BLOCKCHAIN HYPE STARTS TO FIZZLE
A number of software projects based on blockchain technology will slow down toward the end of the year, as companies that once pushed pilot tests are now scaling back on their ambitions. According to Bloomberg, 90 percent of cases won’t use blockchain after the experiments because as companies ramp up projects across their businesses, they are hitting problems with performance, oversight and operations. So far blockchains can’t handle a large volume of transactions, and the technology only stands out when companies collaborate on projects. However, because different businesses must share the same ledger, it can be challenging to agree on how to adopt the technology. As an early blockchain adopter, IBM currently has more than 1,500 employees working on the digital ledger, reporting that it’s still in strong demand. However, an increase in competition could affect how much it can charge clients. Bloomberg reports that only 1 percent of chief information officers say they have any kind of blockchain adoption in their organizations, while 8 percent say they are in short-term planning or active experimentation with the technology. Meanwhile, 80 percent of CIOs say they have no interest in the technology.
JDA PARTNERS WITH MICROSOFT FOR CLOUD TRANSFORMATION JDA Software announced in August that it will be partnering with Microsoft to build a cognitive SaaS solution on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. The new partnership will accelerate JDA’s vision to deliver an autonomous supply chain through an infusion of advanced, intelligent cloud platform capabilities. With Microsoft Azure driving new levels of productivity and intelligent data-driven experiences, JDA’s solutions will be able to optimize the entire supply chain from end to end. Together, the applications will enable customers to take advantage of real-time insights for smarter business decisions and profitable business growth. “This partnership between established, trusted providers, uniting cloud services via Microsoft Azure and supply chain via JDA, addresses a gap in the supply chain ecosystem as cloud becomes a prerequisite for enterprises today as they embark on their digital supply chain transformations. Cloud-based supply chain deployments account for only about 40 percent of deployments today, and this new trust partnership could send that on an upward trajectory quite quickly,” says Victoria Brown, research manager at IDC.
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AMAZON AWARDED ROBOTICS PATENT FOR WAREHOUSES Amazon is diving further into robotics after securing a patent for robot arms that toss items around fulfillment centers. According to the patent, robotic arms or manipulators that use sensors to identify objects find the best way to grasp them, calculate the required trajectories and throw the items into chutes or bins. But even though a patent was issued, it does not necessarily mean the machine will ever be built. Amazon does not currently have any robotic tossing systems in any of its fulfillment centers. The application was filed in 2015.
SDCExec.com | September 2018 | SUPPLY & DEMAND CHAIN EXECUTIVE
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8/27/18 8:42 AM