Laurie, What's your understanding of Google's overall objective with all of the technologies the company has introduced or plan to introduce. Some of them have taken off strongly and others have seen limited adoption. For instance, Google's office products should have seen higher usage -- it's free after all -- yet Microsoft continues to sell its Office products. Applications like this impact businesses and one would assume they would be in a hurry to use them. Why has this not been the case and do we have any reasons to believe Google's applications can compete against or replace robust supply chain applications from Microsoft, Oracle or SAP?
Personally, I've set Chrome as my default browser. I used to use Mozilla but encountered some annoyances with searches that went to ads instead of what I wanted, so I switched over. Though I haven't used IE as my main browser in years, there are still times when I have no choice but to use it. Pearson's software does not work properly outside IE, so all who score essays for the company, as I do, cannot opt for their own favorites browsers. I suppose that the powers that be there are die-hard Microsoft fans who had the system designed that way and did not want to bothered to be sure it would work on all platforms.
It is a good point; Google apps portfolio (Chrome included) and cloud architecture are key players in cutting costs toward IT Supply Chain improvement, anyway let's sync up on events happing right now.
Due to strong weather condition abroad UK several public services are down or in critical condition. As past year at this stage, Heathrow is closed, Opeareach is declaring up to 10 MBORC (matter beyond our reasonable control) events a day. This means serious problems in terms network availability and connection to IT systems resident in datacenters and not at own premises.
How much does 1 hour of SAP - Supply Chain cost not available? So cut costs shows feasible if cloud architecture could ensure very strong recovery features.
May Google for example scores one against Microsoft or SAP, in offering "on bundle" apps and connection via its worldwide wireless still in deployment?
Google acquired the cloud word processing and spreadsheet line of applications years ago through an acquisition. Although it does a good job marketing search, when it comes to smaller businesses the company as a whole doesn't see the same success in other areas.
Don't get me wrong. Google has seen plenty of government and state agencies adopt their cloud computing strategy. Apparently, it saves government agencies between 25% and 50% of costs. Google really needs to appeal to small businesses, too.
Chrome OS will begin to attract individuals and small businesses to cloud computing. Google will likely (somehow) build functions into the Android operating system for mobile to get Oracle off their back and put to rest the lawsuit related to Java.
If it were up to Google, every application would be offered in the “cloud”, but we all know this is not the reality.I don’t see Google coming up with a supply chain software suite that can compete with SAP or any other major vendor.But what I could see happening is that “Google-like” companies potentially offering supply chain widgets to compliment ERP systems with an open architecture API or via web services.
It will be interesting to see how chrome OS perform and attract attention of the general public. I recently read that google is distributing free netbooks with chrome OS to chosen few to test. If i talk about the andriod OS for mobiles then google has been quite successful in its strategy to capture as much market share as possible. I still wonder what is their stategy as they can not keep on providing free mobile OS plateform.
Dave,
What you say makes the most sense here.Eventually,its not going to either all In house or all
in the Cloud.A Hybrid model serves the needs of most ordinary users/enterprises the best.
I was recently on the road with patchy Internet connectivity for most part.And this scenario
if I was carrying around a Google OS kind of Machine,my productivity WOULD have been seriously hampered.
So we need a hybrid solution which can be tailored to fit individual(both people as well as company) needs.
Regards
Ashish.
As a IT professional primarily focussed on solving the needs of SMBs,I can say with a lot of certainty that Cloud Apps have a lot of potential for most SMBs.The ability to outsource all but the most critical functions of your core business is a major,major Plus point. Understandably what those Cloud providers could do with the Data raises significant privacy hassles,but that is something which will be sorted out as these companies gain more experience in providing these solutions.
I do not think chrome OS will address the needs of a big manufacturing company that are actually served by the supply chain software. As far as my experience goes, every one uses SAP. Even though I’m not guy with extensive knowledge on the supply chain software, I think it is complex software that works on huge database of existing information and to actually manage all the supply chain tasks online over the computer.
This article can fuel lot of new thoughts. So, I would like to hear from experts regarding how a cloud application can actually benefit the manufacturing companies to have a better supply chain management.
More importantly, the cost savings is what is the major crutch for SMBs. THe opportunity to budget appropriately and keep costs stable is the most important factor for any SMB especially these days.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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