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Smart Manufacturing & Future Factory

Author4o — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:54:36 +0000

Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future : A Pragmatic Path to Industry 5.0 and Measurable Impact

Executive Summary

Manufacturing is at an inflection point. Persistent supply chain volatility, increasing product complexity, workforce challenges, and rising sustainability expectations are exposing the limits of fragmented digital initiatives. Incremental automation and isolated digital tools are no longer sufficient. What is required is a more holistic transformation of how products are designed, produced, operated, and sustained.

Industry 5.0 reframes the manufacturing agenda around human centricity, resilience, and sustainability. Achieving this vision depends on Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future, enabled by tightly integrated digital technologies, advanced analytics, and adaptive systems that connect engineering, supply chain, manufacturing & operations, quality & regulatory, and service.

This article presents a pragmatic roadmap for manufacturers seeking to move from ambition to execution. It highlights the role of ET-IT-OT-AI integration, Digital Threads & Digital Twins as foundational capabilities, and the practical application of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence including Generative AI and Industrial AI, robotics, and the industrial metaverse.

Industry Context and Key Trends

The transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 builds on connectivity and automation but extends the focus to collaboration between humans and intelligent systems, long term sustainability, and operational resilience.

• Integration of ET (Engineering Technologies), IT (Information Technologies), and OT (Operational Technologies): Engineering systems, enterprise platforms, and shop floor operations must converge to enable real time visibility and coordinated execution. This integration forms the backbone of Smart Manufacturing, ensuring that decisions made in design and planning are continuously informed by production and operational reality.

• Digital Continuity Across the Value Chain: Digital Thread connects as-designed, as-built, and as-operated data into a continuous lifecycle view. When implemented through Digital Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Connected Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM), it enables traceability, faster feedback loops, improved quality, and more effective compliance management. Digital continuity also shortens the distance between innovation and execution.

• Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing: Artificial Intelligence is moving from experimentation to scaled adoption. Predictive analytics improve asset reliability and quality performance. Generative AI accelerates design exploration, documentation, and contextual knowledge access. Industrial AI applies these capabilities to complex production environments, enabling adaptive control, anomaly detection, and increasingly autonomous decision making. When combined with robotics, AI enables flexible production, precision operations, and safer, more ergonomic workflows.

• Digital Twins and the Industrial Metaverse: Digital twins provide virtual representations of products, processes, and assets that can be simulated and optimized before changes are made in the physical world. The industrial metaverse extends this capability through immersive environments that support collaborative planning, virtual commissioning, remote assistance, and workforce training.

• Sustainability as a Core Manufacturing Imperative: Sustainability is no longer a parallel initiative. Energy optimization, emissions transparency, and circular economy principles are shaping investment and operational priorities. Digital technologies enable real time ESG monitoring and predictive insights that allow sustainability goals to be embedded directly into manufacturing decisions.

Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future

Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future are not abstract concepts. Together, they represent an integrated, intelligent, and adaptive manufacturing ecosystem that seamlessly connects physical operations with digital intelligence.

Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future

Core Principles and Characteristics

• Connected operations ensure that machines, sensors, and enterprise systems share data across the value chain, enabling end to end proactive visibility.

• Closed loop feedback mechanisms use continuous monitoring and analytics to drive automated adjustments that protect quality and efficiency.

• AI driven optimization applies Industrial AI to predictive maintenance, dynamic scheduling, and process optimization, while Generative AI enhances design agility and documentation quality.

• Robotics integration introduces collaborative robots and autonomous systems that increase flexibility, throughput, and workplace safety.

• Digital twins and simulation enable proactive decision making, scenario planning, and faster commissioning of new products and facilities.

• Immersive collaboration through industrial metaverse platforms supports virtual commissioning, ergonomic design validation, and remote expert assistance.

• Sustainable operations rely on real time tracking of emissions, energy, and resource consumption to ensure compliance and continuous improvement.

• Human centric design uses augmented reality, AI guided workflows, and assistive technologies to empower workers, improve productivity, and reduce cognitive and physical strain.

A Pragmatic Roadmap to Transformation

Transformation must be phased, outcome driven, and scalable. Successful manufacturers approach Smart Manufacturing as a journey rather than a single program.

• Assess current maturity by benchmarking capabilities against an Industry 5.0 maturity model and identifying gaps in connectivity, orchestration, and optimization.

• Build strong digital foundations by implementing Digital PLM and Digital Thread to unify product and process data across the lifecycle. Integrate manufacturing execution systems and IoT platforms to establish real time shop floor visibility.

• Enable ET-IT-OT convergence through standards-based architectures and interoperable platforms that connect engineering, enterprise, and operational systems.

• Activate Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI by deploying predictive maintenance, quality analytics, and dynamic scheduling use cases. Apply Generative AI for knowledge assistance and automated documentation and extend Industrial AI into adaptive control and optimization.

• Leverage robotics and automation by introducing collaborative robots for assembly, inspection, and material handling, and combining them with AI to support autonomous and precision driven operations.

• Adopt industrial metaverse capabilities by piloting immersive simulations for factory layout, robotic cell design, and workforce training, then extending to virtual commissioning and remote operations support.

• Embed sustainability directly into operations by integrating ESG metrics into operational dashboards and applying AI driven analytics to optimize energy and material usage.

• Empower the workforce through augmented reality guided workflows, collaborative robotics, and continuous upskilling delivered through immersive and experiential training environments.

Illustrative Examples

• A global manufacturer integrated manufacturing execution and IoT platforms, reducing downtime by 25% and improving overall equipment effectiveness by 15%

• A chemical producer used digital twins to simulate production scenarios, resulting in a 12% reduction in energy consumption

• A medical device company deployed augmented reality guided workflows and collaborative robots, reducing errors by 30% and significantly accelerating changeovers

• An automotive manufacturer applied Industrial AI models to predict equipment failures, cutting unplanned downtime by 40%

• A food and beverage company used virtual reality simulations for operator training, improving onboarding speed by 50%

Outcomes and Value Realization

Organizations that embrace Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future capabilities consistently report measurable business outcomes. These include cycle time reductions of up to 45%, defect reductions approaching 40%, operational cost savings between 15% and 30%, meaningful reductions in energy use and emissions, and improved workforce safety alongside faster skill development.

Conclusion

Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future are no longer optional initiatives for manufacturers across discrete and process industries. They are strategic imperatives. By integrating engineering, information, and operational technologies, applying Industrial AI, robotics, and immersive technologies, and embedding sustainability and human centric design, organizations can achieve the agility, resilience, and competitiveness required in an Industry 5.0 world.

The path forward is pragmatic. Establish strong digital foundations. Scale intelligence and immersive capabilities where they deliver value. Sustain progress through continuous innovation and learning. Industry 5.0 is not about replacing people with machines. It is about building collaborative ecosystems in which technology amplifies human capability and judgment.

