Contributions to Conferences

ICT Support for Traditional Manufacturing SMEs to participate in Global Supply Chains - A Requirements Analysis

Abstract

Small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs) are the backbone of the manufacturing industry. Despite the size of SMEs, today they are taking a more and more important role in global supply chains. Competing in global supply chains requires much effort from SMEs in the areas of information sharing, logistics and marketing. The resources of time, skills and money are limited in SMEs, but somehow these companies survive in global competition. One possible solution for supporting SME’s survival in global business is the effective utilisation of information and communication technologies (ICT). Information should be seamlessly available for enterprises as a whole, for individual employees' needs, as well in many cases for other companies in supply chain. The markets offer many different information systems for manufacturing companies. Solutions are, in many cases, independent without communication links between them, and solutions are too expensive and complex for SME’s needs. Our approach in this research project is to fulfil the needs of SMEs in global supply chains with the development of a new innovative supply-chain -oriented information platform. This paper describes the business and technology requirements collection phase of the project.