NOVEMBER 20179MANUFACTURINGTECHNOLOGYINSIGHTSTechnology Transforming Manufacturing example of these lines is our recent acquisition of Yummly, a personalized recipe platform that has played a catalyst in bringing consumer experiences around the upcoming product launches of the company. As all of Whirlpool's initiatives (both regionally and globally) are technologically enabling and has data capabilities as one of the core enablers, I have taken it upon myself to champion a global big data initiative. I am working with a cross functional team, trying to figure out the right big data solutions, the right analytical tools, the right operating model, and the right organizational structure that we need to incorporate in order to scale the company both regionally and globally.Personality traits contributing to leadershipAs I work at a position of challenge cum excitement, my innate optimism has come to be a productive factor for the position. It has played a defining role in focusing on the work at hand, envisaging the direction of the business and in identifying the enablement of the right technology. Another quality which has done a great good for my position as a CIO is humility, as someone who is relatively new to the company, it is important that I not only work on aligning the organization or planning strategies but most importantly to learn the business. It was my personal trait of humility that helped me take up the continuous path for learning and help the company move to the next level. Future of the changing technological landscapeOne of the most revolutionary disruptions that we witness today is the "Democratization of IT", as we move ahead into the realm of democratization; we have come to witness increasing trends of commoditization and immediate accessibility of IT services, as we move into the cloud. With such emerging trends, it would not be wrong in speculating functions like data analytics and digital experiences embedded within the businesses, requiring everyone in the businesses to become tech savvy, and eventually resulting in the lesser relevance of IT organizations. Although a disruptive trend, I find it enabling, making every company more effective in its operations. The Changing Role of CIOThe emerging technological trends have initiated further embedding of businesses; I see the role of the CIOs becoming more significant than ever before. It has become incumbent on the CIOs to develop business acumen and become the students of business. I would see my energy channelized into business as a key note leadership above and beyond IT, for IT is becoming the business at Whirlpool.As the CIO of Whirlpool, my advice to the CIOs embarking on similar solutions is to learn your business, not just the technological aspect of your business but to truly understand and become a student of the marketplace. It is highly important to know your customers and the context of your businesses, only then would one be able to make informed recommendations and lead one's business in the desired direction. It is highly important to know your customers and the context of your businesses, only then would one be able to make informed recommendations and lead one's business in the desired direction
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