To explore practical research, frameworks, and real-world approaches for advancing Smart Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future, visit HitachiDS.com.

About the Author

Mr. Sankar Natarajan
Senior Director & Global Head of Digital PLM, Smart Manufacturing & Ops and Industrial Metaverse Practices
Hitachi Digital Services

Mr. Sankar Natarajan is the Senior Director and Global Head of Digital PLM, Smart Manufacturing & Ops, and Industrial Metaverse practices at Hitachi Digital Services.

Mr. Sankar Natarajan leads the global strategy, solutions, go-to-market initiatives, and delivery of integrated digital transformations across products, factories, operations, and sustainability.

Under Mr. Sankar Natarajan leadership, teams drive large-scale innovation across the Hitachi Group of Companies and a rapidly expanding global client base.

With 20+ years of experience, Mr. Sankar Natarajan is a recognized industry thought leader in engineering, product development, supply chain, manufacturing, and operations.

Mr. Sankar Natarajan partners with leading organizations to develop outcome-driven digital transformation strategies, ensuring excellence in product innovation, supply chain and manufacturing operations, quality, regulatory compliance, and environmental sustainability.

By leveraging design thinking, digital & AI capabilities, and cutting-edge technologies, Mr. Sankar Natarajan helps businesses achieve measurable impact and long-term success.

Mr. Sankar Natarajan can be contacted at:

About Hitachi Digital Services

Hitachi Digital Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., is a global systems integrator powering mission-critical platforms with people and technology.

Hitachi Digital Services help enterprises build, integrate, and run physical and digital systems with tailored solutions in cloud, data, IoT, and ERP modernization, underpinned by advanced AI.

By combining Information Technology and Operational Technology (ITxOT), Hitachi Digital Services drive efficiency, innovation, and growth across industries.

With over 110 years of Hitachi Group’s engineering and technology leadership, Hitachi Digital Services is powering smarter platforms for a safer, more sustainable future.

To learn more, visit hitachids.com

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India’s Industrial Future

Author4o — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:34:24 +0000

Smart, Not Blind : A Human-Centric Vision for India’s Industrial Future

Reflections and learnings from Two Decades of Industrial Transformation

After implementing automation solutions across three continents and founding technology ventures over 20+ years, I’ve learned a hard truth: universal automation solutions don’t exist. What works in labor-scarce Germany fails spectacularly in labor-abundant India.Today, as Indian industry rushes toward Industry 4.0, we risk adopting Western solutions to Western problems—ignoring our unique strengths and social realities.

The Western Automation Trap

Western automation emerged from the demographic crisis—aging populations and shrinking workforces. Germany’s Industry 4.0 addresses a projected 6 million worker shortage by 2030.Japan’s Society 5.0 tackles a society where adult diapers outsell baby diapers.

India’s reality is starkly different:

● 1.4+ billion population with 65% under age 35

● 12 million youth entering job markets annually

● 600+ million working-age population exceeding all of Europe.

When you have abundant labor, adopting labor-replacement technologies creates social catastrophe, not competitive advantage.

The Technology Tsunami: Converging Disruptions

Current automation differs fundamentally from past industrial revolutions. AI, robotics, IoT, and machine learning now converge to eliminate entire job categories within months, not years:

● Generative AI replaces designers, analysts, content creators

● Computer vision automates quality control, inspection roles

● Robotic systems handle assembly, packaging, material handling

● Predictive algorithms eliminate maintenance, logistics positions

The exponential improvement curve means decisions made today have vastly different implications than five years ago. What required PhD expertise now runs on smartphones. Million-dollar systems cost hundreds of thousands today, tens of thousands tomorrow.

The Unemployment Time Bomb: Quantifying the Crisis

Based on my analysis of Indian industrial sectors, automation adoption could displace:

● Immediate Risk (1-3 years):

○ Data entry, basic customer service: 8-10 million jobs

○ Simple assembly, quality control: 5-7 million jobs

○ Transportation coordination: 2-3 million jobs

● Medium-term Risk (3-7 years):

○ Manufacturing roles, middle management: 15-20 million jobs

○ Basic design, engineering functions: 5-8 million jobs

○ Accounting, routine healthcare: 3-5 million jobs

● Conservative displacement estimate:25-35 million direct jobs across five major sectors within a decade. Including dependents and ripple effects: 75-200 million people affected .

● For context, this exceeds the entire population of most countries and dwarfs any historical industrial transition.

Lessons from Global Automation Experiments

My implementation experience across emerging markets provides sobering precedents:

● Brazil (1990s):

○ Manufacturing automation eliminated 2.5 million jobs, triggering:Persistent unemployment above 12%

○ Urban migration overwhelming infrastructure

○ Political instability lasting decades

● South Africa:

○ Automotive automation reduced employment 40% in five years, contributing to29% unemployment and widespread social unrest.

● India’s scale magnifies these risks exponentially.

The Inequality Amplifier: Mathematics of Wealth Concentration

Automation requires massive capital only large corporations can afford:

● Automated factory: ₹500 crores investment, 100 employees

● Traditional factory: ₹50 crores investment, 2,000 employees

This creates a “barbell economy”—wealthy technology owners at one end, massive unemployment at the other, shrinking middle class between. In India’s caste-conscious society,where occupation determines social status, this threatens fundamental social structures.

Geographic concentration compounds the problem:

● Automation benefits flow to tech hubs (Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai

● Employment losses hit smaller industrial towns nationwide

● Rural areas absorb displaced workers, straining agricultural systems

The Democratic Governance Challenge

Mass unemployment plus extreme inequality overwhelms democratic institutions designed for gradual change. When private automation decisions determine employment for millions,democratic systems appear powerless to protect citizen interests.

