Blog & Inspiration

Cognitive systems can change the way companies will be thinking, acting and working in the future. With Watson, IBM is developing a semantic search engine that can collate and answer questions asked in natural language. In the future, this kind of software could support us in many areas, such as in making complex decisions that have to be made under extreme time pressure. Dirk Heitmann, Director of Cognitive Solutions for Germany, Austria and Switzerland at IBM, tells us just how this works and how Watson could otherwise be deployed in the future.

Companies seeking to be both sustainable and globally successful must uncompromisingly face the challenges of continuous digitisation. For these high-reaching and specialised transitions a leader who operates according to the right philosophy is an absolute prerequisite. Janina Kugel is exactly that person. She has opened us the doors to one of the most important technology companies in the world and tells how Siemens tackles it all.

OpusCapita Group Oy’s acquisition of the jCatalog Software AG has gone into effect on 1st May 2016. Founded in Finland in 1984, OpusCapita is a market leader in the Nordic and other regions for the management of digital invoices, documents, financial processes and cash management. Its turnover is about 260m euros. The firm operates one of the leading networks for e-invoicing and its 2,300 employees serve 8,000 customers in more than 50 countries. OpusCapita is part of the Posti Group Corporation which essentially belongs to the Finnish state.

The automobile industry’s latest hot topic are autonomous vehicles. Will machines soon take over control entirely, reducing drivers to mere passengers, or will the new technology open up space in terms of time and freedom? As one of the world’s largest automotive, ZF Fried-richshafen AG is shaping the development of driverless vehicles decisively. The firm provides the full range of sensors, processors, HMI and intelligent mechanical systems, which build the basis of automated driving. We spoke to the head of research and development Dr. Harald Naunheimer, about the opportunities and risks involved in the autonomous driving experience.

Most companies today are in a process of digital transformation and are among other things continuously creating new systems for e-commerce, content management and content marketing. Few however care about the integration of all these different areas through interfaces both technical and procedural.

The real and virtual worlds are becoming ever more entwined, modern information and communication technologies are merging with industrial processes and are consequently changing the production landscape to an increasing degree. Festo examines this change holistically and from various perspectives. As a global player, the company supplies pneumatic and electrical automation technology to factory and process automation customers in more than 200 different sectors. Its products and services are available in 176 countries throughout the world. We talked to Dr Roger Kehl, CIO, and Urda Stieler, Head of IT Sales at Festo, about the digital present and the future of the company.

Last year was the year of wearable technology; and in particular, the year of the Apple Watch. Next up: smart clothing. From the ‘cognitive dress’ that broadcasts your emotional colours to conducting fabrics, Samsung has a division which at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas launched no fewer than eight such tech-inspired fashion items. Marking its first foray into the ultimate wearable computer, Samsung Fashion C&T seeks to be perfectly suited to weave affordable fashion with mobile ambient intelligence; clothing that people would actually wear and find useful in their lives.

In the past, all manufacturing and retail companies have tried to optimise the product supply chain. This was accomplished primarily to support the typical buying style of consumers in the “Brick & Mortar” world. But in today’s e-commerce and mobile-based retail environment, the challenges for manufacturers and retailers have increased in many ways when it comes to data management.

Never before has the world been as networked as it now is. But how should we design a digital future in which data are the lifeblood of companies? Industrial Data Space forms the basis for safely and autonomously exchanging data. It supports enterprises when using these innovation potentials and provides fundamental data services; i.e. the anonymisation of data, integration services and the setting of “expiry dates” for their use. As a result, it makes an important contribution towards the digital transformation of companies.

Last April, the first Singularity University Germany Summit brought together more than 650 representatives from all industries and German medium-sized businesses in Berlin with the aim of discussing the opportunities and challenges of technological singularity for industry and the environment. The focus was above all on decisive trends and the latest developments relating to mobility, organisation, production, artificial intelligence, robotics, transport, logistics, 3D printing, machine learning and design thinking. Following the summit, our San Francisco correspondent Nicole Kidd talked to organiser Stephan Balzer, who has been entrepreneurially active at the intersection of technology and innovation for more than 25 years.

Water is the most important commodity of all on our planet,  as well as for the people, animals and plants that inhabit it. We are all aware that it is the most precious of all resources we have and that usable reserves are becoming increasingly scarce. Today, one in ten people across the globe has no access to clean water. Furthermore, our society continues to draw on limited groundwater reserves at record rates – faster that they can replenish themselves. And it is above all the production processes within the apparel industry that are highly-dependent on the availability of water – which encompasses the cultivation of cotton all the way through to consumer maintenance at home. For decades now, the Levi Strauss & Co. brand has been working on reducing the volumes of water required.

