Manufacturing and Microsoft: Making the marriage work

One subject that seems to bubble up to the surface of the analytical conjuring pot with great frequency involves Microsoft's participation in business automation for manufacturers.  The published statements and predictions commonly assert that Microsoft has little interest in or little to offer the manufacturing enterprise. If this is true, does that mean it's time for manufacturers to consider pulling Microsoft from their technology stack?

There are a lot of variables to consider when settling on a vendor for any of the various needs manufacturers have, and even more to consider when displacing a vendor that's been with the organization for a long time - the cost in terms of money, resources, and pain can be great. Besides, what if these online gurus are simply misunderstanding Microsoft's approach to the market?

A case can be made that Microsoft does still cater to the manufacturing market; they just do it under the umbrella of the "business automation" market segment. So how can manufacturers get re-aligned with the Microsoft tools in their stacks?

Manufacturers must find the value based on their needs

For manufacturers to gain benefit from Microsoft (or any) technology, they must first understand their own needs. They also must have a clear understanding of their desired trajectory for the future in terms of product, market, and strategy, as well as understanding what stands in their way toward achieving the success they envision.

Manufacturing buyers have heard it all. They are a skeptical group of people, and with good reason. The refrains of "Oh, Promise Me" echo loudly through the history of manufacturing and manufacturing automation technology.

Like any marriage, success starts with ...