Potential outcomes:

● Anti-technology populism reversing economic progress

● Authoritarian responses sacrificing democratic freedoms

● Interstate tensions as automation benefits concentrate regionally

My Strategic Framework: Human-Centric Automation

Twenty years of implementation experience suggests a three-tier approach:

● Tier 1: Safety-Critical Automation (Immediate)

○ Nuclear facilities, chemical processing, hazardous manufacturing

○ Justification: Human safety supersedes employment considerations

○ Examples: Toxic material handling, precision pharmaceutical production

● Tier 2: Collaborative Enhancement (3-7 years)

○ Human-machine partnerships preserving employment while improving productivity

○ Applications: Automotive: Robots handle welding, humans manage assembly

○ Textiles: Automated cutting, human finishing and quality control

○ Healthcare: AI-assisted diagnosis, human patient interaction

○ Outcome: 40-60% productivity gains while maintaining jobs

● Tier 3: Strategic Replacement (7+ years)

○ Full automation only after alternative employment creation and proven transition programs

Prerequisites: Comprehensive retraining, social safety nets, economic alternatives

Sectoral Intelligence: Where to Apply Automation

High-Value Targets:

● Precision manufacturing (aerospace, pharmaceuticals)

● Dangerous operations (mining, chemical processing)

● Quality-critical processes (medical devices, defense equipment)

Human-Centric Enhancement:

● Automotive assembly, textile production, food processing

● Customer service, healthcare delivery, education

● Creative industries, complex problem-solving roles

Protection Zones:

● Labor-intensive services requiring cultural understanding

● Small-scale manufacturing supporting local economies

● Industries where human creativity drives value

The Innovation Paradox: Why Over-Automation Reduces Competitiveness

Excessive automation paradoxically undermines innovation capacity. Human creativity requires active engagement with real problems—precisely what automation eliminates.

India’s traditional strengths at risk:

● Jugaad innovation requiring hands-on problem-solving

● Frugal engineering based on resource constraints understanding

● Adaptive manufacturing responding to local market needs

Over-automated organizations become:

● Dependent on foreign technology vendors

● Less adaptable to changing market requirements

● Disconnected from customer needs and local conditions

Policy Recommendations: Building India’s Automation Framework

Immediate Actions:

Employment Impact Assessment: Mandate studies for automation projects above ₹10crore

Graduated Tax Structure: Higher taxes for job-displacing automation, incentives for job-enhancing technology

Strategic Skills Investment: Focus on human-machine collaboration rather than replacement

Medium-term Initiatives:

Innovation Ecosystem Development: Fund research into “appropriate automation” forIndian conditions

Social Safety Net Expansion: Unemployment insurance, retraining programs,entrepreneurship support

Regional Development Balance: Ensure automation benefits don’t concentrate on existing tech hubs

Long-term Vision:

Technological Sovereignty: Develop indigenous automation capabilities serving Indian social and economic objectives

Export Leadership: Position India as developer of inclusive automation technologies for emerging markets

The Competitive Advantage of Measured Adoption

Contrary to conventional wisdom, India’s human-centric approach could create sustainable competitive advantages:

Flexibility Benefits:

● Human-operated systems adapt faster to changing requirements

● COVID-19 proved automated systems less resilient during disruptions

● Custom manufacturing favors human creativity over rigid automation

Market Differentiation:

● Growing consumer preference for artisanal, personalized products

● Service quality advantages from human interaction

● Innovation capacity from hands-on manufacturing engagement

Cost Realities:

● Full automation requires 300-500% higher capital investmen

● 7-10 year payback periods exceed most Indian manufacturers’ financial capacity

● Maintenance costs and technical dependence create hidden expenses

Three Future Scenarios for India

Scenario 1: Aggressive Automation Adoption

Outcome High productivity, massive unemployment, social unrest, political instability

Risk: Short-term economic gains, enormous long-term social costs

Scenario 2: Technology Resistance

Outcome: Employment preservation, economic stagnation, eventual forced adjustment

Risk: Delayed rather than solved fundamental challenges

Scenario 3: Strategic Human-Centric Integration

Outcome: Balanced productivity growth with social stability

Requirements: Unprecedented policy coordination and social investmen

Benefit: Both economic competitiveness and social cohesion

The Entrepreneurial Opportunity: Leading Inclusive Innovation

My recent ventures focus on “appropriate automation”—technologies achieving 60-80% of full automation benefits at 30-40% of the cost while preserving employment. Early market response suggests significant export potential to other developing economies facing similar challenges.

India’s potential leadership areas:

Collaborative robotics for labor-abundant environments

AI-assisted human decision support systems

Flexible manufacturing technologies balancing efficiency with employment

Human-centric industrial design and implementation

Conclusion: Wisdom Over Speed

Industrial leadership isn’t about adopting technologies fastest—it’s about adopting them most intelligently. India has an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate that technological progress and social development can be mutually reinforcing rather than competing objectives

The choice is clear:

● Follow others down a path that may not serve our interests

● Pioneer a uniquely Indian approach balancing technology with humanity

● Lead global development of inclusive industrialization models

● After two decades of implementing industrial transformation across diverse economies, I’m convinced the future belongs not to the most automated nations, but to those that most intelligently integrate human creativity with technological capability.

● India has all necessary ingredients—abundant human resources, growing technological capacity,democratic institutions, and entrepreneurial energy. The question isn’t whether we can afford this measured approach, but whether we can afford not to take it

● The stakes extend beyond our borders. Success demonstrates that inclusive industrialization is possible, providing a template for other developing economies. Failure means repeating others’mistakes and facing the social consequences that excessive automation has created elsewhere.

● The demographic dividend others see as temporary could become permanent competitive advantage if leveraged intelligently. The time to choose our path is now.

About the Author :

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni
Founder and Director
Elansol Technologies Private Limited

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni as the Director of Elansol Technologies is passionate about leading a team of experts who are dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni with 19+ years of experience in the field of Electronics, Embedded Systems, IoT & Industry 4.0 brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni‘s customer-centric approach and experience with international clients have enabled to build pipelines worth millions of dollars.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni have successfully handled IT-OT integration projects from lead generation to deliveries that have helped his clients to achieve their business objectives.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni have presented technical papers at various forums.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni is the winner in Emerson’s Technology Day 2011.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni have also filed two invention disclosures, with one trade secret awarded.

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni is Bestowed with the following Licenses & Certifications :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetan-kulkarni-32252618/details/certifications/

Mr. Chetan Kulkarni can be contacted at :

LinkedIn | E-mail (Official) | E-mail (Personal)

About Elansol Technologies Private Limited

At Elansol Technologies, we empower industries to embrace the future of smart manufacturing and digital transformation.

Elansol Technologies is a one-stop solution partner for businesses seeking to implement advanced Industry 4.0 technologies—driving efficiency, productivity, and intelligent decision-making.

Elansol Technologies specialize in:

● Industry 4.0 Consulting & Implementation
● Industrial Automation & IIoT Integration
● AI-Powered Vision Systems
● End-to-End Smart Factory Solutions

Elansol Technologies mission is to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. From upgrading legacy production systems to deploying real-time autonomous solutions using AI, ML, and IIoT, our experts deliver scalable, innovation-led outcomes tailored to your operational goals.

With a client-centric mindset and a passion for solving complex industrial challenges, Elansol Technologies is on a journey to become a global center of excellence in Industry 4.0 transformation.

