Why Kyowa Kirin is Piloting a Digital Control Tower

— Addressing supply chain complexities with a digital control tower, Kyowa Kirin fuses data-driven decision making, stakeholder alignment, and scalable solutions, all while ensuring organizational readiness for this game-changing initiative.

The following are the main takeaways from Kyowa Kirin’s session at aim10x live New York City.

Unique Supply Chain Challenges:

Kyowa Kirin faces supply chain challenges common to many organizations, such as regulatory compliance, quality assurance, cold chain management, and the risk of theft. These challenges require close tracking and documentation, adding complexity to their supply chain operations.

Decision-Making and Orchestration:

The company identified two main areas of improvement: efficient decision-making and effective orchestration of activities. They highlighted the need to consolidate and make sense of disparate data sources, move away from manual processes, and focus on connecting and aligning stakeholders for better collaboration.

Pilot Program and Technology:

Kyowa Kirin partnered with o9 to implement a digital control tower pilot program in North America. The decision to start with a pilot program was driven by the need to demonstrate value within a limited time frame and secure budget. The framework for decision-making in the pilot program prioritizes automation, end-to-end visibility, actionable information, exception management, and proactive approaches.

Scalability and Future Vision:

While addressing current challenges, Kyowa Kirin remains mindful of long-term scalability and global expansion. They aim to avoid creating customized solutions that would hinder future expansion to other regions. Instead, they prioritize building a foundation that can accommodate localized requirements while maintaining fundamental principles.

Organization Preparedness:

Implementation success relies on preparing the organization for the changes that the control tower will bring. Kyowa Kirin acknowledges the importance of upskilling the team, evaluating skill sets, revising operating procedures, and ensuring the alignment of governance bodies. They recognize the need to change ways of working to fully leverage the benefits of the control tower.