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InterAct expands global programme with India research mission

At the end of October 2024, the InterAct team continued their series of InterAct Global research missions with a visit to Pune, India. InterAct Global is an expansion of the project, designed to bring insights from international manufacturing and technological innovation in the UK sector. The visit enabled the team to engage with those in the electric vehicle (EV) sector that are working towards making Pune the EV manufacturing hub of the future.

InterAct is hoping to create both local and global impact by exchanging knowledge with international players in the worldwide manufacturing ecosystem. These missions will help to better understand the competitive advantages of other countries, learn from them, and exchange best practices and processes. Providing these insights to UK businesses and policymakers, the project aims to tackle the future challenges of digital transformation across three key areas: ecosystems, economies, and workplaces.

India represents an interesting case study for innovation, with clearly defined priorities in upskilling the future workforce and improving diversity and inclusion in manufacturing. The team had the chance to explore this in more depth through visits to various organisations and companies including:

  • Spark Minda
  • Bajaj Auto
  • ARAI (The Automotive Research Association of India)
  • Tata Motors
  • Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Pune

InterAct had the chance to expand upon these visits and discussions with a round table session and two workshops, hosted in collaboration with Symbiosis International University (SIU). These events brogh together a range of high calibre attendees, including those from automotive and EV manufacturing, artificial intelligence and academia, to collaborate on ‘the need of the hour’ (Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro Chancellor, Symbiosis International University).

These engaging sessions offered participants a chance to hear from the InterAct team, SIU academics and industry stakeholders as they discussed:

  • How to make the Pune region the hub of electric vehicle production by 2050: allowing key industry stakeholders to share their expertise and views for the direction of the sector.
  • The role of Pune in the 2040 electric vehicle global value chain: encouraging participants to envision the stages of development needed to succeed in their share regional vision.
  • The future of work in the Pune electric vehicle industry: highlighting the importance of upskilling and education, as well as looking at how to make manufacturing more appealing to gen Z.

Attendees also contributed to an extended shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities for the manufacturing sector through the workshops built around the approaches of the InterAct Future of Work and Future of Digital Manufacturing Ecosystems teams, led by Professor Janet Godsell, Dr. Robert Stewart, Dr. Carolina Marin-Cadavid and Millie Rodgers.

We want to thank all of our generous hosts and partners for the success of this mission, and look forward to bringing more insights from our further global engagement activities.

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InterAct Storytelling Fellow wins  Science and Research Award from International Digital Storytelling Festival

VIK / AdobeStock

From 27 – 29 September 2024, leaders from the InterAct Storytelling Fellowship programme joined fellow experts at the first International Digital Storytelling Festival in Zakynthos, Greece.

This event brought together practitioners of digital storytelling from across the globe to share and screen visual stories from a wide range of academic disciplines. The festival saw over 60 selected for screening over three days and six categories including:

  • Culture
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Science and Research
  • Society

InterAct submitted several stories from across the Storytelling Fellowship programme for consideration, from which fellow Susan Lattanzio’s story ‘Digital Dinosaurs’ was selected as winner of the ‘Science and Research Award’.

Dr Susan Lattanzio is the Research and Industry Engagement Manager for the Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People-Led Digitalisation. The Centre specifically focuses on the role of people and culture, and how these both influence and are influenced by the adoption of digital technologies.

Discussing the success of this story Professor Michael Wilson, Head of the Loughborough University Storytelling Academy, said: “This has been a unique adventure in using storytelling, particularly digital storytelling, in collaboration with the manufacturing industry to tell impactful stories relating to the onset of technological development. It’s not something that I, or others at the festival had encountered before, and I think it lends credence to the idea that storytelling is a valuable tool to apply across contexts to generate meaningful insights.”

Professor Michael Wilson, Pip Hardy and Tony Sumner collect the ‘Science and Research Award’ on behalf of Susan Lattanzio.

Speaking afterwards, Susan added: “I’m delighted to have won this award. I want to thank InterAct for providing funding for this programme and the Storytelling Academy at Loughborough University for running such great teaching sessions. Their support and guidance inspired so much creativity and a range of different approaches among our cohort of fellows.

“I think sometimes it can be too easy to focus just on KPIs when considering manufacturing challenges and miss the bigger picture. This was a very exciting opportunity to take a new approach to communicating that we wouldn’t normally use in engineering and offer up insights in a compelling, narrative format.”

“The concept of ‘Digital Dinosaurs’ came from my personal experience, but it was a subject that I found almost everyone I spoke to could relate to with someone in their life. I think it aligns really well with our aims at the Centre for People-Led Digitalisation, where we’re committed to putting considerations of the impact of change and new technology on people at the heart of our research.”