Elansol Technologies can be contacted at:

LinkedIn | Website | E-mail (Sales) | E-mail (HR)

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“Work is Worship” to “Work-Life Balance”

Author4o — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:14:03 +0000

As we navigate the shift from “Work is Worship” to “Work-Life Balance” it’s essential to revisit our core responsibilities. Here’s a framework to guide us:

*L*EARN: Primary responsibility of everyone is to continue Learning for the benefit of Self, Family & Society in an Evolving World. It’s a responsibility to understand that the moment Learning stops, Wisdom takes a back seat.

*E*ARN: Wisdom provides for responsible Earning – utilizing Opportunities, being committed and dedicated towards profession and organization. It’s not about Money, which is incidental. It’s all about leading by example for the Gen Next to understand Hard work is always rewarding in a sustained manner.

*S*AVE: In the age of material excesses induced forex challenges, Savings becomes a crucial responsibility of the Rich & Learned. Imagine excesses of about 5% of the population resulting in trouble for the remaining 95%. Living simple is not difficult; it’s all about Care and Concern for People & Country.

*S*HARE: Sharing Knowledge, Experience & Expertise is the responsibility of people who have adequate Wisdom and to Lead by example, setting right priorities for the Gen Next to be Productive.

*S*ERVE: To serve by the affordable to the privileged is more than a responsibility – it’s a unique gift bestowed on Humans towards fellow Humans.

As I reflect on the selfies of self-proclaimed fitness enthusiasts, runners, cyclists, and entertainers who seem to prioritize themselves over family and society, I’m reminded that it’s not difficult to be Simple, Responsible, and Responsive… Let’s start now by being One.

About the Author :

Dr. NITHYANANDAN DEVARAAJ (NITHIN) BE., MBA., Ph.D
President – Coimbatore Management Association
Past National Secretary – The Institute of Indian Foundrymen.
Chairman – Shri Avinashiappar Trust
Past Managing Director & CEO – Flow Link Systems (P) Ltd ( a Voith Group Company)

Dr. Nithin has about 35 + Years of Experience in Engineering Manufacturing organizations. He has worked for LMW Group, L&T, Hitachi & CRI Group. He is considered to be a Professional with a rare blend of Intrapreneurial Orientation, having been a Business Head across Engineering Manufacturing Organisations / Industries.

Business Strategies & Operational Excellence for Growth and Profitability through People, Processes, Products, Positioning & Promotion.

IOT & Industry 4.0, EHS, Compliance, Corporate Governance

Value Chain Development – Suppliers, Customers, Sources, Markets

New Product/ New Market/ New Customer Development

Innovation & Change Management

Project Conceive, Manage & Establish

Dr. Nithin is a Member in Governing Council / Board Of Studies of Universities and Management Institutions as a Management Expert.

Dr. Nithin is part of various industrial associations and professional bodies; he is credited with playing a leading role in bringing land mark changes in Export Incentives, Classification of MSMEs, CPCB Norms, Waste & Disposal Management. He also plays a pivotal role in training and development of educated Youth seeking employment opportunities.

Dr. Nithin Leads a team that turned around a division and a Company, and in establishing large scale projects as bench marks in industry (This Business has won several awards at National & Regional Level which includes – Indian Foundry of the Year, Young Foundryman and Foundryman Awards, 4Star Award from CII, Green Award & Safety Award from Tamil Nadu Government & at National Level from IIF, First Indian Foundry in the segment to get OHSAS 18001 & ISO 50001 Certification and Many Kaizen awards.)

Dr. Nithin is a Managing Trustee of a Family Managed Trust involved in activities like rendering Food, Shelter, Education and Medicare. Noted for rendering services during Chennai, Kerala, Tanjore & Nilgiris Floods.

Dr. Nithin’s Academics:

Ph.D in Management Sciences
MBA in Finance & Marketing – Gold Medalist and University Topper
BE Mechanical Engineer with Distinction
An IRCA certified lead auditor and assessor for ISO 9001.
A qualified auditor for EMS, OHSAS & EnMS
L&T Future Leaders Training at IIM – C

Dr. Nithin’s Professional Associations:

Member & Industry Nominee, Coimbatore Disaster Management Council
A Guest Faculty to Premier Management Institutes & Was Visiting Faculty to IIM – Calicut
An examiner for Management Qualifications & Assessor for Management Teachers
An acknowledged management trainer and consultant
Is a regular Business Column Writer.

Dr. Nithin is a Member of:

Foundry Development Council, Ministry of Commerce & Industries, India.
Institution of Engineers, All India and Coimbatore Management Association
Board of Studies in Universities & Premier Management Institutes

Dr. Nithin is Winner of:

The Outstanding Alumni & Distinguished Alumni Awards from PSG Institutions & Bharathiar University.
The CMA Golden Jubilee Year Best Manager award for the region.
The Best Management Student award and many accolades at National Level.
The Mother Teresa Award of Excellence for Young Business Managers.

Dr. Nithin’s Management Interests:

Management of Innovation, Corporate Strategic Planning and Manufacturing Management, Green Supply Chain

Dr. Nithin can be contacted at :

Mobile : +9194879 46900

LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | E-mail | E-mail2

Also read Dr. NITHYANANDAN DEVARAAJ’s earlier articles:

The post “Work is Worship” to “Work-Life Balance” appeared first on Industry4o.com.

Work to Live or Live to Work

Author4o — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:49:10 +0000

Work to Live or Live to Work – The Dilemma of Generation Ahead
Dr. Nithyanandan Devaraaj (Nithin)

Raging discussions around Working Hours triggered by two Indian Stalwarts who have built Business Empires bringing in Co-ownership of Organisations, the modern day Cooperative Model thru ESOPs. It’s needless to highlight achievements of their respective Organisations in the Global Diaspora, apart from providing Careers to thousands directly and millions indirectly, to say so.

As budding career Professionals, every aspiring qualified, sorry rightly qualified individual will not give a second thought if given a chance to work for them. Both personally and professionally, opinion of Leaders from Organisations of international repute and indomitable spirit, has snowballed into an uncalled for and unwanted controversy, where people from any walk of life easily offer their opinion, thus claiming to be worth it’s salt.

Setting a Context:

To me, it appears to be a situation of Socio Economic Evolution, creating a lot of confusions in the minds of today’s Youngsters in the name of Alternate Careers. It’s said well, probably in anticipation of such emerging scenarios, “Otherside of the Valley is Always Greener” though it continues to remain so – for Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs alike, by way of Diversification of Businesses and Career Growth respectively.

Practically, it’s supposed to be the third generation of Business Economy World over…obviously offering multifarious Options to Demographic shifts, both as means of living and of course, spending. Naturally, it’s quite easy to be spoilt with choices – Failed Businesses resulting in Bad Loans and stuck Careers giving very fewer options to recruiters.

