As snatches of blue sky appear amid the dark clouds in the crystal ball, manufacturers are positioning for an economic turnaround in the coming year. Those recovery strategies should focus on IT-supported operational excellence, advises IDC Manufacturing Insights.
In a report issued last week, the research and advisory firm recommends strategies that manufacturing companies should adopt in the near future to take advantage of the expected upturn in the global economy.
“We believe the recovery will gain some traction in 2010, however the expected upturn is not going to be a big jump,” said Pierfrancesco Manenti, EMEA research director at IDC Manufacturing Insights and author of the report, in an e-mail to MA today. “Particularly in Europe, 2010 will see a soft growth, and 2010 won’t be as big as 2008.”
The report is based on the results of a European survey conducted in April in conjunction with Manufacturing Executive, MA’s sister publication. “At that time, the first shy signals of recovery were looming,” Manenti said, adding that the survey asked respondents about their strategy over the next couple of years.