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InterAct joins supply chain industry leaders for UK SCALE Centre Symposium

On Monday 7 October, InterAct representatives joined leaders and executives from across the supply chain industry to the UK Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Centre Symposium at Loughborough University.

This symposium aimed to bring together key stakeholders from industry, policy and academia to discuss and co-create visions how the UK SCALE Centre, and supply chain community, can confront some of the biggest challenges facing the sector.

In recent years, manufacturers and logistics providers have faced major systemic shocks such as COVID-19, Brexit and the conflict in Ukraine. These difficulties have created a sentiment among some academics and industry leaders that collective forethought and action are needed to protect from future shocks.

Discussing the motivation behind the symposium, Professor Janet Godsell, InterAct Co-director and Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Strategy said: “The future can often seem distant and less concerning than the problems of today, particularly in the supply chain and manufacturing sectors. It has felt as though we are living in an age of ‘permacrisis’, constantly fighting just to stay on track.

“These challenges have proven the vital importance of considering potential futures, today. We need to make a fundamental change in the way we pursue growth to better balance the environmental, social and economic cost of growth, and that’s we’ve brought together so many different voices today to discuss making that change.”

Attendees were welcomed by Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, Professor Nick Jennings, before hearing from Sir John Peace, Chair of Midlands Engine, as he discussed his enthusiasm for the potential of the UK SCALE Centre and the opportunities for regional benefits to the Midlands.

The initial talks were followed by an in-depth look at the place of the Centre within the wider Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global SCALE Network. Dr Chris Caplice, Executive Director of MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, also provided an overview of the possibilities for businesses to engage with the Centre: “The chance for academia and industry to work together is always exciting because it opens up new opportunities. One has a longer-term view, and the other is more set in the real world and provides short-term views, so they complement each other well.

“Many figures from industry haven’t really had a chance to consider how they can work with academia to achieve mutual benefits, so it’s great to see them come together and explore that.”

Four expert speakers then examined the influence and impact of four key themes for the development of future supply chains:

  • Supply chain digitisation – Tim Lawrence, Director of Digital Supply Chain at Digital Catapult
  • The need to evolve our workforce to meet the anticipated needs of the supply chain – Dr Grant Charlesworth-Jones, D4Drivers
  • Supply chain sustainability – Judith Richardson, Managing Principal and Head of Sustainability at Argon & Co
  • Talent for the future – Jo Pick, Chief People Officer at Wincanton Plc

Discussing their participation in the day, Judith Richardson of Argon & Co said: “We were incredibly excited when we heard that Loughborough was partnering with MIT to set up a SCALE Centre in the UK. As someone from the Midlands, and an advocate for the sustainability agenda, I was delighted to hear that this initiative would be landing in the region that kickstarted the industrial revolution as we look towards creating a new ‘green revolution’.”

Dr. Charlesworth-Jones added: “Loughborough embodies the essential forward-thinking approach to making a better future, where we can deliver more on a sustainable basis, both in an economic and environmental sense… they are bringing together the best that the UK has to offer to create supply chain solutions so that we can get what we want, when we want it, without it costing the earth.”

The afternoon session saw attendees reconvene to consider the learnings from the morning, engaging with an innovative workshop approach that saw them working together on developing ‘visions for the future of supply chains in 2040’. This workshop gave participants the opportunity to showcase their professional insights and expertise, sharing these through short presentations.

Hear from SCALE Centre Symposium speakers

If you want to learn more visit the dedicated UK SCALE Centre microsite.

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InterAct Co-director named in The Manufacturer Top 100 Awards

InterAct Co-director, Professor Janet Godsell, has been named as a winner for the ‘Sector Activist’ category in 2024 edition of The Manufacturer Top 100.

Now in its 12th year, The Manufacturer Top 100 scours the length and breadth of the nation to find the 100 most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing, nominated by The Manufacturer’s audience, the industrial community and judged by a panel of industry leaders, academics and manufacturing associations.

The Manufacturer Top 100 celebrates the heroes of UK manufacturing and recognises their contribution to Net Zero, Digital Transformation, Innovation and Leadership. 

With an extensive background in industry and academic roles across both manufacturing and supply chains, Professor Godsell has long championed the importance of manufacturing to the economy, society and people’s everyday lives. An outspoken advocate of the integral role of humans within our supply chains and manufacturing businesses, she established the InterAct Network as a co-director in 2021 to develop new research in this area.

Professor Godsell has been deeply involved in sustainability focused research through projects such as CircularMetal and CarbonVue, which aim to reduce the environmental impact of the sector. She has also played an important role in the development of the new UK SCALE Centre, a collaboration between Loughborough University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on the future of supply chain innovation.

Discussing the recognition of her work in the Top 100, Professor Godsell said: “I’ve wanted to work in manufacturing since I was 15, so being part of The Manufacturer Top 100 is amazing. It really shows that the work I’ve done has been recognised by the community.