The Foundation:

Businesses and Careers World over are built on the principle of Extreme Focus and Hard Work. Belonging to a City known for its Entrepreneurial spirit, if not an essential part of its many growth stories, have been a witness to.

Evolution of many organisations today those boast of atleast Rs 500Cr+ revenues were all once started as a means of Self Employment. It’s anyone’s imagination how once such Micro Enterprises have grown as Business colossal. Couldn’t find a better anecdote than that of a Symphony by which the then engagement between Employers and Employees can be compared to.

Well, today many say such Symphonies can be re-orchestrated thru offering advises thru media, further confusing the already confused Youngsters – both would be Entrepreneurs & Intrapreneurs, who believe, if not hope, that working smarter is a viable substitute for working harder. The epitome of Smarter Harder work conveniently forgotten in the milieu.

One should check with the Toppers, Successful Athletes and Renowned Artists, how many hours of practice they put in to gain a foot hold in their respective fields, if not learn from alike Entrepreneurs and Professionals. Once a famous First Generation Entrepreneur quipped “You don’t grow by working looking at the Watch”, and I have seen majority of who have grown were just so. It’s needless to say, not being so have lead to many failures just because of lack of enough attention, if not motivation.

Parable of Growth & Success

It’s just right to imagine in a highly Competitive & Complex Economic World, Success always follows the ones who put in their extra bit – commonly known as Effort. It’s simply the difference between Ordinary & Extraordinary.

Once my favourite Tennis Legend spoke about the many willing sacrifices one has to make as part of focus to remain at Peak consistently. Guess he is not alone in being so.

This is true for any Profession, which only is not adequately recognised. A systematic, focused approach, irrespective of Time without diverting attention helps to recognise and manage risks effectively than the ones who give divided attention to their core of existence – due to so called Work Life Balance.

The Vitamin Necessities

It appears, I repeat, it appears majority of Youngsters are preferring easy Vitamin M – the Money, without Vitamin C – Conviction & Commitment and Vitamin D – Drive, Discipline & Direction.

This is evident from the way the two discussions have been quoted, rather misquoted out of context. The basic courtesy of decently commenting on statements by renowned Personalities, considered Icons by many, is conveniently ignored due to quick fame which negativities give.

We call it social or public media, positive news always get lesser attention than sensations and negative news. Unfortunate psychological dichotomy, which common humans cannot be devoid of, despite best of the efforts to remain positive. It’s no wonder positivity of such observations made are buried in the negative publicities.

Differential Needs

Measurement is the base to succeed – if You don’t measure, You can neither Control nor Improve. Each industry has its own differential needs for measurements – from mass to class to niche, and agri to manufacturing to services. Needs therefore will also be characterised by specific Industry requirements.

The beauty of negative reactions to observations made by the Stalwarts on working hours, is unfortunately avoiding either carefully or ignorantly the reasoning behind such specific needs of those industries they belong to. Quite naturally, calibre of individuals will also be very different – from 80:20 to 20:80.

It’s a fact the socio industry evolution has rendered the core industries starving for right resources. This therefore has necessitated the capable work force double up for shortfalls, be it by putting those needed extra efforts or just being there when needed.

It’s important to recognise sustained success can only be thru sustained and consistent efforts. Rest all becomes mere excuses for not giving the desired and needed attention towards ones task or responsibility. Organisational needs are paramount to those of Individual or Personal needs.

Living for an Earning or Earning to Live

For most of the successful people, Earning interms of Money is a result of Recognition and Status acquired thru deligent and meticulous working towards it. This can be understood only by observing how only 7%+ of the people grow either as Businessmen or as Professionals when the World provides equal opportunity to all.

There is only one Elon Musk as much as there is only one Djokovic or Messi or Woods, or our own Tendulkar, the New Gen Gukesh apart.

So, it’s the Individuals desire to Work to Live or Live to Work.

Jai Hind.

About the Author :

Dr. NITHYANANDAN DEVARAAJ (NITHIN) BE., MBA., PhD
Managing Director & CEO
Flow Link Systems (P) Ltd

a Voith Group Company

Chairman – Shri Avinashiappar Trust
President – Coimbatore Management Association
Past National Secretary – The Institute of Indian Foundrymen.

Dr. Nithin is a Member in Governing Council / Board Of Studies of Universities and Management Institutions as a Management Expert.

Dr. Nithin’s Academics:

Ph.D in Management Sciences
MBA in Finance & Marketing – Gold Medalist and University Topper
BE Mechanical Engineer with Distinction
An IRCA certified lead auditor and assessor for ISO 9001.
A qualified auditor for EMS, OHSAS & EnMS
L&T Future Leaders Training at IIM – C

Dr. Nithin’s Professional Associations:

Member & Industry Nominee, Coimbatore Disaster Management Council
A Guest Faculty to Premier Management Institutes & Was Visiting Faculty to IIM – Calicut
An examiner for Management Qualifications & Assessor for Management Teachers
An acknowledged management trainer and consultant
Is a regular Business Column Writer.

Dr. Nithin is a Member of:

Foundry Development Council, Ministry of Commerce & Industries, India.
Institution of Engineers, All India and Coimbatore Management Association
Board of Studies in Universities & Premier Management Institutes

Dr. Nithin is Winner of:

The Outstanding Alumni & Distinguished Alumni Awards from PSG Institutions & Bharathiar University.
The CMA Golden Jubilee Year Best Manager award for the region.
The Best Management Student award and many accolades at National Level.
The Mother Teresa Award of Excellence for Young Business Managers.

Dr. Nithin’s Management Interests:

Management of Innovation, Corporate Strategic Planning and Manufacturing Management, Green Supply Chain

Dr. Nithin can be contacted at :

Mobile : +9194879 46900

Also read Dr. NITHYANANDAN DEVARAAJ’s earlier articles:

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A Greener & more Accessible Future

Author4o — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:24:21 +0000

Rethinking Transportation – A Greener and more Accessible Future

Do you think “Rethinking transportation autonomy and infrastructure sustainability in light of trains requiring two drivers while the trucking industry considers zero drivers as a viable future” is something a perfectly sane writer would come up with for the working title of a magazine column?

I don’t, yet that’s the one I suggested for this column. It didn’t make the cut in favor of something shorter.

I have been pondering intriguing questions that challenge the current state of transportation, and a recent headline caught my attention: Crew-Size Edicts Threaten Small Railroads.

Scanning the headline, I assumed crew size would be reduced with the introduction of autonomous trucking-style technology. As they say in the South, “You could have knocked me over with a feather,” when I realized the article actually addresses laws in 13 states that increases the size of train crews. I can hear union truckers now: “If it takes two people to drive a train, we need two drivers to drive a truck in city traffic. Maybe we should have three drivers to be safe on some highways.”