With the right bag you can change your outfit – just like shoes. That's why bags are women’s favourite fashion accessory. However many bags there may be in the wardrobe, few ever reach the acclaimed position of becoming a personal favourite. Simone Wiechert, founder and operator of Lieblingstasche.de, came to the same conclusion when she had to say “Farewell” to her rather down-at-heel companion. She searched online for a replacement but to no avail. In her eyes all web-based offers for bags and accessories appeared equally loveless and interchangeable. And what ever happened to service? She decided to put her own ideas into a customer-friendly bag shop, which in 2010 was ready for its first style-conscious buyers.

There are ever more touchpoints, new business models and sales concepts, increasing product diversity, internationalisation, exciting design ideas and marketing approaches. Observing and assessing these developments and optimising your own business model in line with them is no easy feat for companies – however, the current challenge is something completely different: traders have to orient their offerings and processes specifically on the customer. Basically, you have to be downright “customer-obsessed”.

For most companies, the efficient creation of content is fundamental, as it is the prerequisite for the successful sales of their own products. One of them is bonprix, a subsidiary of the Otto Group and an international fashion retailer. Today, the former mail-order company is – with 29 online shops worldwide – a successful e-commerce player celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

As a European analyst house, we witness a certain trend at the moment. Manufacturers act contrary to the existing, clear separation of the markets within the best-of-breed approach and position their products broadly rather than deepening existing core competencies. Their aim: to utilise their products in several markets in order to be present in various sectors simultaneously. We summarise these candidates with what you could call almost a holistic approach by the term Market Plus. They position themselves in the middle between the best-of-breed and purely holistic vendors. We had a first discussion on this issue with Matthias Kant, CEO of pirobase imperia GmbH.

With its software provided as a software-as-a-service solution, Demandware enables retailers to establish a user-friendly, scalable web presence. Tom Ebling, CEO of Demandware, explains the role innovation will play in this highly dynamic market, what the future of the retail business will be and what impact the merger with the industry giant Salesforce will have on the company that was founded in 2004.

Volle Kontrolle bei der Digitalen Transformation VON CHRISTIAN COLMER (Veröffentlicht in Das Produktkulturmagazin Ausgabe 3 2016) „Jede Unterhaltung mit dem Piloten ist strengstens verboten!“ Damit schnitt Picasso einem Interessenten brüsk das Wort ab. Erfolgreiche CMOs handeln entgegengesetzt: Sie sind Piloten,...

Wasco ist ein führender niederländischer Händler für Heizung, Sanitärprodukte und Dienstleistungen mit mehr als 30 Geschäften sowie drei großen Distributionslagern. Das Portfolio des Unternehmens umfasst mehr als 450.000 Produkte – entsprechend schnell bewegt sich Wascos Markt- und Produktumfeld. Der technische Charakter der modernen Heizungs- und Sanitärprodukte führt dazu, dass Installateure heute weniger Produktwissen besitzen als in der Vergangenheit und sich deswegen bei der Kaufberatung immer mehr auf den Rat ihres Großhändlers verlassen. Dies eröffnet dem Unternehmen die Möglichkeit, ergänzende Heizungs- und Sanitärprodukte als Cross- und Upsell zu verkaufen sowie durch maßgeschneiderte Angebote auf Basis der persönlichen Vorlieben der Kunden die Markentreue zu steigern.

Die Digitalisierung bringt radikale Veränderungen der Gesellschaft und der Wirtschaft mit sich. Dieser Wandel macht auch vor der Produktkommunikation nicht halt: Unternehmen stehen vor der Herausforderung, eine Vielzahl an Kanälen und Produktinformationen gezielt zu bedienen. Wichtig ist dabei, eine gesamtheitliche Strategie zu verfolgen, denn das Fokussieren auf einzelne Maßnahmen oder das Ausspielen von Print versus Online führt nicht zum gewünschten Erfolg.

The TKD Kabel GmbH is one of the largest suppliers of cables, wires, ready-to-connect cables and accessories for virtually all industries worldwide. The company has locations in Europe, America and China. Its focus is on markets for materials handling, industry and cable tracking chain systems. The firm’s entire range includes approximately 30,000 items. TKD thus serves a wide range of applications and addresses various economic sectors. Furthermore, cables, wires and systems are custom-developed and designed for specific client demands.

Robots are on the rise all over the world. Experts in the field speak of it as Industry 4.0. Google and Facebook have become fierce competitors in the development of artificial intelligence whereas Kuka Roboter is a leading pioneer in the field of robotics and systems engineering. All innovations of the Augsburg company are aimed towards the integration of man and machine. CEO Stefan Lampa in fact believes that in due time, human and robot will cooperate as extensively as they will walk hand in hand.