“Whilst I’m now working in an academic capacity, I think people can see I’m making use of the skills and expertise I’ve gained over the years to make a difference for the manufacturing sector.”

Hear more about Jan’s career journey and her view on the biggest challenges facing the sector
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InterAct attend the Women in Manufacturing Conference 2024

InterAct representatives were pleased to support the Women In Manufacturing initiative’s ‘Changing Perceptions’ conference on 19th September 2024.

Hosted at the state-of-the-art Manufacturing Technology Centre facility in Coventry, the event brought together a range of people within the manufacturing ecosystem to discuss gender diversity and inclusion within the industry.

The event was one of a series organised by the Women in Manufacturing UK Initiative, a network of industrial and academic professionals with a shared interest in encouraging diversity and inclusion in the sector.

Although women represent almost half of the labour force in the United Kingdom, they account for only 26% of all workers in the manufacturing sector.

Gender norms, stereotypes, and even AI biased can divide men and women into different occupations, leadership positions and economic activities, resulting in a lack of diversity influencing decision-making at the sector’s summit.

The morning sessions aimed to tackle this, kicking off with Dr. Jennifer Castañeda Navarrete and Zoi Roupakia presenting findings of their report, co-authored with Dr. Viktória Döme and Guendalina Anzolin:  ‘The Women in UK Manufacturing 2024: Addressing Labour Shortages and Bridging the Gender Gap’.

This was followed by presentations including ‘Driving diversity and inclusion in manufacturing’, a panel discussion on ‘Inclusive innovation in manufacturing’ and ‘Industry best practice’.

Throughout the afternoon, a series of workshops delved into various aspects of women’s roles in manufacturing, covering topics such as career advancement, mentorship programs, and strategies to overcome gender bias.

Attendees had the opportunity to engage with seasoned professionals, share experiences, and gain insights into navigating the challenges unique to women in the manufacturing workforce.

Whilst the conference made it clear that the industry has a long way to go in terms of promoting diversity and inclusion, and solving these long-term issues, the enthusiasm and ideas generated by the Women in Manufacturing initiative was an inspirational takeaway for attendees.

If you want to learn more about how you can take practical steps to help address these challenges, you can read Dr Jennifer Castañeda Navarrete and Zoi Roupakia’s report, co-authored with Dr. Viktória Döme and Guendalina Anzolin’s.

Full report
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Digital Supply Chain Hub publishes findings of UK Supply Chain Survey 2024

phaisarnwong2517 / Adobe Stock

A new survey of manufacturers and technology companies from the Digital Supply Chain Hub has revealed the key challenges facing companies when it comes to digitalisation of supply chains. The Digital Supply Chain Hub programme has conducted its own research uncovering organisations’ attitudes towards the digital transformation of supply chains. Interviews were held with supply chain professionals in large manufacturing businesses and SMEs, as well as technology and innovation professionals developing solutions for supply chains.

The report found that insufficient resources are one of the most common barriers to digital transformation when it comes to supply chains. There is a growing need to upskill workforces in using new digital technologies and deep tech such as the internet of things and artificial intelligence. Enhancing efficiency and automation, building resilience against disruptions, and developing a more sustainable supply chain are key priorities for large manufacturing businesses while SMEs surveyed are slightly less likely to be prioritising supply chain digital transformation, with 14% saying they don’t currently have any supply chain top priorities.

Overall, the research shows that there is considerable appetite for digital supply chain solutions and that large businesses in particular are prioritising this crucial development.

However, talent shortages, market competition, and access to funding are most likely to be preventing technology and innovation professionals from developing and providing innovative digital supply chain solutions to UK manufacturers, with a need for further investment and robust policies to drive transformation.

Find out more and access the full findings
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InterAct researchers present findings at Academy of Management 2024 conference

From 9 – 13 August researchers from InterAct joined academic colleagues from across business, management, and social science at the Academy of Management’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. At this conference, InterAct funded researchers had the opportunity to present the findings of several papers focused on the human challenges of digitalisation. These included:

Envisioning a Socially Sustainable Future in Digitally-Enabled Manufacturing

Presented by:

Janet Godsell (Loughborough Business School)

Co-authors:

Ahmet Onur Agca (Loughborough Business School)

Kamran Ali Chatha (Loughborough Business School)

How will digitalization impact the future of work in global manufacturing?

Presented by:

Carolina Marin-Cadavid (Strathclyde Business School)

Co-authors:

Colin Lindsay (Strathclyde Business School)

Jillian MacBryde (Strathclyde Business School)

Robert Stewart (Strathclyde Business School)

Envisioning digital change: A systematic review of the socio-technical tools literature

Presented by:

Hui Zhang (Sheffield University Management School)

Co-authors:

Carolyn Axtell (Sheffield University Management School)

Vladislav Grozev (Sheffield University Management School)

Karina Nielsen (Sheffield University Management School)

Is the emergence of coworking spaces indicative of a modern industrial organization leading to fostering skills development?