The disparity between the number of drivers required for trains and trucks seems illogical. Trucks, which can change lanes and operate in close proximity to other vehicles, typically have only one driver. Perhaps it is time to rethink our priorities and explore the potential benefits of making trains autonomous before trucks.

If we embrace the idea of autonomous trains, we may also consider the possibility of reducing the length of trains and making them more efficient. With autonomous railcars that can be sent on their way when loaded, we could optimize transportation efficiency and alleviate traffic congestion.

Furthermore, why not explore the concept of an adapter kit that allows trucks to switch between roads and rail tracks seamlessly? This could offer more flexibility in transportation options and potentially decrease the wear and tear on roads caused by heavy truck traffic.

Addressing the point about infrastructure damage and the trucking industry’s contribution, it is essential to foster discussions within the trucking industry’s leadership so that they understand there are solutions that actually have a payback for the trucking industry. Saving bridges also saves suspension and tire wear and tear. Encouraging the adoption of zero out-of-balance wheel ends and implementing maintenance practices to reduce axle hop would be steps in the right direction. Preventable axle hop has cost taxpayers billions of dollars just in bridge damage.

As I prepare for the EnergyandMobility.org conference in Cleveland, Ohio, I will delve into pressing questions surrounding transportation electrification. Can our aging and fragile electric grid support the demands of a fully electrified transportation system? Integrating emerging technologies for electric vehicles and electric airborne systems (think not only drones but also flying cars) in urban mobility are key questions to be addressed.

Finally, the pursuit of a “net zero” carbon climate must not come at the cost of burdening future generations with insurmountable debt. It is crucial to find sustainable and economically viable solutions to combat climate change. As climates change, our technology for predicting heat waves and blizzards is getting better. I just read an opinion post on LinkedIn by Tony Paradiso, a revenue growth strategist for Greentech companies, about reinforcing the national power grid by building and putting on wheels massive batteries the size of boxcars. The boxcars can be autonomous and self-propelled with unlimited battery range.

Knowing a blizzard is going to hit New England three days in advance can have these massive batteries connected to the national power grid and working before the first snowflake hits the ground. This gives a whole new meaning to Dr. Deming’s observation: “Management is prediction.”

Our journey toward a sustainable and efficient transportation future involves exploring the potential of autonomous trains, the adaptation of new technologies in the trucking industry, and the integration of renewable energy sources in transportation. By addressing these questions and challenges we can pave the way for a greener and more accessible future for all.

About the Author :

Mr. Bob Rutherford
President – Rutherford & Company
New Technology Committee Chairman – Technology & Maintenance Council, American Trucking Association

Mr. Bob Rutherford is a 50-year veteran of the trucking industry, his contributions to the industry have been recognized by being awarded the American Trucking Association / Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) Silver Spark Plug for technical excellence and the Recognized Associate Award for supporting the organization’s membership committee. He is also an Ambassador for the EnergyandMobility.org Conference.

Everyday there seems to be an article about autonomous vehicles. Autonomous trucks are interesting to me from both a business standpoint and a human being standpoint. Digging deeper into autonomous trucks lead to learning about artificial intelligence, which lead to machine learning which lead to deep learning.

Mr. Bob Rutherford can be contacted at :

E-mail | LinkedIn | Twitter

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Future of Work

Author4o — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:06:30 +0000

Applications of # future of work

Future of Work – How did you reach out to this blog? Likely a website or a mobile phone or a link on a page/chat group appeared. Once it appeared, you were persuaded to read this blog… Does it happen that your Alexa, Youtube, or gaming application prompts you with an ad, just at the time you were supposed to get them…

Welcome, this is a glimpse of the future of work applications. Imagine what you could do if you design, build, or buy and applications with an intent to persuade your users to stay happy, feel relaxed, and assist automatically, when needed, proactively.

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it,” a wise man said once.

You must be thinking about the applications that I am using or building is ready for the future of work or not? Well, let me make it simple for you to identify what it would take to make applications that are ready for #futureofwork.

One of the simplest ways to identify that is by identifying that on which platform the application is built. There are three generations of platforms on which the applications are built and used.

In the first generation, the application was built or used on a desktop. These applications were more suited for data entry/output kind of intelligence. A good example is a word processor which people were using since the advent of the computer. or a vi editor if you were a geeky guy when UNIX was evolving.

The second-generation applications are built on a cloud platform. They are built on the cloud so that they can be built faster, are scalable, and resilient and can be used on a scale. For example, a webpage that you use to book your hotel recently or a mobile app to watch videos. These applications are capable of understanding the behavior of the context. They can understand the location, the network performance, the device resolution. Based on that understanding or event, they can trigger an action or prompt.

And the most interesting is the third generation of applications – applications of #futureofwork. They are cognitive too apart from being persuasive. They try to understand what the human is feeling and then respond accordingly. They will be built on Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning Platforms. Haven’t you observed the response of a chatbot or voice assistance changing based on the person or gender talking to them? For example, OpenAI is the platform where content comprehension, polyglot, semantic search like applications are built. Why are you not using and building more and more of those applications?

The future of work applications not only will deliver value but SHARED VALUE. They will not just listen to you but will be EMPATHETIC by design.

Start considering the social and behavioral aspects of design, when building an app of #futureofwork!

About the Author

Mr. Prashant Pandey, known as Aki-san in Japan, is a technologist, author and inventor. Learn, share and care are his values. His mission is to apply emerging technology to solve business problems and improve lives. He has lived, worked and earned in USA, Canada, Israel, India and Singapore. Professionally, he helps clients to build the future of work to transform their security, productivity and employee experience. He is a passionate emerging technology leader and evangelist with proven records in embedded systems development, enterprise and technology architecture design.

Academically, Wharton has permitted him into CTO Leadership program. IIM Calcutta, India taught him executive sales and marketing management. NIT Patna, India made him Electronics and Communications Engineer. Manoj Vasudevan, world champion of public speaking & Toast Masters International Club, Singapore taught him Public Speaking.

He shares his innovation and technology expertise with emerging founders at startup-o.com, Asia’s leading startup nurturing platform. He already has contributed to the cause of education and wants to touch 1000 lives by supporting their education and mentoring. For fun, he reads, rides bike and travels.

