Mr. Tom Gunn

"I see no future for ANX given that the Internet is free," says Thomas G. Gunn, an auto industry expert who is vice president of consulting at The Concours Group, based in Houston.The ANX platform will not vanish immediately, he says, but it will fade away over time as security improvements are made in encrypting data for Internet transactions.

"The laws of economics have dictated consistently over the years that something that's free will win out over something that costs money," Gunn says."So in the end, the Internet will be the network of choice, and people will find a way to encrypt data on the Internet and still enjoy its free use."

Gunn acknowledges that design collaboration between engineers for the automakers and their suppliers that involve three-dimensional computer-aided design images will require very high bandwidth for added security and protection, and "ANX is good for that."Even so, he maintains, "the need to pay money to be part of a proprietary secure network will diminish over time as we get better and better security measures on the Internet."

I see no future for ANX given that the Internet is free , says Thomas G. Gunn , an auto industry expert who is vice president of consulting at The Concours Group , based in Houston.The ANX platform will not vanish immediately , he says , but it will fade away over time as security improvements are made in encrypting data for Internet transactions.

The laws of economics have dictated consistently over the years that something that's free will win out over something that costs money , Gunn says.So in the end , the Internet will be the network of choice , and people will find a way to encrypt data on the Internet and still enjoy its free use..

Gunn acknowledges that design collaboration between engineers for the automakers and their suppliers that involve three-dimensional computer-aided design images will require very high bandwidth for added security and protection , and ANX is good for that. Even so , he maintains , the need to pay money to be part of a proprietary secure network will diminish over time as we get better and better security measures on the Internet..

Rohit de Souza , who is vice president of solutions at Oracle Corp. , agrees.Oracle and Commerce One Inc. are the technology companies hired to develop the new joint exchange of the Big Three.The problem with the ANX is it's too expensive for some of the low-tier ( or smaller ) suppliers to use , de Souza says.That's why in hammering out the details of the new e-marketplace , officials didn't feel right mandating that companies use the ANX platform , he adds.

If you want to come into our system through ANX , that's fine , says de Souza.

If they're going to work together , it's going to take a long time for them to work together effectively , says Thomas G. Gunn , vice president of consulting at The Concours Group , based in Houston.Now if the right financial incentives are provided , perhaps it would help those two companies get together more quickly , says Gunn , who previously worked in information systems at GM.

Different Strategies

For now , however , Oracle and Commerce One differ widely in their operating strategies.Commerce One's Hoffman contends that Oracle's strength as a long- time software industry leader is also its biggest weakness , because it relies too much on its own products at a time when Internet commerce thrives on open technology sourced from multiple partners.Oracle's got the wrong model for this business , he says , adding that its strategy is to build online commerce systems based on traditional enterprise resource planning software.They have to build everything themselves.

Session Leaders : Tony DiRomualdo • Tom Gunn • Ed Roche • Laurel Rolls • Steve Stanton • Margie Tomczak
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Tom Gunn discusses trends in electronic supply chain management ( eSCM ) and their implications for business processes and information systems.
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Tom Gunn is vice president of consulting at The Concours Group.Tom is a leading manufacturing visionary and futurist dealing with the implication of technology in all forms - especially information technology.He has more than twenty-two years experience in assisting manufacturing companies with the development of manufacturing strategies , leading-edge business processes , and performance improvement programs.His work often focuses on helping companies improve the management of their supply chains through real-time planning , the use of electronic commerce , and Internet based technologies.

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eSupply Chain Management in the World of eBusiness - Tom Gunn - The Concours Group Tom will discuss the key principles of effective eSupply Chain Management ( eSCM ) in the age of eBusiness and will provide a unique framework from which to view a company's efforts to excel in fulfilling its customers' needs.He will place eSCM in the broader perspective of its relationship to eCustomer Relationship Management ( eCRM ) and eProcurement.In addition , he will provide the audience with a simple 20-question test to assess their opportunities to strengthen eSCM in their own company.

