitions, few disagree with the idea that digital transformation is essential to the survival of most businesses today.

In a perfect world, functionality and ease of use would be the top criteria manufacturers use when deciding to purchase, replace, or upgrade their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. Unfortunately, in the real world, cost considerations rear their ugly head. Business leaders are concerned about the price of not only purchasing the solution, but also how much it will cost to implement, support, and maintain. Further, there is significant concern that an ERP implementation will cause significant disruption to the business, cause the organization to lose focus, or even “break” business processes that the company looked upon as core to their success.

Digital technology is changing the world, one industry at a time. With these changes comes a reimagining of the supply chain, from the systems businesses use to communicate and interact, to the strategies they deploy to move goods around the world.

Digitalization gives rise to new business models, in which real-time connectivity, greater visibility, reactivity, and anticipation become the underlying characteristics of our supply chains. But this kind of change isn’t easy, and transformation doesn’t happen overnight.

By taking a staged approach to digital transformation, and building greater connectivity across the supply chain, businesses can pave the way toward a fully connected future, while still being able to tackle the biggest challenges they face right now.

By Nick Castellina, Director of Industry & Solution Strategy at Infor®.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has been mistakenly stereotyped as a back-office miser, worried about only one thing: the company’s bottom-line. CFOs have often been frugal, protecting the company’s wallet with an unwavering vow to be prepared for the proverbial rainy day. At least, that is the old-school notion.