He can be contacted at

Email : prash.pandey@gmail.com , Phone : +65 9788 6658

Social Links :

Startup-o: https: //www.startup-o.com/portfolio-item/prashant/

Twitter: pandey_prash

Website: www.prashantpandeyofficial.com

Linkedin: https: //www.linkedin.com/in/prashant-pandey-aka-aki-san-aab2742/

Also read his earlier article

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Future of Work Automation

Author4o — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 07:00:28 +0000

Future of Work Automation: Robotic Process & Cognitive Automation Technologies Create a New-age, Intelligent Digital Worker

Introduction

Automation of human work in the services industry has evolved dramatically over the last two decades. End User Computing (EUC) programs like spread sheet applications and macros scripting were used earlier to automate mundane and repetitive tasks like reformatting data. However EUC would work only with few applications and was limited in its ability to scale across multiple applications. Advancement in EUC technologies eventually made way for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology which seamlessly interacted with multiple applications, just like a human worker would do. RPA is very efficient in executing repetitive tasks at scale but is limited in its ability to communicate with users, comprehend information and make decisions on its own. This gap was filled by Conversational AI and Machine Learning (ML). Conversational AI systems, also called Virtual Assistants, automated the communication with users, understood their queries and provided an appropriate response. Machine Learning techniques build models from historical data in order to predict future outcomes that can be used in decision making. RPA, Conversational AI and Machine Learning technologies are part of the Intelligent or Cognitive Automation wave and they will largely define the future of work automation in the services industry.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

RPA refers to a software program, known as a bot, which can automate a business process and execute it from start to finish without any manual intervention. The bot can replace a human worker either partially or entirely depending on the nature and extent to which a process can be automated. The key business benefits of RPA include faster turnaround time, increase in data accuracy and cost savings resulting from employing fewer human workers. It was observed that when RPA is implemented at scale, it can deliver a return on investment in approximately three to six months (Source: Accenture Research). RPA works best when a process is rule based and the data is available in a structured format.

A RPA bot is different from the earlier software programs used for automation like screen scraper, macros etc. in many ways:

it can be configured without any programming knowledge
it interacts with the presentation layer of any application
it is highly scalable in terms of its ability to work with multiple applications and processes across the organization
it can scan a document (word, excel, pdf etc.) and read data from it using OCR (optical character recognition) and other image processing techniques.
it can execute the process without anyone attending to it

RPA adoption has significantly grown over the last five years across several industries in the services sector. In 2016 the RPA market was sized at $250 million and is expected to grow to $2.9 Billion by 2021 (Source: Forrester).

Conversational AI

Conversational AI refers to chat and voice based virtual assistants that automate the communication with users and create a personalized experience at scale. The chat based virtual assistants are called Chatbots and voice based virtual assistants are called Voicebots. Chatbots and Voicebots are powered by Natural Language Understanding (NLU), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) algorithms that can understand text or speech from a user, generate an appropriate response and then share it with the user in the form of text or speech. The business benefit of a Conversational AI based virtual assistant is that it can handle 1000s of queries at the same time, be available 24/7 and reduce the need for live customer support thus creating a direct cost savings on employee salary, overhead, training etc. It also enhances the customer service experience resulting in a happy and satisfied customer.

It is estimated that the global Conversational AI market size will grow from USD 4.2 billion in 2019 to USD 15.7 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 30.2% during 2019–2024 (Source: Research and Markets).

Machine Learning

Machine Learning (ML) refers to a methodology of analysing data by learning from the patterns and inter-linkages that exist in historical data. ML is a branch of AI where the underlying concept is that it is self-learning and has the ability to draw inferences and predict outcomes on its own without any human intervention. ML relies on training a pre-selected model with historical data and then using the model to generate the outcome for a new set of data. The benefit of ML over classic statistics based model building is that it does not make any assumptions on the data and lends the data dictate the entire analysis.

Machine Learning is pervasive across data intensive industries. In 2017 the global machine learning market was around USD 1.58 billion and is expected to reach approximately USD 20.83 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 44.06% between 2017 and 2024 (Source: Zion Market Research).

Robotic Process and Cognitive Automation – New-age, Intelligent Digital Worker

Automation of work is evolving rapidly and technologies that once worked in silos can now be clubbed together to create a new-age, intelligent digital worker (i.e., a bot) that can not only replicate human actions but also make decisions like a human. RPA, Conversational AI and Machine Learning can come together to provide a comprehensive, no-touch, automation solution that will overcome their individual limitations and enable the business to derive maximum benefits from them. The intelligent digital worker will use Conversational AI (Chatbot or Voicebot) to automate interactions with the customer, RPA to automate all back-office processes like customer on-boarding, verification, email communication etc. and Machine Learning to add cognitive capabilities in order to facilitate automated decision making without any human intervention.

It has been observed that when AI technologies are combined with RPA, the market size of the opportunity is almost 13 times bigger when compared to that of a stand-alone RPA solution (Source: Digital Workforce, Rob King).

Intelligent Digital Worker is a work-in-progress

The ultimate objective of robotic and cognitive automation is to create an intelligent digital worker that becomes a reliable virtual assistant and a trusted partner for a human worker. Future of human work will involve active collaboration with a digital worker. Advancement in Conversational AI and other AI, ML technologies, coupled with RPA has created an intelligent digital worker with strong cognitive capabilities that can read data from unstructured documents and respond to non-standard business situations. However adoption of robotic process and cognitive automation by the industry in still in its infancy and it will increase significantly in the coming years. It is expected that these technologies will continue to evolve as adoption increases and it will get closer to achieving its desired objective within the next two years.

Conclusion

It is inevitable that automation of work in the services industry will move beyond data intensive tasks that are considered to be routine, repetitive and mundane and increasingly involve cognitive, decision making tasks. Intelligent work automation is enabled by robotic process automation and cognitive automation technologies like Conversational AI and Machine Learning. The success of work automation lies in the ability of the business to harness these technologies and create an intelligent digital worker that can execute tasks at light speed and at the same time process information, make decisions and communicate like a human.

About the Author

Mr. Sushant Gaonkar

Digital Transformation Leader | Iconic Career Mentor | Best Selling Author

Sushant Gaonkar is a Digital Transformation leader with more than a decade of experience and expertise in leveraging new age digital technologies for solving business problems.

He is also seasoned corporate leader turned professional career coach and mentor. Sushant Gaonkar is recipient of India’s Top Career Counsellor award.

He has worked for global corporations like Deloitte, Xerox and Vistaprint in various managerial and leadership roles in both USA and India.

He is on a mission to empower experienced working professionals to get clarity, growth, rewards and build an Iconic career.

He has coached several hundred working professionals on career clarity, career growth and career transition.

He is also a Best Selling Author of the book ‘Iconic Career’, where he has condensed his 16+ years of corporate experience in the USA and India and 3+ years of professional career coaching and mentoring experience.

He is an alumnus of Cornell University (USA) from where he obtained his Master of Engineering degree, University of Rochester (USA) from where he obtained his MBA degree and National Institute of Technology Karnataka, India from where he obtained his BE degree.