10 : 00 - 10 : 30

Informal Discussions

10 : 30 - 12 : 00pm

Gregory Pearl | Tom Gunn | William Holmes | Christopher Howe | John Lertzman | Steven Swann
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Tom Gunn

Mr. Gunn has over 25 years of experience in the consulting and manufacturing industries. He specializes in assisting companies with the development of manufacturing strategies, leading edge business processes, and performance improvement programs to increase their competitive advantage in global markets and significantly move them toward world class business performance. His work often focuses on helping companies improve the management of their supply chain through real-time planning, improving supply chain management business processes, and the use of electronic commerce and Internet-based technologies in cross-enterprise collaborative value network management.

A leading manufacturing visionary and futurist dealing with the implication of technology in all forms -- especially information technology -- Tom is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and internal executive education programs sponsored by many companies. He has delivered over 300 executive education speeches in North America and Europe.

Tom Gunn Perlinski & Company
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Tom Gunn

Tom is a partner in Perlinski & Company and is based in Austin, Texas. Tom's three decades of professional experience includes building and leading manufacturing and supply chain management practices for three leading consulting firms, building and leading the business process engineering staff for a Detroit automaker, and executive line positions for a major computer manufacturer as well as a start-up software company.

Mr. Gunn's work focuses on helping companies become more customer-focused and improve the management of their supply chain through real-time planning, improving supply chain business processes, and the use of Internet-based technologies. He has sold and led consulting engagements in the US, Europe, and the Far East.

Recent Projects

As a senior advisor to a major consulting firm, Tom played a major role in developing the vision and supporting business model for a 3-day order-to-delivery motor vehicle. He led a team that recommended software and business process improvements for the supply chain of a major manufacturer of industrial polymers. He led a team that recommended and implemented ERP software changes and supply chain management improvements for a major bicycle manufacturer in Europe.

Relevant Experience Business Process Engineering, Tom was Officer for the Information Systems and Services Group of General Motors.

Tom was the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management Practice Leader for the consulting firms of AT&T Solutions, Arthur Young, and Arthur D. Little.
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Tom was Vice President of Distribution and Procurement for Unisys.

He has authored four books and many articles on manufacturing, manufacturing strategy, and supply chain excellence.

On retainer for four years as a consultant, Tom assisted EDS in selling systems integration and consulting engagements to the manufacturing industries, and to establish their "Manufacturing University" education program.

Background Tom has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College

He is a certified practitioner in the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)

Under Tom's leadership, his consulting practices have designed and conducted many education and training programs on lean manufacturing, total quality management, and business process engineering. As a top executive at GM, Tom was selected to attend the Global Executive Leadership Program "Leadership at the Peak " in Colorado Springs.

Tom Gunn

Tom Gunn

Mr. Gunn has over 25 years of experience in the consulting and manufacturing industries. He specializes in assisting companies with the development of manufacturing strategies, leading edge business processes, and performance improvement programs to increase their competitive advantage in global markets and significantly move them toward world class business performance. His work often focuses on helping companies improve the management of their supply chain through real-time planning, improving supply chain management business processes, and the use of electronic commerce and Internet-based technologies in cross-enterprise collaborative value network management.

A leading manufacturing visionary and futurist dealing with the implication of technology in all forms -- especially information technology -- Tom is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and internal executive education programs sponsored by many companies. He has delivered over 300 executive education speeches in North America and Europe.

The next technology encounter I had was hearing Thomas Gunn of AT & T Solutions at a recent IW Best Plants Conference.He rapidly reviewed some of the implications of the explosion of computing and communications technology specifically with an eye toward what he calls "Real-Time Management."Gunn authored a 1994 book entitled"In The Age of the Real-Time Enterprise."(Omneo, Essex Junction, NH) I had recently debated this same issue with a client agonizing over their information technology, and "how to keep up with the "state-of-the-art."The answer we arrived at is "you can't."You must keep up with the "state-of-the-need."(The state-of-the-art" simply is changing too fast!) In some respects, Information Technology has gone from becoming a "one solution fits all" to a niche business, just like the cabbie's use of an automobile.As companies face the decision about how to configure their computing and communications technology choices they must carefully assess what their needs are, and consider advances in technology as a source of competitive advantage (or as Gunn pointed out very aptly, a potential competitive disadvantage!) but not just for technology sake.