Presented by:

Philip R Tomlinson (University of Bath, School of Management)

Mariachiara Barzotto (University of Bath, School of Management)

Co-authors:

Felicia Fai (University of Bath, School of Management)

Sandrine Labory (University of Ferrara, Department of Economics)

Following these successful presentations, the InterAct Network was pleased to be able to welcome over 80 conference attendees as guests at a networking reception held at Giordano’s restaurant (Gold Coast/Magnificent Mile).

This event brought together a wide range of experts from the social sciences to engage with InterAct staff and learn more about the Network’s agenda of improving human-centric digitalisation in manufacturing.

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Made Smarter publishes ‘digital transformation roadmap’ for SME manufacturers

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The Made Smarter programme has recently published a new ‘digital transformation roadmap’ to support SME manufacturers with the complex challenges of adopting new technology within their businesses.

Made Smarter was created following an industry-led review of how UK manufacturing industries could be supported to prosper through digital tools and innovation. It is comprised of two key elements; Made Smarter Adoption, which offers practical support and funding to assist businesses with implementing new technology, and Made Smarter Innovation which aims to use research to tackle the current and future challenges to successful digitalisation in UK manufacturing.

In their latest whitepaper, the Made Smarter team have highlighted the process of how they support SME manufacturers with digital transformation through grant funding and skills and leadership training programmes. The report showcases some of the hundreds of businesses who have benefitted from their intervention across the country.

The paper also includes features on several partner organisations such as Make UK, the Centre for People-Led Digitalisation (PLD) and InterAct. Find out more about how we, and others, are working with Made Smarter towards a common goal and access links to the best resources available to start your digital transformation journey today.  

Access the made smarter whitepaper
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Professor Colin Lindsay brings Future of Work insights to Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce Roundtable

On 10th July, InterAct Future of Work co-investigator, Professor Colin Lindsay joined the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and industry guests at British Sugar, Peterborough to share insights on manufacturing workforces.

Professor Lindsay spoke to a wide range of stakeholders from across the region to discuss the barriers and potential solutions to the challenge of developing future talent – a key focus of the area’s Local Skills Improvement Plan.

Make UK have highlighted the scale of the problem of an aging manufacturing workforce: 1 in 5 employees are aged 55 and over, with 20% of workers set to retire in the next decade. This urgent issue has been investigated by the InterAct Future of Work team, culminating in the publication of the ‘Making Things Work’ – Perceptions of Manufacturing’ report in late 2023.

This report, based on a survey of over 2100 people, addressed the serious issue of how the UK public perceives the manufacturing sector. The researchers placed the spotlight on concerns such as the fact ‘over 70% of respondents have not heard or read anything about manufacturing in the last year’. The survey found that concerns over the sustainability, perceptions of low pay and a lack of flexible working were driving younger and more diverse potential applicants away.

Attendees of the session had the opportunity to discuss these findings, before hearing from Enguinity’s Fiona McGarry about how manufacturers can start to tackle the problem of attracting and engaging with younger generations through innovative solutions.

Discussing the event, Professor Lindsay said: “It was a pleasure to be able to address such a wide ranging group of manufacturers and key stakeholders in the sector. It is encouraging to see how receptive businesses are to the message we’re sharing, and that we’re starting to see real traction in addressing what is a huge and growing issue for industry.”

Read the ‘‘Making Things Work’ – Perceptions of Manufacturing’ report
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InterAct sponsors inaugural meeting of Leicestershire group of East Midlands Manufacturing Network

InterAct was pleased to be able to sponsor and join the inaugural meeting of the Leicestershire group of the East Midlands Manufacturing Network (EMMN) on 5th July at the STEM Lab of Loughborough University.

This exciting development from the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce expanded the regional Manufacturing Network into Leicestershire as a whole, bringing together key players from manufacturing, technology, trade bodies and policy. This introductory session focused on the scale of manufacturing challenges for the region. Participants had the opportunity to share business perspectives and hear about the insights from research aimed at supporting UK manufacturing.

InterAct representatives discussed the scope of the Network, how it can support local businesses and the benefits of the many core and commissioned research projects. Attendees then had the chance to hear from Dr. Kate Broadhurst about her work as part of an InterAct funded project examining the potential of ‘Open Innovation’. This project aims to create roadmaps outlining best practice for collaborative open innovation, designed to help overcome the challenges of technological development and implementation.

InterAct will be continuing to support the EMMN as it grows, if you are interested in collaborating with likeminded manufacturers in the East Midlands region, you can find out more here.