He can be reached at:

Ph : +91 97010 01162
e-mail : sushant@careersuccessbp.com
website: https://careersuccessbp.com/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/iconiccareer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sushantgaonkar
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sushant.gaonkar_10xcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sushantgaonkar10x/
YouTube: http://bit.ly/YouTubeSushantGaonkar

Read my #1 Best Seller Book:
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390156890?ref=myi_title_dp

Also read his book review

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Future of Work – A Synopsis

Author4o — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 09:11:39 +0000

About the Book “Future of Work “ :

In this urgent, transformative and relevant book, Prashant sets out multiple viewpoints, their span spectrum and extremely important ideas for how the future of work will emerge and evolve to create and capture your effort’s value, amplify authenticity and maximise your gains for years to come.

Prashant has spent years investigating and learning the cause and effect of technology on strategy, culture, and people, across continents. Based on his learning experience of working with hundreds of clients, cultures and industries across 40+ countries, he has shared salient ideas of what must be done in order to build your organisation’s and your #FutureOfWork i.e. FOW.

He has shared his precious ideas in five parts in this book. Each of five parts has been further elaborated as chapters. Each chapter is a scale of “From” and “To”. You will find that you will be at a different point on that scale compared to others, its fine. “Words of Wisdom” at the end of each chapter are ideas that will make a difference in your life, when internalised.

In the first part, he articulates a crystal clear description of “challenges” that individuals, teams and organisations face today. In the second part, keeping “empathy” at the center, he focuses on “feelings” of people and groups. Often, “feelings” are missed out, but are the MOST important part of the future of work. In the third part, building on his ideas of innovation of time and space, “structure” of the future of work is explained. Once you build self-awareness after these learning’s, the fourth part is the solution, “tools”. Tools that are available to reduce time, increase quality and reduce your cost of solving problems. Finally, he lays out strategies, to build your purpose for the future of work.

He shares ideas not for defining the purpose of the employer, but employees, interns and future employees too. Remember, purpose is more powerful than power itself. As Prashant makes clear, where we live, where we work and where we earn is disjoint, disconnected and disrupted.

Building Future of work will not be simple and easy to do, but if you follow the ideas that he shares here, it is a goal certainly within your reach.

Tech Insights :

By 2050 the world population will be around 10BN. And this population will not work the way they work today or have been working for the last two decades. They will be more creative, use machines to do lower-order jobs and will work towards making the earth green. This means machines will be more empathetic than today.

To build empathy in machines, applications will become persuasive. Developers will bring social and behavioural aspects of humans into design considerations. Architecturally, edge computing will become prevalent to transform every industry like automobile, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare and agriculture by making technology inclusive…. A rising trend of this can be observed by chip shortage that the world is facing now across the industries….

About the Author

He can be contacted at

Email : prash.pandey@gmail.com , Phone : +65 9788 6658

Social Links :

Startup-o: https: //www.startup-o.com/portfolio-item/prashant/

Twitter: pandey_prash

Website: www.prashantpandeyofficial.com

Linkedin: https: //www.linkedin.com/in/prashant-pandey-aka-aki-san-aab2742/

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Indian Manufacturers Benefit

Author4o — Sun, 12 May 2019 16:09:23 +0000

Can The Indian Manufacturers Benefit From The China Exodus, By US Based Companies?

Last year the Indian manufacturers welcomed the announcement about the government pushing for multiple defence corridors. We clearly acknowledge that this is a massive step and a much needed initiative to propel the growth the Indian MSME needed. As the foundation and the policy is taking shape, it’s imperative that excessive caution and judicious approach needs to be adopted. Things will fall in place, but we need to give it time. Yes it’s an opportunity for the future.

Let’s now look at something which caught the eyes of major business dailies in India. The Indian MSME couldn’t believe what they were reading. The headline read “Around 200 US companies looking to shift manufacturing base from China to India, says USISPF” . USISPF stands for The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. They are a non-profit organization, with the primary objective of strengthening the U.S.-India bilateral and strategic partnership. The chairman of the partnership is John Chambers who is also the current Chairman Emeritus at CISCO. John Chambers has at close quarters seen the power of MSME, both through the CISCO value and market chain. So we have a man who is keen to be at the epicentre of a new rising business opportunity for the future. Is that business opportunity for the Indian MSME? If Yes, how do we get ready to ride the wave.

Let’s look at the facts as to why are the US companies looking to move away from China. Fundamental reason being, they want an alternative to China by investing in India. Which means that they are looking to expand their manufacturing base with buyout or strategic partnership. Now what steps needs to be taken to get them interested to do business here. On the policy front USISF is coming up with a policy recommendation’s s to what India needs to do to enhance its exports. If a free trade agreement comes in, it will be early Christmas for India and The US.

What more fundamentally should the Indian administration and the Indian MSME need to do next?

Finding Parallels: We need to find parallels with GDP growth and the Indian MSME still needs to learn how they can employ better utility of resources, with existing technologies. Thankfully innovation, is not a foreign word to Indian MSME, although execution is.

Policy Matters : Loosening of controls on foreign investment, reduction of export-import taxes, and the removal of price controls, will push the growth forward.

Manufacturing Giants Producing In India : With Nokia, we probably learnt a lesson on how not to turn away major manufacturing company. Samsung, the South Korean mobile giant, has announced that their Noida plant will be the largest in the world. The coming of the Samsung factory might do to electronics manufacturing what Maruti did to the auto industry in the 1990s. When Maruti came in collaboration with Suzuki, the industry suddenly saw disruption. Suzuki brought scientific manufacturing techniques. And, the auto manufacturing industry here went on an upward trajectory.

Industrial Revolution 4.0 : The convergence has already started between digital and manufacturing and it is already visible in Internet of Things, sensors, robotics, predictive analytics, etc. The cost of production can come down heavily with the help of 3D printing and automated real-time processes in manufacturing.

Scale & Best Practices : The scale of manufacturing needs to increase in India and it can come from learning best practices. We need to replicate or form best practices from leading manufacturing countries to improve India’s ranking on competitiveness. Companies need to be able to tap global markets, for which India needs a strong policy that provides incentives for export of electronics goods. This is what happened in auto manufacturing as well . This would create the scale that will attract FDI into the country from global electronics component manufacturers and create jobs. The Indian MSME will then automatically become priority supplier of components.

Transportation : Looking at the World Bank Report, it states that the cost of transporting 1 ton of freight over 1 km works out to Rs 2.28 by road. By rail it costs Rs 1.41 and it costs only Rs 1.19 for waterways. Using ports in a big way can help India lower logistics costs substantially. The saving could be massive. This can easily make domestic goods more competitive in the global market.

If India has to win this battle for global manufacturing supremacy, it has to focus on these areas. Only then it can drive innovation and cost competitiveness and be attractive to global companies

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